It’s up to you to cancel your Autopac coverage when you don’t want it or need it any more. If you don’t need your insurance anymore, you must go to an Autopac agent and cancel it. Otherwise, your coverage continues until it’s suspended for non-payment.
How to cancel
Cancellation must be in writing. The best way is to take your licence plates to an Autopac agent and complete a cancellation application. You can also keep the plates and use them again when you reapply for coverage. You’ll also get a receipt immediately for the cancellation.
If you are taking your vehicle off the road temporarily, you can switch over to Autopac Lay-up coverage.
Cancel your registration and Autopac insurance when:
- you dispose of your vehicle and do not replace it within seven days
- you move away from Manitoba
If you move and register your vehicle outside Manitoba, cancellation of your Manitoba registration/insurance doesn’t automatically happen. To cancel, mail a photocopy of your new vehicle registration documents and include a letter, with your signature, asking us to cancel your Autopac insurance. Mail to:
Manitoba Public Insurance
Basic Autopac Special Services
510-234 Donald Street
Box 6300 Winnipeg, MB
R3C 4A4
You can also fax your cancellation request toll-free to 1-877-776-9060.
See how to cancel your driver’s licence.
Refunds
We calculate policy refunds or credits using what’s called “short-rating” – a standard practice in the insurance industry. This may mean your refund is less than you expect.
Here’s what short-rating means and why insurers use it. Insurance policies are priced annually, with the fixed costs of writing the policy (like agents’ commissions) spread over their full term.
Your Autopac policy is priced annually, and will be in effect for one to five years (depending on the insurance and registration class).
When someone cancels a policy early, the fixed costs are spread over a shorter period than intended. That makes them higher on a daily basis. For example, $100 of fixed costs spread over 100 days are $1 per day. Spread over 50 days, this doubles to $2 a day.
Short-rating makes sure that those who cancel early cover the costs of the insurance they’ve used.
Your refund is calculated using a formula that factors in the amount of policy premium and the time left until your next anniversary day. You can ask your Autopac agent for details of your refund calculation.
There are no refunds on flat-fee premiums, such as for off-road vehicles, snow vehicles and trailers valued under $2,500.
Also, short-rate cancellation applies when transferring Autopac road coverage to Lay-up coverage.
Selling a vehicle
When you are privately selling your vehicle, in addition to cancelling your insurance, you and the buyer must fill out the Transfer of Ownership document, you must provide a bill of sale (ideally create copies for yourself and for the buyer) and the buyer requires a valid Certificate of Inspection. See more information on registration.