[Auto] -11.2% in vehicle theft claims registered by insurers in Alberta in 2021
Good to know
- A little bit more than 5,000 vehicle theft claims were registered in 2021 by insurance companies in Alberta
- This is 11.2% less than in 2020, during which around 5,725 vehicle theft claims were registered by insurance companies in Alberta
- In Alberta, 35.4% of stolen vehicles were pick-ups in 2021, and 34.7% were SUVs
- With a ratio of 11.9 vehicle thefts per 10,000 inhabitants in 2021, Alberta remains the most negatively affected province in Canada in 2021, ahead of Ontario (9.8), Quebec (8.6) and the Atlantic provinces (4.5)
- In 2021, the Ford F350 série (1997-2007 models) has been the car model preferred by thieves in Alberta, with a 3.85% theft ratio.
In 2021, Alberta remains the most negatively affected province for vehicle thefts
In Alberta, the number of vehicle theft claims has declined by 11.2% in one year, from around 5,725 in 2020 to close to 5,000 in 2021*. However, when looking at the 2021 vehicle thefts ratio of the provinces that have a private car insurance system, we find out that :
- With a ratio of 11.9 vehicles stolen per 10,000 inhabitants in 2021, Alberta ranks as the most negatively affected province in Canada
- Nevertheless, this represents a 1.2 point decrease in comparison with 2020, back when the Alberta vehicle thefts ratio was 13.1 per 10,000 inhabitants
- In 2021, Alberta is the only province that had its vehicle thefts ratio declining, whereas Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces see their ratio increasing.
Source: Équité Association
Good to know
*Those numbers sere provided to us by Équité Association. The organization asked us not to disclose the exact numbers, which is why we do not unveil them.
In Alberta, 35.4% of stolen vehicles in 2021 were pick-ups
What are the type of vehicles most appreciated by thieves in Alberta? We can see on the below graph that :
- In 2021, pick-ups remain the most stolen type of vehicle in Alberta, representing 35.4% of thefts in the province (- 2.2 points in comparison with 2020)
- SUVs represent 34.7% of the vehicles stolen in Alberta in 2021 (+0.6 point in comparison with 2020), and should become the number 1 stolen type of vehicle in the province in the coming years
- The number of vans stolen in Alberta has almost doubled between 2020 and 2021, from about 100 thefts to 200 this year (from 1.7% to 3.8% of the total number of vehicle thefts in the province).
Source: Équité Association
The Ford F350 serie (1997-2007) is the most stolen vehicle in Alberta in 2021
Albertan Ford F350 serie owners should be scared: numbers disclosed by Équité Association show that in 2021, almost 4% of them (for the 1997-2007 models) in the province were stolen. This makes (by far) that vehicle the favorite model for thieves in Alberta in 2021, in front of the Ford F250 serie (2.85% of thefts) and the Chevrolet/GMC Silverado/Sierra 2500 série (1.18% of thefts).
Source: Équité Association
Expert advice
Bryan Gast, VP Investigative Services of Équité Association
“Auto theft is a complex national problem that costs Canadians millions of dollars each year,” says Bryan Gast, VP, Investigative Services of Équité Association, a not-for-profit organization supporting Canadian property and casualty insurers in the fight against insurance fraud. “Canada has become a source nation for the theft and exportation of high-value vehicles. Vehicles across the country are being stolen in greater volume for export internationally by organized crime networks. The proceeds of this illegal activity are being used to fund organized crime and terrorism, both domestically and internationally,” says Gast. “Thieves continue to exploit technology to steal vehicles through relay attacks and reprograming”.
Methodology
In addition to its expert editorial line around insurance and financial products, HelloSafe explores broader topics relating to global consumption in Canada and around the world. The aim is to decipher certain complex subjects for consumers and to provide everyone with the latest information. It is within this framework that HelloSafe regularly carries out studies on trends relating to current personal finance in Canada.
There are various statistics available on car thefts in Alberta, mainly from insurance companies or public authorities (police in particular). The differences between these two sources can be significant. This study is based on figures provided to us by Équité Association, a not-for-profit organization supporting Canadian property and casualty insurers in the fight against insurance fraud. Thus, the figures used are based on thefts that have been declared to insurance companies, which explains why the numbers presented may be lower than those disclosed by the police.
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