Drivers who live in these five cities in Alberta should be extra cautious when securing their vehicles.
New data by the Insurance Bureau of Canada revealed that the costs of auto theft claims rose 55% in Alberta between 2021 and 2023.
While claims rose 55% across the province, Medicine Hat topped the list with the largest percentage increase in auto theft claims at 72%. Edmonton followed with a 66% increase, then Fort McMurray at 60%. Calgary came fourth at 59%, and auto theft claims rose 30% in Lethbridge between 2021 and 2023.
Although the auto theft rate in Calgary didn’t top the charts, the city had the largest increase from a dollar perspective. In 2021, Calgary accounted for $20,856,769 in auto theft claim costs. In 2023, the price tag climbed to $33,076,848 – an increase of over $12 million.
Similarly, Edmonton saw an increase of over $10 million. As for Fort McMurray, the town saw an increase of about $1.3 million. Meanwhile, Medicine Hat saw an increase of over $280,000, and Lethbridge saw an increase of over $222,000 between 2021 and 2023.
Between 2018 and 2023, auto theft claims increased 254% across Canada, reaching an unprecedented $1.5 billion. Between 2021 and 2023, auto theft claims increased 99.89% nationwide, rising from around $774 million to $1.55 billion.
“The auto theft crisis continues to persist across Alberta, and it’s adding pressure to the cost of auto insurance for all drivers,” said Aaron Sutherland, Vice President for the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Western region. “Auto theft disrupts lives and creates fear in communities across the province. Urgent action must be taken to address this growing trend.”
Ontario took the biggest blow between 2018 and 2023, where auto theft claims increased by 524%, surpassing $1 billion.
Despite this, Albertans pay some of the highest insurance costs in Canada. Litigation and legal fees in Alberta are twice as high as in Ontario and more than three times higher than in some Atlantic provinces.
For auto insurance claims, Alberta has the highest legal costs in the country and the second highest vehicle theft frequency and vehicle replacement or repair costs.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada warned that insurance rates in Alberta will rise if these pressures are not urgently addressed.
“Unfortunately, the action taken to date—including Alberta’s rate cap for good drivers—does not address the costs underlying drivers’ coverage and will do little to improve the price drivers are paying moving forward,” said Sutherland.
He added that insurers were forced to scale back their offerings to remain viable due to the cap.
“Claims costs now exceed the amount of money insurers are collecting in premiums because of the auto insurance rate cap in Alberta,” he said.
The Liberals released their National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft on May 20. The bureau said that the plan includes many good aspects, but that “it is time for the rubber to hit the road on the plan.”
The Insurance Bureau of Canada added that insurers across the province are urging all levels of government to implement the plan’s recommendations. For Alberta, implementing these recommendations would include providing more resources for law enforcement to tackle auto crime, creating a provincial auto theft team, and strengthening police support through this team.
Sutherland called for collaborative efforts to address the underlying issues driving auto theft in Alberta.
“Reform is needed urgently, and as the government considers various solutions to reduce premiums for drivers, it’s critical that it addresses these cost pressures,” he said.