After a significant storm last year, and more hail this year, Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is hoping to get back on track regarding estimates with a big announcement.
Starting next week, MPI is opening a dedicated hail estimating centre at its Physical Damage Centre in Winnipeg to make more appointments available for impacted customers.
Severe spring weather continues to drive an increase in hail-related claims. In the past week, MPI has received more than 1,150 claims, building on the over 15,000 claims opened with MPI in 2023, the majority of which resulted from an August 24 storm in Winnipeg.
Beginning Wednesday, customers who have opened a hail claim with MPI but have not yet had an estimate appointment scheduled will be contacted directly via email or text message.
They will be offered the opportunity to book an appointment at a date and time that works for them at MPI’s Physical Damage Centre, located at 1981 Plessis Rd. in Winnipeg.
MPI is prioritizing those who have been waiting the longest and will be contacting customers in the order their claims were opened.
In a press release, MPI President and CEO Satvir Jatana stated that this is for the benefit of those who require their services.
"Last year, we experienced one of the most significant hail claim seasons in our corporation's history. Customers have been patiently waiting for hail estimating appointments and given the recent storms, we are committed to making our services available as quickly as possible and in a way that meets their needs through this specialized service option."
The temporary centre will have 70 appointments available each day and be open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.