Topic: Vehicle Repairs

Photo-based estimating enables customers with eligible collision claims to take their own photos of vehicle damage and submit them to MPI for an estimate. This streamlines the damage estimating process and can save time by eliminating the need to visit an MPI location in person for a vehicle damage estimate.

Only certain claims are eligible for photo-based estimating. Your estimate options will be discussed with you when you report your claim.

If you qualify for and choose to participate in photo-based estimating, you will be provided with a link to the Photo Based Estimating submission tool. The tool guides you through the process of how to take your damage photos and how to submit them. Once the images have been submitted to MPI, an estimator will complete a review of the damage and contact you to explain the estimate.

Tips for taking photos for damage claims

• The photo-based estimating tool works using a photo capture application, and must be used on a smart phone, tablet or other electronic device that can take and transmit photos. If you do not have regular access to one of these devices, you can set up an appointment to bring your vehicle in to have an estimate completed at a Service Centre.
• You might be asked to submit more photos if the MPI estimator needs to do further analysis on the damages.
• It is usually best for your vehicle to be clean when taking photos for submission, as this helps us create a more accurate estimate. The only exception to this would be if you have had a collision with wildlife. In these circumstances, we ask that you do not wash your vehicle.

"Writing off" your vehicle means MPI pays you its fair market value rather than fixing it. We “write-off” your vehicle if fixing it will cost more than writing it off. It’s a decision based on dollars and cents.

We choose whichever costs least because controlling costs helps us control your Autopac premiums. In short, it’s the responsible financial decision to make.

When deciding to write-off a vehicle, we always examine three things:

1. The cost of fixing the damage.
2. The actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle – its fair market value before it was damaged. We determine the cash value of your vehicle by conducting a careful examination of its condition, obtaining a market appraisal through one or more independent sources, and factoring in any recent repairs that may have increased your vehicle’s market value.
3. Vehicle salvage values – once your vehicle has been written off, MPI will determine your vehicle salvage value, and vehicle ownership will be transferred to MPI and sold within MPI’s Salvage Auction.

We’ll write-off your vehicle when either:

• The cost of fixing it is more than its actual cash value
• The cost of fixing it is more than its actual cash value minus the salvage value (more on salvage value below).

Salvage value

Here’s an example of why the salvage value is important to our decision.

Let’s say it will cost $3,500 to fix the damage to a car worth $4,000 before the collision. On the surface, it might seem less costly to fix than to write off. After all, fixing the vehicle costs $500 less than paying out its value.

But let’s say we’d get back about $1,200 salvage if we wrote it off and auctioned it.

Now, writing off this car becomes the least costly option. Writing it off costs the public insurance fund $4,000 minus the $1,200 we’ll get back for salvage, for a total of $2,800. On the other hand, fixing it will cost $3,500.

It’s not always true that write-offs are bad vehicles or they can’t be fixed. Write-offs sometimes have damage that only affects how they look not how safe or reliable they are.

Take a car damaged by hail, for instance. It may have dents all over it that will cost more to fix than the car is worth. If you were to try to sell it with the hail damage, you’d likely get less for it than if it didn’t have the damage.

But the hail only affects the car’s appearance. If the car was mechanically and structurally sound before the hail, it likely remains so afterwards. So, it could still be quite reliable and safe to drive.

Irreparable vs salvageable

An irreparable write-off can never be driven again and cannot be safely made road worthy, however it can be sold at auction for parts only. The irreparable write-off designation includes:

• Severe structural damage from collision, fire or corrosion.
• Severe flooding damage.
• Any 1994 vehicle or older that we’ve taken ownership of and are auctioning.

A salvageable write-off can be driven once it is repaired and has passed inspections for:

• Structural safety. Passing this inspection, or series of inspections, gives you a Body Integrity Inspection Certificate (BIIC).
• General safety. Passing this inspection gives you a Certificate of Inspection (COI).

