Claims: What to Do After a Collision
The claims process
Knowing how to respond after a collision is both a safety issue and a legal one. Manitoba's public insurer handles claims, and the steps you take immediately after a crash affect both your safety and your coverage. A Class 6 candidate should understand reporting duties, evidence gathering, and how fault is assessed.
Concepts to master
- Immediate duties: stop, check for injuries, call emergency services if needed, and exchange information.
- Reporting: collisions involving injury, death, or property damage above a threshold must be reported to police and to the insurer within set timeframes.
- Evidence: photos, witness details, road and weather conditions, and a written account.
- Fault determination: how insurers assess responsibility, including single-vehicle crashes.
- Injury claims: no-fault benefits for medical costs and income replacement.
- Hit-and-run and uninsured drivers: special claim routes exist; report promptly.
Traps in exam questions
Watch for scenarios where a rider leaves the scene - failing to stop and provide information is a serious offence, not just a claims problem. Another trap is assuming a minor single-vehicle spill needs no report; property damage thresholds still apply. Also, admitting fault at the scene is not the same as the insurer's formal fault determination.
Worked example / rule of thumb
Rule of thumb: “Stop, secure, summon, swap, snap, report.” Stop safely, secure the scene, summon help, exchange details, photograph everything, then report to police and insurer within required timeframes.
Reporting deadlines and damage thresholds are set by regulation; confirm current numbers with Manitoba Public Insurance.