MPI wants to hike Manitoba vehicle insurance by $17 for the average owner

Unless you ride a motorcycle, vehicle insurance could begin to cost you a little more ifManitoba Public Insurance's rate hike application is approved.

Due to an "unprecedented year" of non-collision claims payouts, MPI has asked the Public Utilities Board to sign off on a two per cent increase on basic Autopacrates.If approved, it would be the thirdoverall rate hike from the public insurer over the past decade.

There were 68 per cent more claims filed over the past year, including 13,000 for hail damage, according to MPI. In 2014, there were only 4,000 hail claims.

"Hail claims were the big driver in this increase, coming in $50 million over our projected forecast. Last year's payout for comprehensive was $125 million, compared to the previous five-year average of $74 million," MPI president and CEO Dan Guimond said in a statement Friday.

Most owners of passenger vehiclesin the provincewill have to pay$17 more a year if the proposed application is approved.

MPI said the weak Canadian dollar also hurt them financially in 2015. The final return for Canadian and U.Sequities came in at $14 million (or 17. 1 per cent) below what was expected, MPI said. The corporation added thata boost of$72.7 million to its stabilization reserve"from non-basic lines of business" has helped keep its requested hike as low as it is.

"Higher claims costs and a negative financial climate resulted in the corporation seeking a small overall rate increase for next year,"Guimond said.

MPI said of 674,894 vehicles on the road (save for trailers and off-road vehicles), 83 per cent (or 558,561) will see an increase of $40 or less in the next year.

Seventy-sevenper cent of motorcycle owners (or 11,699 people)will get a break or pay the same on rates, while the remaining 23 per cent would see rate hikes if the proposal is approved. Mopeds and scooter rates would go up by $9 on average to $313 per year.

The proposed rate increase would take effect March 1, 2017, for most drivers. Due to the renewal date structure, MPI said some vehicle owners won't see the change until Feb. 28, 2018.