MPI will provide ongoing support for families who lose stay-at-home caregivers

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This article was published 05/05/2015 (4122 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Public Insurance will recognize the economic contribution of unpaid caregivers by providing ongoing benefits to families when those who look after children or infirm adults are killed in collisions.

The Selinger government introduced enabling amendments to the act governing MPI on Tuesday.

Gord Mackintosh, minister responsible for the public auto insurer, said the benefit will be retroactive to May 1.

“This legislation fills a gap. It makes sure that stay-at-home caregivers that provide support for other family members are recognized and that the support can continue,” he said after introducing Bill 17 in the house.

Currently, unpaid caregivers receive support if they are injured or disabled in a collision and are unable to look after dependent children or infirm adults. But there is no ongoing support to families if the caregiver dies — only a death benefit.

Weekly caregiver benefits would range from $436 for one dependent to a maximum of $572 for four dependents. At the latter rate, families would receive up to $29,744 per year.

Mackintosh said the impetus for the change came from a local insurance broker, John McDonald, who brought the issue up at a legislative committee meeting last year to former justice minister Andrew Swan.

McDonald was on hand for Tuesday’s announcement.

He said he had a client whose wife was killed in a collision on the south Perimeter Highway. The couple had two small children, age four months and 18 months.

“All of a sudden, he’s left with nobody to look after his children,” McDonald recalled.

The man worked long hours in the construction industry. It cost him $4,000 a month for a nanny and then a high school student later in the day.

Under current rules, if the mom had been injured, MPI would have paid support while she recovered.

Covered under the amendment are caregivers who looked after kids under age 16 and any disabled or infirm adults.

Mackintosh said it’s estimated about a dozen families each year may benefit from the change. He said MPI does not anticipate the new benefit will have a noticeable impact on rates.

Mackintosh said he is unaware of any other public insurer in Canada that is providing such coverage.

“I think it’s important to recognize that stay-at-home caregivers that aren’t paid have an invaluable contribution to family well-being and to the greater community. And that should be recognized in our insurance laws,” he said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca