Manitoba regulator orders hike in auto premiums, calls for action on brain injuries – Winnipeg [Video]

Manitobans will soon be paying more for basic automobile insurance.

The Public Utilities Board has ordered an overall increase of 5.7 per cent for basic rates as of April 1, although the exact increase will vary by the type of vehicle, a driver’s record and other factors.

The increase follows decreases that totalled more than 15 per cent over the last five years, along with rebates at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when fewer people were commuting.

Basic auto insurance in the province is only available through Crown-owned Manitoba Public Insurance, which says this year’s increase will work out to about $50 for the average passenger vehicle.

The annual cost of a driver’s licence is also increasing, by $10.

The utilities board is also calling on the Manitoba government to see if there are better ways to diagnose, assess and manage brain injuries, after hearing from people who have …