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Winnipeg Free Press > Local > MPI has new safety rating

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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

MPI has new safety rating

Good drivers pay less for licence, insurance

By: Bruce Owen

26/01/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 4

MARK REIMER/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board (left) and Marilyn McLaren, president and CEO of Manitoba Public Insurance (right), announced an enhanced identification card as an affordable alternative to a passport which will allow Manitobans entry into the United States by land or water.

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MARK REIMER/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - Vic Toews, President of the Treasury Board (left) and Marilyn McLaren, president and CEO of Manitoba Public Insurance (right), announced an enhanced identification card as an affordable alternative to a passport which will allow Manitobans entry into the United States by land or water.

GETTING a new driver's licence?

You might be in for a pleasant surprise as Manitoba's new Driver Safety Rating (DSR) program lets you keep more money in your pocket.

But that's only if you've obeyed the rules of the road and haven't crashed into anything.

Drivers with five merits and 15 years of neither at-fault accidents or infractions will get an immediate 25 per cent reduction in their Autopac premium and a $25 discount on their driver's licence.

If you've been a bad driver, your bill will grow according to the number of your transgressions.

Starting this month, drivers renewing their licences will begin to be switched over to the DSR rating system. Its goal is to reward good drivers and punish through higher premiums those drivers who've had recent at-fault collisions or traffic convictions, like not obeying a stop sign or getting a highway speeding ticket from a Mountie.

Manitoba Public Insurance's DSR system takes effect March 1 and will be phased in over the next year as we renew our licences.

DSR allows good drivers to earn up to 15 merits for safe driving instead of the maximum five merits under the old system, which has been in place since 1988, MPI CEO Marilyn McLaren said Monday.

"Simply, precisely, it is one simple method of dealing with drivers who present more risk and those who demonstrate long-term safe driving behaviour," McLaren said.

McLaren said the hammer won't come down right away on bad drivers -- the DSR system will be phased in so that Manitobans appreciate the financial benefit of good driving.

"Beginning next year there will start to be higher demerit surcharges for people who demonstrate really much higher-risk driving behaviour," she said.

Over the next four years MPI forecasts DSR demerit penalties will increase sharply. For instance, the worst driver with 20 demerits will pay $2,500 to drive in 2013-14. Today they pay about $1,000.

McLaren said the ultimate goal of the new system is safer streets and highways. Higher premiums will compel bad drivers to drive better.

Len Eastoe, owner of Traffic Tickets Experts and a former Winnipeg police officer, said the DSR system appears fair.

Eastoe was concerned people caught speeding by photo radar would be subject to demerits under DSR, but McLaren said that won't happen as photo radar only takes pictures of the vehicle, not the registered owner.

Manitoba's Public Utilities Board, which regulates MPI, has already approved the DSR system.

bruce.owen@freepress.mb.ca

Safe driving record results in savings

Want to find out what the new Driver Safety Rating (DSR) means to you?

"ö Manitoba Public Insurance has created a DSR calculator on its website www.mpi.mb.ca/DSR/DSRCalculator.aspx

You can find out how much you'll save if your driver's record is clean -- or how much you'll pay if you've had a recent at-fault collision or traffic conviction.

"ö Example? A driver with five merits and a safe driving record for the past five years -- no at-fault collisions or traffic convictions -- will be assigned a DSR level 10 when they renew their licence. It means they'll get a $25 discount on their driver's licence premium plus a 25 per cent discount on their Autopac premium.

"ö Speak to an Autopac agent or call MPI at 985-7000 or toll free 1-800-665-2410 for more information.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 26, 2010 A4

4 Commentscomment icon

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my2cents - when you move from another province to Manitoba, MPI just sets you off at 1 merit, unless you have a poor driving record, where they may not give you the merit or give demerits. So, even a 60 year old with 44 years of clean driving would come to this province and receive little to nil discount on their vehicle. Now, moving from Manitoba to a province with private insurance, you can receive lower premiums due to your clean driving history. Just another reason why I love MPI.

I went to their site and did the hypothetical situation. First I did 15 years with 5 merits and got a 25% rate discount and $35 license. Next I did 13 years and 5 merits and got 25% rate discount and $40 license. So how come there's a $5 difference between a level 15 and a level 10? Do they take in to account your driving record from another province if you haven't had a Manitoba license but have been claim-free for, say, 20 years total (10 of them in Manitoba)?

So basically:
- Older drivers with 15 years of claim free driving and no infractions pay the same insurance and receive an extra $5 per year discount on their driver's license;
- People receiving 25% off their insurance now without 15 years of claim free driving or some demerits will lose some of their discount, but not all;
- It will take much longer to receive the maximum discount on insurance and for your driver's license;
- Bad drivers will start to pay more.

Where's the profits going? There is not a lot of money given back, but it seems to me like a heck of a lot of extra money going in to MPI. I'll be expecting to see a substantial decrease in my insurance, but I predict it'll go back into what MPI reports are operating expenses - salaries, donations, advertising etc.

good deal it's not in alberta they only pay 50.00 for 5 years of driving.If i'm wrong what do they pay?

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