Manitoba collision repairers continue to face a historic influx of hail-damaged vehicles, with an estimated 29,000 vehicles now awaiting repair following the severe June 9 storm that impacted communities across southern Manitoba.
The growing backlog has placed significant pressure on repair facilities across the province as shops work to assess damage, manage scheduling demands and return vehicles to customers as quickly as possible.
Earlier this month, Collision Repair reported on the impact of the storm on Manitoba’s collision repair network, with repairers facing unprecedented volumes and adapting operations to manage the surge in hail-related repairs.
To help address demand, Manitoba Public Insurance has established a dedicated Hail Response Centre at its Gateway Service Centre in Winnipeg. Since opening, the appointment-only centre has completed more than 1,200 initial damage assessments and is offering approximately 300 appointments each day for eligible customers.
MPI has also expanded its response into the Interlake region, where more than 200 claims have been opened, with initial damage assessments underway at its Arborg Service Centre.
Customers may be directed to different estimating pathways depending on their location and vehicle condition, including MPI’s Hail Response Centre, accredited collision repair facilities, authorized paintless dent repair facilities or MPI Service Centres.
MPI is reminding customers to report storm-related damage as soon as possible and says additional claims are expected in the weeks and months ahead. The insurer has warned customers they may experience delays due to the volume of claims being processed.