A “salvage with exception” write-off is a total loss not caused by collision or upset. They have cosmetic damage that does not render the vehicle structurally or mechanically unsafe. One example is damage caused by hail. In this case a:

• BIIC is not required.
• COI is not required if original owner retains vehicle.
• COI is required if new owner purchases vehicle.

The irreparable, salvageable and salvage with exception categories are part of the Stolen and Wrecked Vehicle Monitoring Program, which tracks unsafe write-offs and prevents their registration.

The first step to repairing your vehicle is to open a claim by reporting the incident to our Contact Centre.

Getting an estimate

The next step is to receive an estimate of damage to your vehicle. All claims can be estimated at one of our Service or Claim Centres, and certain qualifying claims can receive an estimate at a participating repair shop or through our Photo Based Estimating process. Your estimate options will be discussed with you when you report your claim.

The role of your estimator

An estimator will complete a visual inspection of your vehicle for damage in person at the Service or Claim Centre or based on the submitted photos, and will prepare a preliminary report to determine what repairs are needed. They will also review and approve any additional damages noted by repair facilities once the shop has thoroughly inspected your vehicle. In some cases, the estimator may also determine that your vehicle is a write-off.

Repairs

Once your estimate is complete, you can then make an appointment at the accredited repair shop of your choice to have the damage repaired. If you qualified for and participated in Direct Repair, you can enjoy the convenience of having your damage estimate and repair conducted at the same repair shop. If your vehicle requires specialized repairs or contains complex materials such as aluminum, boron steel or carbon fibre, repairs may need to be completed by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certified or qualified facility.

Use our repair shop locator tool to locate a qualified shop near you to repair your specific vehicle. If your claim qualifies for Direct Repair, you can input your claim number and search for a participating Direct Repair shop that is qualified to estimate your vehicle.

We recommend against repairing your vehicle yourself or having it repaired at a facility that is not MPI-accredited to do the work. This is because vehicle repairs are complex and may require specialized tooling, training and equipment to repair the damaged vehicle to manufacturer standards. If you choose to do the repairs yourself, we’ll need to inspect your vehicle to make sure the repairs were done properly. There are specific requirements that must be met for the vehicle to pass inspection – contact us about your repairs before you begin any work.

Once your vehicle has been repaired, you can perform post-repair checks to be confident your vehicle has been returned to pre-collision condition. If you have concerns about your repair, your first step is to discuss them with your repair shop. If you remain unsatisfied, contact your assigned estimator.

Post-repair checks

• Examine the appearance of the repaired area.
  
• Check freshly painted areas for colour match.
  
• Check that mechanical parts (e.g., doors and trunk lid) open and close smoothly.
  
• Check electronic accessories for proper operation.
  
• On the drive home, check for unusual noises and test the handling of the vehicle.

Depreciation

Automobile insurers try to match up what they give you to the value of what you actually lost. For instance, equal value for a half worn-out tire is a tire with similar wear, not a brand new one.

But it may not be practical, or even safe, to give you a half worn-out tire. Instead, we’ll give you a new one but you pay an appropriate percentage of the cost based on the amount of wear. The amount you pay for wear and tear is called depreciation.

Depreciation is how insurance companies measure how much value something has lost through wear and tear. The amount that a part has depreciated depends on the age, condition, and type of the part.

If you have questions about depreciation and how it could apply to your vehicle, check with the estimator responsible for your claim.

We’re committed to returning your vehicle to its pre-collision condition. This means we want to give you near equal value for what you’ve lost. Recycled, aftermarket and remanufactured parts provide this value and may be used once your vehicle has accumulated 20,000 km or more.

For instance, let’s say you have a six-year-old vehicle needing a replacement fender. Your auto body shop should try to find a good quality recycled or aftermarket replacement part. Whichever part type the shop sources, it must meet MPI’s Parts Business Rule requirements for quality. For example, a recycled fender must be from a vehicle the same age or newer than yours. Using a brand new fender in this case does not provide equal value to the six-year-old fender you had before the damage occurred.

