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Manitobans start to receive MPI rebate cheques

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Manitobans start to receive MPI rebate cheques
Manitoba Public Insurance customers have started to receive rebate cheques in the mail this week. Malika Karim reports on why some are much lower than the average of $140-160 – Jun 2, 2020

Manitoba Public Insurance customers have started to receive rebate cheques in the mail this week.

MPI announced in April that $110 million would be returned to policy holders, as COVID-19 stay-at-home measures resulted in less cars on the streets and fewer claims submitted.

The initiative made to help Manitobans financially impacted by the novel coronavirus.

“Rebates are based on what policy holders paid last year, and are expected to be around 11 per cent or between $140 to $160 per average policy holder,” Manitoba’s Crown Services Minister Jeff Wharton said on Thursday April 23, 2020.

Although the average value of the cheques would be around $150, many drivers are receiving amounts much lower.

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“I think you’re going to get a whole range of rebate cheques, of course, because the fees that people pay for MPI vary so tremendously,” Premier Brian Pallister said.

“So the rebate cheques vary according to those fees that you pay.”

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MPI provided more clarification for how rebate cheques were calculated.

“Customer’s rebate will be calculated based on two parts: the amount of all Basic premiums they paid during the 2019/2020 insurance year (Part A) and the total annual Basic premiums of all active Basic policies on March 15, 2020 (Part B),” the agency said in a statement.

“Rebates will be based on what policyholders paid during the 2019/20 insurance year. On average, this is expected to be around 11 per cent, or between $140 to $160, per average policyholder.”

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For Manitobans whose rebate amounts are $10 or less, those will be automatically added to ratepayers accounts and will not be sent by cheque.

If you haven’t received a cheque as of yet, MPI says it could take up to four weeks from the mailing date to arrive at your house, factoring in current delays with postal servicers.

All cheques are scheduled to be mailed out by end of day Wednesday.

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