Vehicles

1. Does my vehicle require an immobilizer?

Most vehicles would benefit from having an immobilizer installed, and for some vehicles it should be considered a necessity. Auto thieves know how to steal certain types of vehicles, and they prey on them again and again. For some, the odds of being stolen are as high as 1 in 5. If you own one of these vehicles, you should definitely invest in an immobilizer.

Also, it’s important to consider that you’re at far greater risk if you live in or commute to Winnipeg. Although no community is immune from auto theft, about 84 per cent of thefts take place in Winnipeg. It’s a big problem all across the city.

2. How do I find out my vehicle’s risk of being stolen?

Visit “Odds of Theft” on the Manitoba Insurance website. Please take note that vehicles in Winnipeg are at far greater risk than those in rural Manitoba.

3. I have a motorcycle. Can I install an immobilizer under this program?

Motorcycles are not included in this program because there is no immobilizer that prevents a motorcycle from being loaded into another vehicle.

Program Financing

1. Do I qualify for interest-free financing through your immobilizer program?

Most people will qualify. Our Call Centre reps will confirm your eligibility based on our records.

2. How do I participate in the immobilizer financing plan?

One telephone call takes care of everything. Call the Autopac Line at 985-7000 (toll-free 1-800-665-2410, deaf access TTY/DDD 985-8832). The Call Centre is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

A customer representative will make financing arrangements and schedule your appointment with the approved installer of your choice. When you call, please have ready the registration for the vehicle you wish to protect. You should also have the information you’ll need to arrange for payments through your bank account, MasterCard or Visa. The customer representative will send all the necessary documentation to the installer.

On the day of your appointment, take your vehicle to the installation facility. When it’s completed you’ll receive a Certificate of Installation. You’ll be billed monthly according to the terms you’ve selected.

3. How does the financing work?

Upon completion of the installation, the installer will send an invoice to Manitoba Public Insurance. We will then pay the installer the full $280 for installation and set up a loan for the customer of $140. The customer can select a repayment plan between 12 and 60 months with payments occurring monthly.

4. Why can’t I pay quarterly?

We are offering the most popular payment options while still containing our costs. You can choose to finance your installation on your own terms by using your credit card, or you can pay monthly. For those customers who financed an immobilizer under the previous program and who made quarterly payments, we will honour the payment terms of that contract.

Installers

1. How did Manitoba Public Insurance choose the approved installers? Why can’t I go wherever I want to have mine installed?

Installing an immobilizer is a specialized type of work that requires special training. Substandard installation could compromise the reliability of the device, and absolute reliability is what immobilizers are all about. That’s why we insist that the units be installed by people who are specially trained. It’s also why the immobilizer has to be one that meets the Canadian Theft Deterrent Standard, because in eight years of tracking, a vehicle protected by these immobilizers has never been defeated and stolen anywhere in Canada. By calling us first, we can ensure you are getting this high quality of service, equipment and protection.

2. My shop is currently an approved aftermarket anti-theft device installer in Manitoba. What right does the corporation have to dictate where a customer has their approved device installed?

If you’re an approved installer, we’d like you to be part of this program. Our agreement with CAA Manitoba provides us with access to a network of installers and an approved product at a guaranteed price. That helped us get the program up and running quickly, and was also a precaution against price increases. But the agreement with CAA is by no means exclusive.

We maintain a list of approved installers and help customers find the installer who can meet their needs because it’s important to make sure that the immobilizer and installer meet the standards and criteria of the program. Otherwise, the work may not be eligible for the incentives. Therefore, customers should always call us first.

As part of our agreement with CAA, we are able to schedule appointments with CAA installers over the phone. But the customer can choose which immobilizer to buy and which installer to use. And if your facility and technicians meet the criteria of our program, we’d love to help customers use your services.

3. Where can I get my immobilizer installed?

Approved, accredited installers

Refunds

1. I installed an immobilizer before June 24, 2005. If this program is offering a $140 rebate for after-market immobilizers, can I expect a cheque?

Manitoba Public Insurance has a record of these installations by customer and will be sending them a letter by July 15, 2005 to advise whether they will be receiving their $140 by way of a credit to their account or by cheque. If customers were on the Immobilizer Financing Program prior to June 25, 2005, the corporation will also be crediting any interest paid.

2. I have an approved device that came as standard equipment when I bought my vehicle. Customers who purchased approved aftermarket immobilizers get a rebate, so is the corporation going to provide a rebate for standard equipment?