Besides giving you equal replacement, there’s also a cost consideration to using recycled, aftermarket or remanufactured parts. Alternate parts are less expensive than new factory parts, which means we can repair vehicles more economically. Keeping our claims costs lower helps us keep your Autopac premiums lower. Also, using good-quality recycled parts is more environmentally friendly.

Parts suppliers provide a warranty equal to or greater than the original manufacturer’s warranty on the same new part. Your auto body shop will always check the alternate parts to make sure they are in good condition. However, in the event of a parts issue, you can speak with your auto body shop to initiate the parts warranty process. If you are still concerned about the quality, you do have the option to pay the difference between the cost of the alternate part and the original manufacturer’s part.

In short, you’ll get parts equal to new original parts. This helps us control the cost of repairs and, in turn, the cost of your Autopac insurance.

Many new vehicles are being manufactured using complex materials, such as aluminum, boron steel and carbon fibre, to reduce vehicle weight for improved fuel efficiency. Repair of these complex materials require specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities.

Overall, vehicle repair is becoming more complicated and sophisticated as vehicle manufacturing undergoes dramatic change. In addition to the increased use of complex materials, vehicles are commonly being equipped with the advanced computerized technology, including electronic stability control, forward collision warning systems, automatic emergency braking, lane-assistance technologies, and even park assistance.

Due to the expertise required to repair today’s vehicles, it’s becoming more and more important to visit an accredited repair shop that is qualified to repair your vehicle. Use the repair shop locator tool to locate accredited shops that can work on your specific vehicle.

Alternatively, we have compiled a list below of vehicles requiring specialized repairs, and the repair shops that are qualified to repair these vehicles. Depending on the damages to your vehicle, the required repair work may need to be completed by an OEM certified or qualified repair facility:

• 2015 or newer Ford F-150
• 2017 or newer Ford F-250 or F-350
• 2018 or newer Ford Expedition
• Audi
• BMW/MINI
• Jaguar and Land Rover
• Maserati
• Mercedes Benz
• Porsche
• Tesla

Certification and qualification requirements do not apply to glass repairs. For more information about complex materials and advanced technologies, talk to your auto dealer and refer to your warranty. Learn more about complex materials as seen in the Winnipeg Free Press: April 25 and May 16, 2015.

Capable repair facilities

If you have a 2015 or newer Ford F-150, a 2017 or newer F-250 or F-350, or a 2018 or newer Ford Expedition: your vehicle repairs may require specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities. The following repair facilities have the capability to conduct repairs:

