December 14, 2023 – Auto theft is a crisis right across Ontario, but Brampton residents are feeling it most acutely, according to a new Pollara Strategic Insights survey commissioned by Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). Notably, 78% of Brampton residents feel their community is facing an auto theft crisis.
“The auto theft crisis is creating unsafe communities – 73% of Brampton residents are concerned that their car will be stolen. And with good reason – the number of theft claims increased 133% between 2018 and 2022 and the cost of those claims skyrocketed nearly 400%. These increases outpace the province – which is already the worst in the country – by about an additional 20%,” says Amanda Dean, interim Vice-President, Ontario, IBC. “While we need a whole of society approach to solve this crisis, including all levels of government, insurers and auto manufacturers, there are steps you can take to deter thefts.”
Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada’s private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up the vast majority of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. For more than 50 years, IBC has worked with governments across the country to help make affordable home, auto and business insurance available for all Canadians. IBC supports the vision of consumers and governments trusting, valuing and supporting the private P&C insurance industry. It champions key issues and helps educate consumers on how best to protect their homes, cars, businesses and properties.
Pollara Strategic Insights conducted an online survey from October 13 to 27, 2023, among 1,603 randomly-selected adult (18+) Ontarians. Online samples cannot be assigned a margin of error. However, as a guideline, a probability sample of N=1,603 carries a margin of error of ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20. The margin of error is larger for sub-segments. The dataset has been weighted according gender, age, and region, to ensure sample reflects actual population of adult Ontarians.
For more details from the survey, please visit IBC’s Media Centre at www.ibc.ca as well as IBC’s X/Twitter and Facebook channels.
In addition, IBC encourages drivers to follow Équité Association’s layered approach to auto theft protection, which consists of four categories: simple steps, anti-theft devices, vehicle immobilizers and tracking devices. And, IBC shares more information on how to solve the auto theft crisis at endautotheft.ca.
If you have a question about home, auto, or business insurance, contact IBC’s Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ASK-IBC.
