The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Mr. Mel Fruitman, President of the Consumers' Association of Canada has pointed out that auto insurance rates in Alberta are "completely out of step with other western provinces." "Some drivers in Alberta pay up to 500% more for auto insurance than do consumers in provinces like Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia which have public auto systems," he commented at a recent news conference in Calgary. The Consumers' Association released the latest results of its soon to be completed national study of auto insurance rates across Canada, including data from all four western provinces. The study may be downloaded from the reports section at www.CACBC.com. "While consumers in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are benefitting from long term stable auto insurance rates, consumers in Alberta have been subject to skyrocketing rates and are fed up with the actions of private insurers," said Mr. Bruce Cran, National Secretary of the Consumers Association. "Clearly, Alberta is now the have-not province in the west interms of auto insurance." Just how extreme the situation has become in Alberta is illustrated by a comparison of the two cities of Lloydminster, Alberta vs. Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. "A person living 100 feet across the street on the Alberta side can pay up to $5,000 more each year for the same vehicle and get worse insurance coverage," said Mr. Cran. "It is no surprise that some consumers are fleeing Alberta and illegally registering their vehicles in Saskatchewan where rates are much lower." Alberta already caps medical benefits at $10,000 while British Columbia pays up to $150,000 in medical benefits to victims of crashes. "The net result will be Albertans will continue to pay more and get less and less," said Mr. Cran. Why should a young driver with a clean driving record have to pay 100% more to drive a ten year old car compared to a middle aged driver who owns a BMW and has driving convictions? "That's the case in Alberta, but not in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where if you are a bad driver you pay more, irrespective of your age," said Mr. Cran.
