Prafull Koli
05-24-2003, 12:36 PM
No-fault premiums could be the ticket
INSURANCE: Web page calculator allows motorists to check rates
BY MAC TRUEMAN
Telegraph-Journal
It would be difficult to convince Ernie Griffith shopping around is the most effective way to find competitive automobile insurance rates.
When he bought a new minivan last November, the cheapest insurance Mr. Griffiths could find in his coverage range was $2,500. And that was with 43 years of accident-free driving under his belt.
according to the Manitoba Public Insurance Web site, at www.mpi.mb.ca.
"Isn't that something," Mr. Griffiths responded. "But I'm here in New Brunswick."
Not every New Brunswick motorist stands to get a better insurance price out west. But Manitoba's public insurance system and the province's premiums-calculator Web page are getting a lot of attention here in New Brunswick, where premiums soared by 71 per cent last year, and many New Brunswickers saw their insurance costs rise by thousands of dollars.
Parts of the Manitoba system are seen in the insurance reforms that all three major party leaders are pushing in their platforms for the June 9 election.
Just like Manitoba already does, Premier Bernard Lord is promising to limit soft-tissue claims for all insurance plans. He says he will require insurers to offer an optional no-frills package.
Liberal Leader Shawn Graham says he will order insurance companies to roll premiums back by 25 per cent. And if the companies refuse, he will introduce government-run car insurance, which may or may not be no-fault.
NDP Leader Elizabeth Weir wants to go directly to public, no-fault car insurance like that in Manitoba.
Although Mr. Lord has voiced fear that New Brunswick would lose big money in a government-run system, Manitoba Public Insurance has been running for nine years as a Crown corporation without draining cash from its province, spokesman Brian Smiley said. It's supposed to raise its prices instead of running to government when it loses money. But its prices have been stable for the last five years, except for 2001, when the company got rid of a $80-million windfall by discounting motorists' insurance by approximately $140 each. Here's how to work the Insurance Rate Calculator portion of the Web page:
For the Griffiths' minivan, click the "passenger vehicles" pictogram, fill in "2003" as the vehicle year, choose "Toyota" as the make and "Sienna CE" as the model.
Click "yes" to "Are you a Manitoba resident?" and specify "R3C 4A4" as the area code. This puts your home in downtown Winnipeg, which will drive the price up slightly from that of the province's less populated areas, Mr. Smiley says.
READ FULL ARTICLE
http://canadaeast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030524/TPEBRIEF/305240008
INSURANCE: Web page calculator allows motorists to check rates
BY MAC TRUEMAN
Telegraph-Journal
It would be difficult to convince Ernie Griffith shopping around is the most effective way to find competitive automobile insurance rates.
When he bought a new minivan last November, the cheapest insurance Mr. Griffiths could find in his coverage range was $2,500. And that was with 43 years of accident-free driving under his belt.
according to the Manitoba Public Insurance Web site, at www.mpi.mb.ca.
"Isn't that something," Mr. Griffiths responded. "But I'm here in New Brunswick."
Not every New Brunswick motorist stands to get a better insurance price out west. But Manitoba's public insurance system and the province's premiums-calculator Web page are getting a lot of attention here in New Brunswick, where premiums soared by 71 per cent last year, and many New Brunswickers saw their insurance costs rise by thousands of dollars.
Parts of the Manitoba system are seen in the insurance reforms that all three major party leaders are pushing in their platforms for the June 9 election.
Just like Manitoba already does, Premier Bernard Lord is promising to limit soft-tissue claims for all insurance plans. He says he will require insurers to offer an optional no-frills package.
Liberal Leader Shawn Graham says he will order insurance companies to roll premiums back by 25 per cent. And if the companies refuse, he will introduce government-run car insurance, which may or may not be no-fault.
NDP Leader Elizabeth Weir wants to go directly to public, no-fault car insurance like that in Manitoba.
Although Mr. Lord has voiced fear that New Brunswick would lose big money in a government-run system, Manitoba Public Insurance has been running for nine years as a Crown corporation without draining cash from its province, spokesman Brian Smiley said. It's supposed to raise its prices instead of running to government when it loses money. But its prices have been stable for the last five years, except for 2001, when the company got rid of a $80-million windfall by discounting motorists' insurance by approximately $140 each. Here's how to work the Insurance Rate Calculator portion of the Web page:
For the Griffiths' minivan, click the "passenger vehicles" pictogram, fill in "2003" as the vehicle year, choose "Toyota" as the make and "Sienna CE" as the model.
Click "yes" to "Are you a Manitoba resident?" and specify "R3C 4A4" as the area code. This puts your home in downtown Winnipeg, which will drive the price up slightly from that of the province's less populated areas, Mr. Smiley says.
READ FULL ARTICLE
http://canadaeast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030524/TPEBRIEF/305240008