Manitoba Public Insurance offers free immobolizers

Manitoba Public Insurance [MPI] is offering immobilizers at no cost to 78,000 Winnipeg and commuter customers whose vehicles are most likely to be targeted by thieves provided the installations are completed within the next six months.
According to MPI, the unprecedented strike against auto theft will cost up to CD$21.8 million, but could reduce claims costs by more than that amount in the first year alone.
“This is an extreme move in response to an extreme problem,” said MPI president and CEO Marilyn McLaren. “We expect this targeted program to benefit all Manitobans in the form of lower theft claims costs.”
McLaren said vehicles eligible for the program are those most likely to be stolen in Manitoba.
Although vehicles most at risk of theft make up only 10% of the vehicles on the road today, they account for 62% of all thefts in the province, MPI announced in a press release. “Winnipeg’s persistent auto theft problem cost premium payers about $37 million in 2004,” the release says.
“We can’t make a significant dent in the auto theft rate until these vehicles are protected with immobilizers,” McLaren added. She said MPI’s objective is to remove any remaining financial barriers to anti-theft protection.
“We know most of the vehicles targeted by thieves are more than 10 years old, and their owners have told us they don’t feel it’s worth it to spend any money on a vehicle that they may not own much longer,” McLaren said. “We listened and we’re responding, because as long as these vehicles are on the road they are prime targets for thieves and a danger to public safety.”
Among the cars at risk are the Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Intrepid and Jeep Grand Cherokee in the 1990-94 model years.