Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) sells the mandatory car insurance in Manitoba, called Basic Autopac. Every registered vehicle must carry it and there is no shopping around for it. Unlike the mandatory coverage in most provinces, Basic Autopac already insures your own vehicle against collision, theft, hail and other damage, so what you choose on top of it are Autopac options: a lower deductible, higher liability and other add-ons. This page explains what Basic Autopac includes, how PIPP injury benefits work, how the Driver Safety Rating sets your price, and how Winnipeg is rated. How Manitoba’s average compares with other provinces is on the average car insurance by province page, and our other guides are in the car insurance hub.
How the Manitoba system is split
| Part | Who sells it |
|---|---|
| Basic Autopac (mandatory) | MPI only |
| Injury benefits (PIPP) | Included in Basic Autopac, no-fault |
| Autopac options (optional extras) | MPI; MPI notes optional coverage may also be available from other insurers |
What Basic Autopac covers
| Coverage | Details |
|---|---|
| Third-party liability | $500,000, for injury to others elsewhere in Canada or the US and damage to others’ property anywhere in Canada or the US |
| PIPP injury benefits | No-fault, for Manitoba residents injured anywhere in Canada or the US |
| All-perils coverage for your vehicle | Collision and upset, plus vandalism, theft, flooding, hail, storms, fire and explosions, in Canada or the US |
| Basic deductible | $1,000 for most cars, SUVs, light trucks and motorcycles (raised from $750 on April 1, 2026) |
| Vehicle value insured | Actual cash value, up to $70,000 |
Manitoba requires $500,000 of liability, where most provinces, including Ontario, require $200,000.
All-perils coverage does not pay for the contents of the vehicle, mechanical breakdown, or rust, wear and tear. The deductible applies to collision, vandalism, hail, theft and most other claims. If another Autopac-insured driver was at fault for a collision, MPI refunds your deductible in proportion to that driver’s share of fault. Impaired drivers who are in a collision are denied third-party liability coverage and pay for the damage they cause to others. MPI may also refuse a physical damage claim if the driver was unlicensed, suspended or impaired, the vehicle was racing, fleeing police or used illegally, or it was being used differently than declared on the application.
PIPP: no-fault injury benefits
Under the Personal Injury Protection Plan, your injury benefits are paid regardless of who was at fault, and the plan covers Manitoba residents injured in automobile accidents anywhere in Canada or the US. PIPP eliminated lawsuits for injuries to people in Manitoba; you can still be sued for damage your vehicle causes to someone else’s property, and outside Manitoba you can be sued for injuries and property damage.
| Benefit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Income replacement | 90% of net income, up to a maximum insurable gross income of $123,000 a year (amounts effective April 1, 2026, adjusted each year) |
| Care expenses and personal care assistance | Covered |
| Caregiver benefits | Covered |
| Permanent impairment | Lump sum |
| Death benefits | Payments to spouses, dependants and parents |
| Funeral expenses | Covered, up to a set maximum |
Income replacement starts after a 7-day waiting period. Manitoba residents are covered anywhere in Canada or the United States, and visitors are covered for accidents in Manitoba (in full when they are in a Manitoba-registered vehicle). A person convicted of auto theft, flight from a peace officer or taking a vehicle without consent in connection with the accident loses all PIPP benefits, and some other Criminal Code convictions reduce income replacement for the first year. Most PIPP benefits are adjusted each year based on the Consumer Price Index. To open an injury claim, call MPI or use its online form; a case manager then handles the claim.
Driver Safety Rating
MPI prices drivers on its Driver Safety Rating (DSR) scale, which has 41 levels from -20 to +20. New drivers start at the base level, 0.
| Event | Effect on your DSR |
|---|---|
| A year of safe driving, from the base level up | Up 1 level |
| A year of safe driving, below the base level | Up one to seven levels, more the further below base |
| At-fault claim | Down 5 levels |
| Traffic convictions and impaired-driving suspensions | Down several levels, depending on the offence |
Your DSR sets both the discount on your vehicle premium and your driver’s licence premium. Some at-fault claims can be bought back by repaying MPI, which keeps them from lowering your DSR. Moving up the scale brings larger vehicle premium discounts; the highest-risk drivers get no vehicle discount and pay a much higher driver’s licence premium. What graduated licensing means for a new driver’s insurance is covered in car insurance for new drivers.
Autopac options
Because Basic already covers your own car, Autopac options change how much of a loss you pay and add coverage Basic doesn’t include:
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Deductible reduction | Lowers the $1,000 Basic deductible, to as little as $200 for a passenger vehicle |
| Increased third-party liability | Raises liability above $500,000 |
| Replacement transportation | Pays for other transportation while a stolen or damaged vehicle can’t be driven |
| Rented or borrowed vehicles | Covers you in a vehicle you rent or borrow |
| New vehicle protection | Covers depreciation on a newer vehicle that is written off |
| High-value vehicle | Insures a vehicle beyond the $70,000 Basic limit |
| Income protection | Insures income beyond the PIPP limit |
How collision and comprehensive coverage work in the provinces where they are optional is explained in collision vs comprehensive insurance.
Where you live: Winnipeg and the rating territories
MPI divides Manitoba into four rating territories, and your premium depends in part on the territory you live and drive in, since claim risk and repair costs differ across the province.
| Territory | Area |
|---|---|
| Territory 1 | Winnipeg, including St. Norbert, Headingley, East St. Paul and West St. Paul |
| Territory 2 | South of the 53rd parallel outside Territory 1, including Brandon, Portage la Prairie and Dauphin |
| Territory 3 | North of the 55th parallel, including Thompson, Lynn Lake and Churchill |
| Territory 4 | Between the 53rd and 55th parallels, including Flin Flon, The Pas and Grand Rapids |
People who live in Territory 2 and drive into Winnipeg for work or school more than four days a month must insure as commuters, and an address change must be reported within 15 days; MPI may refuse a claim if you moved to another territory without telling it. A vehicle’s make and model also matter: MPI rates vehicles by claims experience, and vehicles from the 2008 model year on get an automatic discount for their factory immobilizer. A theft claim also has to be reported to the police, ideally before you call MPI so you can give the report number; a vehicle that is not recovered or is too damaged to repair is settled at its actual cash value, explained in what happens when your car is written off.
Ways to lower a Manitoba premium
| Lever | Effect |
|---|---|
| Moving up the DSR scale | A larger discount each clean year |
| Keeping the Basic deductible | Deductible-reduction options cost extra |
| Choosing the right vehicle use | A pleasure-use vehicle cannot be driven to work or school regularly, and costs less than all-purpose use |
| Comparing optional coverage | Other insurers may offer optional coverage |
| Winter tires | MPI’s Winter Tire Program offers financing for winter tires, not a premium discount |
The discounts that apply in every province are covered in our guide to lowering a car insurance premium.
Filing a claim with MPI
Report a claim to MPI by phone (204-985-7000 in Winnipeg, or 1-800-665-2410 toll-free from outside Winnipeg and outside Manitoba) or online. Theft, attempted or partial theft, and vandalism must also be reported to the police. The vehicle needs a damage estimate, at an MPI service or claim centre or, for qualifying claims, a participating repair shop, before it can be repaired. You pay the deductible on a claim.
Related reading
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on September 25, 2026. How we check facts.
- ibc.ca: Mandatory auto coverages where you live
- mpi.mb.ca: Guide to Autopac
- mpi.mb.ca: MPI Statement on the 2026/27 Public UtilitiesBoard Order
- mpi.mb.ca: Personal Injury Protection Plan
- mpi.mb.ca: Safety Rating
- mpi.mb.ca: Where you live – determining your rates