• Abas Auto, Winnipeg
• Arlington Auto Body, Winnipeg
• AutoReady Collision Centre, Carman
• Bev’s Repair, Manitou
• Birchwood Collision Centre on Regent, Winnipeg
• Birchwood Collision Centre at Pointe West, Winnipeg
• Boundary Auto Body Ltd., Langenburg, Saskatchewan
• Boyd Autobody & Glass on Scurfield Boulevard, Winnipeg
• Capital Ford Lincoln, Winnipeg
• CARSTAR Gimli, Gimli (formerly South Beach Collision)
• CARSTAR St. James, Winnipeg (formerly Macdonald Auto Body)
• Celebration Ford Sales, Moosomin
• Central Autobody Shop Ltd, Brandon
• Colormelt Autobody, Winnipeg
• Craig Dunn Motor City, Portage la Prairie
• Dauphin Ford Ltd., Dauphin
• Dean Cooley Motors LTD, Dauphin
• Diamond Autobody and Glass, Winkler
• Donvito Collision & Glass on Sargent Avenue, Winnipeg
• Eastern Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Winnipeg
• Eastside Collision, Winnipeg
• Eastside Heavy Truck, Winnipeg
• Eastside Moray Collision and Glass, Winnipeg
• Fairway Autobody & Glass, Steinbach
• Fort Rouge Auto Centre, Winnipeg
• Funk’s Autobody, Steinbach
• Gateway Autobody, Winnipeg
• Hayes Autobody & Glass, Thompson
• Hi-Way Collision, Hamiota
• InterCity Autobody, Winnipeg
• Ivan’s Auto Body & Glass, Winnipeg
• JMAX Collision & Glass, Winnipeg
• Kelleher Ford Sales, Brandon
• Ken’s Autobody, Oakville
• Litwin Autobody Sales & Service, Winnipeg
• Loewen Body Shop, Steinbach
• MarVal Autobody, Killarney
• Metalmaster Auto Body, La Broquerie
• Midtown Ford Sales Ltd., Winnipeg
• Mint Autobody Ltd., Winnipeg
• Moonlite Auto Body Ltd., Winkler
• Morden Auto Body Ltd., Morden
• Motown Motors, Morris
• Nick’s Repair Service, Neepawa
• Niverville Autobody, Niverville
• Northland Ford Sales Ltd., The Pas
• Pembina Hills Collision Ltd, Darlingford
• Pinnacle Collision Centre, Winnipeg
• Precision Autobody, Altona
• RAM Autobody, Winnipeg
• River City Ford, Winnipeg
• Roadrunners Auto, Ashern
• Selkirk Autobody, Selkirk
• Selkirk Chevrolet Pontiac Buick GMC, Selkirk
• Ski Collision & Glass, Springfield
• Skyline Auto, Winkler
• Souris Collision & Glass, Souris
• St. Claude Autobody, St. Claude
• Swan Valley Collision and Glass, Swan Valley
• The Pas Collision & Glass Centre, The Pas
• Thompson Ford Sales, Thompson
• Treherne Collision & Glass, Treherne
• Valley Collision, Melita
• Vernaus Auto Body, Winnipeg
• Vickar Autobody & Glass, Winnipeg
• Vickar Ford, Winnipeg
• Wayne Johnston Autobody & Glass, Dugald
• West Perimeter Service & Collision Centre, Winnipeg
• Winter’s Collision Repair, Winnipeg

If you have an Audi, Audi Canada’s certification requirements include specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities. The following repair facility has met Audi Canada’s certification requirements and is qualified to conduct repairs:

• McNaught Buick Cadillac GMC, Winnipeg

If you have a BMW or MINI, BMW Canada’s certification requirements include specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities. The following repair facilities have met all of BMW Canada’s certification requirements and are qualified to conduct repairs:

• Birchwood Collision Luxury, Winnipeg
• Donvito Collision & Glass on Sargent Avenue, Winnipeg

If you have a Jaguar or Land Rover, Jaguar Land Rover Canada’s certification requirements include specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities. The following repair facilities have met Jaguar Land Rover Canada’s certification requirements and are qualified to conduct repairs:

• Birchwood Collision Luxury, Winnipeg
• Donvito Collision & Glass on Sargent Avenue, Winnipeg

If you have a Maserati, Maserati Canada’s certification requirements include specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities. The following repair facility has met Maserati Canada’s certification requirements and is qualified to conduct repairs:

• Eastside Collision Repairs Ltd, 874 Marion Street, Winnipeg

If you have a Mercedes Benz, Mercedes Benz Canada’s certification requirements include specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities. The following repair facility has met Mercedes Benz Canada’s certification requirements and is qualified to conduct repairs:

• Pinnacle Collision Centre, Winnipeg

If you have a Porsche, Porsche Canada’s certification requirements include specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities. The following repair facility has met Porsche Canada’s certification requirements and is qualified to conduct repairs:

• Fort Rouge Auto Centre, Winnipeg

If you have a Tesla, Tesla Canada’s approved body shop requirements include specialized training, equipment, repair methods and facilities. The following repair facility has met Tesla Canada’s requirements and is qualified to conduct repairs:

• Donvito Collision & Glass on Sargent Avenue, Winnipeg
• Eastside Collision Repairs Ltd, 874 Marion Street, Winnipeg

To search for an accredited repair shop based on your location and your vehicle type, click here.

