Manitoba Public Insurance has recorded nearly 45,000 more vehicle damage claims this year than in the preceding 12 months, following a summer that included the largest single claims event in its history.
The Winnipeg-based public auto insurer recorded 196,932 physical damage claims excluding glass-only claims through Nov. 8, up from 152,128 a year earlier. That represents an increase of 44,804 claims, or 29.5%.
The annual increase contrasts with an almost unchanged weekly total.
From Nov. 2 to Nov. 8, MPI recorded 3,558 physical damage claims excluding glass-only claims, compared with 3,566 during the corresponding reporting period in 2025.
The figures follow months of additional estimating work after severe weather across southern Manitoba. By Sept. 14, customers had opened more than 40,000 storm-related claims since June 9.
The June 9 Winnipeg storm alone generated the highest number of claims MPI has received from a single event.
To handle the volume, MPI opened dedicated hail response centres, introduced alternative claims processes with repair industry partners and deployed mobile estimating services to southwestern Manitoba.
In its Sept. 22 update, MPI said estimates had been completed for 65% of summer storm claims. Nearly 80% of affected customers had scheduled an assessment with MPI or a repair shop. Those figures measured progress on assessments, rather than completed repairs.
MPI subsequently broadened access to hail estimating appointments across Winnipeg service centres beginning Oct. 1. Its dedicated Gateway hail response centre was scheduled to operate until Oct. 30, after which estimating appointments would be distributed across the Winnipeg centres. Support in Boissevain and Killarney was expected to continue through the fall.
Glass-only claims have risen more slowly, reaching 75,451 through Nov. 8 compared with 72,860 a year earlier, an increase of 3.6%. The latest weekly glass-only total fell to 1,743 from 1,834.