The cost for optional equipment and aftermarket equipment is well documented. Automobile manufacturers pay as little as $20 for immobilizer components they install in vehicles. Therefore, Manitoba Public Insurance will not provide a rebate.

3. I had an approved immobilizer installed at a VSIB accredited dealer when I purchased my vehicle. I paid more than $140. Will this program cover the remaining amount?

Manitoba Public Insurance will refund to a maximum of $140, regardless of the costs they paid. This program pays half of the $280 price that is guaranteed by CAA Manitoba for a standard installation. We can provide interest-free financing for costs above the $140, but the vehicle owner is responsible for them.

4. Under your plan, how do I get my $40 discount once my immobilizer is installed?

Your $40 premium discount for installing an aftermarket immobilizer will be applied directly to your basic Autopac policy. You’ll see it as a separate item once you receive your next renewal notice.

Anti-Theft Devices

1. Why aren’t other electronic immobilizers included in your plan? Don’t they reduce my risk of theft too?

Any immobilizer meeting the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Canadian Theft Deterrent Standard is eligible, provided it is also installed by an accredited technician. We insist that these immobilizers meet the IBC standard because it is considered the gold standard for this type of equipment. IBC has been monitoring the performance of these units for eight years, and reports that no vehicle in Canada has ever been stolen due to the defeat of one of these immobilizers.

2. According to the Policy Guide, there are four approved aftermarket devices. Do I get to choose which of these devices I want installed in my vehicle?

Yes. CAA Manitoba is supplying the MasterGard M6000 Immobilizer at a guaranteed price through its agreement with Manitoba Public Insurance. Other immobilizers meeting the Canadian standard are eligible for this program, providing they are installed by an accredited technician. However, prices may vary, and we will only provide $140 toward the cost. Also, it’s important that you contact our Call Centre FIRST to ensure that both the immobilizer and the installer meet the standards for this program.

3. I already have a car alarm. Is there going to be a cost to remove my old alarm in order to get an approved device and will the program finance this cost as well?

Manitoba Public Insurance will rebate a maximum of $140 for purchase and installation of the immobilizer. All costs above this amount are the responsibility of the customer, although the corporation will provide interest-free financing for other costs within reasonable limits.

4. Dealer warranty agreements won’t normally cover items that could break down as a result of someone other than the dealer doing work on the vehicle. If I’m buying or I’ve already purchased a vehicle from a dealer and I decided to purchase the aftermarket device you offer, will this nullify the warranty on my vehicle if there are problems – to my electrical, for example -- as a result of the aftermarket anti-theft device? If it does nullify my warranty, will the corporation compensate me?

Manufacturers’ and dealers’ warranties vary on these points. You will have to determine the effect on your specific warranty, as part of your decision whether or not to install an anti-theft device. Manitoba Public Insurance does not guarantee the work done by any installer, and will not compensate customers for any result of that work. Negotiations of that kind should be carried out by the owner of the installation facility where you chose to have the work done.

5. I use an anti-theft device on my steering wheel. Why do I need an immobilizer too?

Unfortunately, auto thieves can overcome other anti-theft devices. And too often, devices such as steering wheel locks are found unused in the back seat when stolen vehicles are recovered. Immobilizers meeting the Canadian Theft Deterrent Standard are proven to be the most reliable security feature available.

The Process

1. What if I have an auto theft device installed in my vehicle and sell it, and then purchase another vehicle without one. Will I still get another $140?

You will be eligible for a $140 rebate of the cost to install an approved immobilizer for every vehicle you own, as long as it doesn’t already have an approved factory installed device.

2. How long will my car be tied up during the installation?

A standard installation should take two or three hours. If the car has a remote starter, it will take about an hour more.

General

1. My vehicle is already equipped with an approved electronic immobilizer. How does your plan benefit me?

You can benefit from this program, provided the electronic immobilizer meets the program’s standards for quality and installation, and if the immobilizer was installed as either an aftermarket unit or as optional equipment from the factory. If you installed the unit through the corporation’s previous immobilizer financing and discount program, the corporation will automatically provide the $140 rebate and any applicable interest charges. Others may obtain the rebate by providing proof of the installation to Manitoba Public Insurance.

You will also continue to receive a $40 premium discount. If the immobilizer in your vehicle was factory installed as standard equipment, your $40 premium discount is automatically built into your premium.

2. My car has a remote starter. Why does it cost me more under your plan to equip my car with an approved immobilizer?

The wiring connections are more complex and an additional relay switch is necessary. It will take about one more hour – approximately $80 in additional labour - to ensure your remote starter and your immobilizer work together properly.