Collision repair industry

Manitoba’s healthy and robust collision repair trade is capable of meeting these new requirements. By investing in additional training, tools, equipment and facilities, shops will continue to provide the safe, reliable and cost-effective repairs that all Manitobans expect.

Manitoba Public Insurance’s technical experts currently support the industry with the provision of training courses through I-CAR Canada. This premiere training and recognition program, operated by the Automotive Industries Association of Canada, provides skills updating for the collision repair industry. We are working with the repair industry to ensure all shops have the opportunity to undergo training to meet requirements for complex materials. We are also providing the research that repair shops need to help adapt their operations and infrastructure to work on these newer complex materials.

Manitoba Public Insurance is assisting owners of vehicles with complex materials in finding OEM certified or qualified repair shops that meet manufacturer standards to work on complex materials.

Paintless Dent Repair is an effective, industry-standard method of removing dents from vehicle body panels. It’s a quick and efficient repair method that does not require painting sanding or filling. Paintless Dent Repair is suitable for damage where the original paint is undamaged. This sort of dent is frequently seen in hail claims. Your estimator’s initial assessment will determine if the damage is suitable for Paintless Dent Repair.

The benefits include:

• A faster repair method than conventional dent repair, which means you’ll get your vehicle back sooner.
• Maintains your vehicle’s original paint.
• Paintless Dent Repair is a cost-effective repair process which does not compromise on quality.

Authorized facilities

If your claim requires Paintless Dent Repair, you can contact your regular accredited repair shop to discuss your options, or you can contact one of these authorized Paintless Dent Repair facilities:

• Accu Dent, Logan Avenue, Winnipeg
• Accu Dent, Portage Avenue, Winnipeg
• Auto Fashion, Brandon
• Birchwood Collision Centre at Pointe West, Winnipeg
• Boyd Autobody & Glass, Brandon
• Colormelt Autobody, Regent Avenue West, Winnipeg
• Crusty Customs, Brandon
• DCC Hail, Melnick Road, Winnipeg
• DCC Hail, Steinbach
• DCC Hail, Swan River
• Dent Dynasty, Plessis Road, Winnipeg
• Dent Worx, Portage la Prairie
• Dent Worx, St. Andrews
• Diamond Auto Body & Glass, Winkler
• Doctor Dent, St. James Street, Winnipeg
• Dunn Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Portage la Prairie
• Funk’s Autobody, Steinbach
• Go Paintless, Don Valley Parkway, Winnipeg
• Lightning Dent Repair, Winnipeg
• Loewen Body Shop, Steinbach
• MagicMen PDR, Oak Bluff
• McBride Autobody, Holden Street, Winnipeg
• Mint Auto Body, Niakwa Road, Winnipeg
• Miracle Dent Repair, Regent Avenue, Winnipeg
• Mister Dent, Selkirk
• Moonlite Autobody, Winkler
• On the Spot Auto, Horndean
• Optimum Paintless Hail Repair Inc., Portage Avenue, Winnipeg
• PDR Tech, Dugald Road, Winnipeg
• Pinnacle Collision Centre, Kenaston Boulevard, Winnipeg
• Prairie Hail Repair Manitoba, Ebby Avenue, Winnipeg
• Precision Autobody, Altona
• Precision PDR and Glass, Rosenort
• Pro-Dent, Portage Avenue, Winnipeg
• Pro-Dent, Logan Avenue, Winnipeg
• Roblin Auto Body & Painting, Roblin
• Rust Check, Winnipeg
• Souris Collision + Glass, Souris
• St. Claude Autobody, St. Claude
• The Dentist Paintless Dent Removal, Trottier Bay, Winnipeg
• The Pas Collision and Glass Centre, The Pas
• Treherne Collision & Glass, Treherne
• Trident Paintless Dent Repair Ltd, Darlingford
• Wayne Johnston Autobody and Glass, Dugald
• West End Auto Body, Morris
• Westman Dent and Glass, Brandon

Direct Repair enables customers with eligible claims to proceed directly to a participating repair shop for a vehicle damage estimate after reporting the claim to MPI, instead of attending an MPI Service or Claim Centre. Direct Repair streamlines the repair process and can save time by eliminating the need to visit MPI for the first vehicle damage estimate.

