With over 2,600 instances of bodily injury and bodily damage claims suspected of fraud at Manitoba Public Insurance coverage (MPI) in 2025, narrowing the listing to solely 5 is difficult. A physique builder, aninjured arsonist, a automobile headed for Dubai, a Porsche hunt, and covert instances of beer stand out amongst the remainder of the incidents that MPI’s Particular Investigation Unit (SIU) investigated, saving Manitoba ratepayers nearly $17 million {dollars} in tried auto insurance coverage fraud this 12 months.
“Whereas lots of you’ll shake your heads and even chuckle on the audacity of a few of these instances we’re highlighting, MPI is sharing these fraud makes an attempt to emphasise that insurance coverage fraud has a value, and that value is borne by all of us in Manitoba,” stated John Bowering, MPI’s Vice President & Chief Claims Officer. “Our SIU group is dedicated to in search of out situations of fraud, and so they have a breadth of experience in terms of investigations. Their arduous work saves Manitobans cash and maintains the integrity of our public insurance coverage system.”
Each Manitoban can do their half. Anybody with details about auto insurance coverage fraud is inspired to name the MPI TIPS Line at 204-985-8477 in Winnipeg, toll-free 1-877-985-8477 exterior of Winnipeg, or submit info on-line at mpi.mb.ca. Data will also be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or on-line at manitobacrimestoppers.com. All calls and reviews are stored nameless.
Fraud 1: Physique Builder
After a minor two-vehicle collision, a claimant reported accidents so vital that they had been unable to go to work, carry out their very own private care, or deal with cooking and housekeeping duties for themselves and their youngsters. It was reported that the accidents precipitated very excessive ache ranges with any exercise, together with simply sitting down. Primarily based on the extent of damage, the claimant was entitled to Earnings Substitute Advantages and Private Care Help funds underneath the
Private Harm Safety Program.
Because of the severity of the accidents reported in relation to the seriousness of the collision, SIU launched an investigation. The investigators discovered the claimant spent a lot of their time on the gymnasium, lifting heavy weights whereas bending and squatting, making family chores appear delicate as compared.
Primarily based on the investigation, MPI terminated all revenue substitute and private care advantages.
The financial savings to ratepayers was greater than $300,000.
Fraud 2: Injured Arsonist
A claimant was handled on the hospital for vital burn accidents after a sudden and violent explosion that engulfed their industrial truck in flames in a resort car parking zone. The claimant reported to police and to medical professionals that they’d fought the fireplace with a hearth extinguisher for 10 minutes, making an attempt to avoid wasting the automobile, sustaining burns within the course of.
SIU started to analyze and located video proof of the claimant methodically staging and executing the arson. Nonetheless, the explosion appeared unplanned and is what precipitated the claimant’s accidents. At no time was there any proof of makes an attempt to extinguish the fireplace.
The declare was denied, saving ratepayers roughly $1 million in automobile and damage claims.
Fraud 3: Dubai Sure
A claimant reported they returned to a car parking zone to search out their automobile had been stolen. A settlement was reached and the claimant was paid. After the fee, MPI was notified by a separate investigating company that the automobile had been intercepted in a delivery container in Ontario heading to Dubai, together with 14 different autos.
The abroad journey was cancelled, and an SIU investigation was opened. Investigators found the automobile was reported stolen after it had already been in Ontario for a number of days. The automobile was examined, and there have been no indications of pressured entry or tampering with the ignition. MPI is within the means of reclaiming the $51,657.54 that was paid out for this fraudulent declare.
Fraud 4: A Porsche Hunt
A two-vehicle collision occurred and each events made a declare. One of many autos was a Porsche. The accounts given by every social gathering didn’t match up, nor did the proof from the scene of the collision. SIU started an investigation.
It was decided that the motive force of the primary automobile handed by the house of the Porsche’s proprietor and circled again when the Porsche started to reverse out of the driveway. The automobile accelerated towards the Porsche, placing it, whereas the Porsche tried to take evasive motion. The driving force of the primary automobile stated they tried to keep away from the collision, however there was no room attributable to parked autos.
After the collision, the motive force of the Porsche exited the automobile and bumped into the residence, then got here again a short time later with further folks. It was reported to MPI that the totally licensed registered proprietor of the automobile was driving and had two different folks within the automobile with them. Investigators discovered that the registered proprietor was not within the automobile and the person with the Learner’s licence was the one occupant of the Porsche and was driving illegally. It was additional
discovered that the events in each autos had been identified to one another.
False statements had been supplied by each automobile drivers. An intentional act precipitated the collision.
The declare was denied, saving ratepayers roughly $154,000.
Fraud 5: Covert Circumstances of Beer
After a minor collision with minimal reported accidents and injury, a claimant initially reported with the ability to carry out sure elements of their employment, however because the declare continued, they reported being unable to finish an increasing number of components of their job attributable to vital ache.
The claimant’s enterprise required them to buy and transport bulk provides, and so they reported they had been unable to finish their duties as their lifting capability was zero to 5 kilos most, with a really low tolerance for many actions. Primarily based on the extent of damage and the character of the claimant’s work, they had been entitled to Earnings Substitute Advantages.
Surveillance was initiated by SIU. The claimant was routinely seen out of their residence operating errands and doing work for his or her enterprise for roughly 7-10 hours day by day. The claimant was noticed buying at a number of beer distributors and loading as much as 18-20 instances of beer into the trunk of their automobile with out help. The claimant continued to be seen lifting heavy gadgets and carrying tools with none proof of ache or issue.
Primarily based on the investigation, advantages had been terminated. The financial savings to ratepayers because of this investigation was greater than $480,000. Efforts are being made to reclaim $19,000 in advantages already paid to the claimant.
Altogether, the investigation and discovery of those 5 fraudulent claims by MPI’s SIU group saved Manitoba ratepayers $2 million out of the full $17 million saved in 2025.
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