If you need to rent or borrow a vehicle, it’s a good idea to think about the insurance protection you’ll need. Rental Vehicle Insurance from Manitoba Public Insurance provides better coverage at a substantially lower cost than most rental companies.
Renting can be risky
There’s more to renting a vehicle than you might think. Driving an unfamiliar vehicle in a strange place can make a collision more likely. Without the right insurance, you could wind up paying for damages and injuries from your own pocket. The financial risks of renting outside Manitoba are significant:
- First, others involved in a collision may claim against you. You could wind up with a huge bill for injuries to others and for damage to their property.
- Second, you’re personally responsible for damage to the vehicle you rent, whether or not you’re at fault. Most rental companies also charge “down-time” to compensate them for the time the vehicle is off the road being fixed or replaced.
- Finally, if your first rental vehicle is out of action because of a collision, you may need to rent another one at your own cost.
Coverage details
- Covers rented or borrowed private passenger vehicles, light trucks, motorcycles and mopeds in Canada or the United States.
- Up to $10 million for claims others may make against you.
- Up to $100,000 for damage to vehicles rented outside Manitoba.
- Daily allowances payable to you to rent a replacement vehicle and to cover “down-time” charges assessed to you by the rental company (subject to daily limits).
- Cost is based on where you rent, but you’re covered anywhere you drive in Canada or the United States – check with the rental company before taking their vehicle outside the province or state where you’ve rented it.
- Coverage periods from three to 90 days are available.
- $200 deductible (the amount you pay) on damage to the rental vehicle.
- Fast, friendly and familiar Autopac claim service should you become involved in a collision.
As a Manitoban you are covered by the Personal Injury Protection Plan (PIPP) if you are hurt in a collision while driving the rental vehicle.
Save money
Save up to $25 each day with Rental Vehicle Insurance compared to coverage from the rental company. The rate for Rental Vehicle Insurance is based on where the vehicle is rented, not where it is driven and you can drive the vehicle anywhere in Canada or the United States. For example, a customer who rents a vehicle in Winnipeg to drive to California pays the Manitoba rate, not the United States rate.
Manitoba rate – $3 per day
Canada rate – $6 per day
United States rate – $8 per day
A $15 policy fee and a minimum of three days of premium apply to each Rental Vehicle Insurance policy. Check our Rate Calculator for an estimate.
Who can buy
Rental Vehicle Insurance is only available to permanent or temporary Manitoba residents with a valid driver’s licence.
- Applicants must be at least 16 years of age.
- Any applicant under the age of 18 years must have a parent or legal guardian co-sign the application form.
- The Rental Vehicle Insurance policy and the rental agreement must both be in the name of the same person.
Who’s covered
Rental Vehicle Insurance covers you (the policyholder) and any other driver, provided the driver has your permission to drive the vehicle and is qualified or authorized by law to operate the vehicle. If the operator is not a Manitoba resident, they must be qualified or authorized by law in the jurisdiction where they reside.
With our Rental Vehicle Insurance, you don’t have to list all of your drivers. If you’ve bought our Rental Vehicle Insurance in your name, anyone driving the vehicle with your consent and with a valid driver’s licence is covered. However, the rental company may require you to list all your other drivers as part of their rental agreement.
Rules
- Rental Vehicle Insurance covers rented or borrowed cars, light trucks, passenger vans, motorcycles, mopeds and SUVs. A valid motorcycle licence is required to operate a motorcycle. Rental Vehicle Insurance doesn’t provide coverage for rented off-road vehicles, trailers, motorhomes, heavy trucks or buses.
- You must not use the rental vehicle for business deliveries.
- If you’ve bought Rental Vehicle Insurance under your name, make sure you rent the vehicle under your name too.
- If you need to keep your rental vehicle longer than planned, you cannot extend your RVI policy and will need to buy a new policy. You can make arrangements with your broker over the phone and they will fax you a copy of the new policy. The new policy must be concurrent to the first one, and payment must be made immediately by Visa or MasterCard.
- If you need to make a claim for damage on a vehicle you’ve rented, do so in the same way you would if you are involved in a collision with your own vehicle. Contact us to report your claim. Have your rental agreement and rental vehicle insurance policy on-hand when you call.
- Make sure you tell the rental company you have made a claim and that you have Rental Vehicle Insurance. If they do bill you, send the bill to the adjuster handling your claim.
For rentals in Manitoba
When renting or borrowing a vehicle that’s registered and insured in Manitoba, that vehicle’s Basic Autopac insurance covers you if you have a valid driver’s licence and you’re driving with the rental company or vehicle owner’s permission.
For this reason, you’re only responsible for the Basic deductible, which is $750 for policies with an effective date of April 1, 2021, or later. Buying Rental Vehicle Insurance lowers your deductible to $200.
Rental companies can claim against you for lost revenue if their vehicle is damaged and unavailable for rental. You could also face claims from others whose property you’ve damaged or for injuries you’ve caused that exceed the liability insurance on the rental vehicle. Rental Vehicle Insurance protects you against these financial risks too.
Other coverage options
Rental Vehicle Insurance from Manitoba Public Insurance is your best choice, but other options are available:
- Rental Company Collision Damage Waivers (CDWs) or Loss Damage Waivers (LDWs): The cost is usually higher than Rental Vehicle Insurance.
- Credit card coverage: Some credit cards automatically cover rental vehicles. Check with your credit card company to confirm if you have coverage and how it works. Coverage is usually less comprehensive than Rental Vehicle Insurance and specific restrictions normally apply.
- Your own Autopac coverage: A $1 million, $2 million, $5 million, $7 million or $10 million third-party liability coverage option transfers to a rented or borrowed vehicle. Transfer of third-party liability coverage to another vehicle is only effective for 30 days. This coverage doesn’t protect you against claims from the rental company for damage to their rental vehicle or for down-time. In the United States, it may not protect you fully against claims from other motorists. Therefore, it’s best not to rely on this coverage when renting or borrowing a vehicle in the United States.
If you need more information on Rental Vehicle Insurance, an Autopac agent will be happy to help you.