Only certain claims are eligible for Direct Repair, and not all repair shops are eligible to perform vehicle damage estimates. Your estimate options will be discussed with you when you report your claim.

If your claim is eligible and you agree to participate in Direct Repair:

• You can select a shop online using the repair shop locator search tool, which is accessible from our homepage by clicking the My Repair Claim button.
• Call the shop to set up an appointment for an estimate. Let them know if you are participating in Direct Repair and provide them with your claim number and licence plate number.

If you change your mind about participating in Direct Repair after your claim has been registered, call us.

• If you first told us you didn’t want to participate and now want an estimate at a participating shop, we’ll need to update your claim before you can proceed.
• If you first told us you wanted to participate but now prefer to visit a Service or Claim Centre instead, we’ll book you an appointment for your estimate.

In addition to locating Direct Repair shops for eligible claims, the repair shop locator tool can also be used for all claims to find an accredited repair shop that is qualified to repair your specific vehicle. It is important to take your vehicle to an MPI accredited shop for repair. Accredited shops meet repair standards and have the right tooling, equipment and training to complete proper and safe repairs.

When you have a claim, it’s important to take your vehicle to an MPI accredited repair shop of your choice that is qualified to repair your vehicle.

Personal vehicles

Accredited shops have demonstrated that they meet stringent repair standards and have made the commitment to ensure they have the right training, tooling and equipment to complete proper and safe repairs.

Vehicle manufacturing is undergoing dramatic changes that are resulting in greater use of advanced technologies such as:

• Complex materials, including aluminum, boron steel and carbon fibre.
• Driver-assistance technologies, such as electronic stability control, forward collision warning systems and automatic emergency braking systems.

This rise in sophisticated materials and systems is making vehicle repairs more complicated and specialized, increasing the need for additional training, tooling and equipment to ensure proper repairs.

You can find an accredited repair shop that is qualified to repair your vehicle using our repair shop locator tool. Repairs to vehicles that require specialized repair processes, such as those with complex materials, may need to be completed by an Original Equipment Manufacturer certified or qualified facility.

To qualify for Manitoba Public Insurance accreditation, repair shops must meet or exceed industry standards in training, tooling and equipment. This includes participation in the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) Gold Class Professionals program.

The I-CAR Gold Class certification identifies that shop personnel have taken I-CAR training courses and are proficient in all phases of auto repair. We are proud of our partnership with I-CAR because it sets the standard for auto body repair that ensures passenger safety and cost-efficiency.

Commercial claims

Seeking out an accredited repair shop is also important when it comes to commercial claims. Manitoba Public Insurance has established a list of accredited commercial repair shops that are equipped to complete proper and safe repairs to commercial vehicles:

• Big Rig Collision, Winnipeg
• Brookside Autobody Ltd., Winnipeg
• Champion Collision Centre Ltd., Winnipeg
• Connexion Truck Centre, Winnipeg
• Derrick’s Sandblasting & Paint Ltd., Winnipeg
• Eastside Collision Repairs Ltd (Inkster), Winnipeg
• Eastside Collision Repairs Ltd (Marion), Winnipeg
• Fairway Autobody & Glass (Fairway Ford Sales Ltd.), Steinbach
• Fort Garry Fire Trucks Ltd, Winnipeg
• Gerry Morris Autobody, Brandon
• Maxim Truck Collision, Winnipeg
• Morgan Motors Co. Ltd., Brandon
• Penner International Inc., Steinbach
• Penner Paint and Bodyworks Ltd., Blumenort
• Peterbilt Manitoba Ltd., Winnipeg

If you choose to use a repairer not on this accredited list, please contact your adjuster for further instructions.