Alberta 2025 auto theft claims remain at historical high: IBC
Posted January 28, 2026 8:13 am.
Last Updated January 28, 2026 12:37 pm.
Auto theft claims in Alberta are far above historical levels despite a slight drop in the first half of 2025, according to new data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).
The data shows that while the total cost of auto theft claims declined slightly, it is still 76 per cent higher than the same period in 2021.
It also shows that the two largest cities in Alberta, Edmonton and Calgary, have become the “epicentre for auto thefts,” which had an insurance claim difference of 85 per cent and 73 per cent from 2021, respectively.
The drop in 2025, as cited by the IBS, is due to the “concerted efforts of governments and law enforcement.”
“Provincial and municipal governments, in partnership with law enforcement agencies, have begun to make progress on efforts to reduce auto theft, and data shows it’s making a difference,” said the vice-president of Pacific and Western IBC, Aaron Sutherland, in a news release.
“It’s important to stay diligent as criminal networks continue operating in our communities and are growing more brazen in their actions to steal vehicles, often shipping them overseas to fund other illicit activities.”
Brett Weltman, the manager of media relations of the IBC, says the concerted efforts stem from initiatives made by the federal government in 2024.
This includes a $43 million investment in border services and law enforcement, $3.5 million to support INTERPOL in combatting transnational organized crime, and $9.1 million for municipal and provincial police to improve referrals and intelligence to the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and for it to take custody of stolen vehicles at the border.
“While the concerted actions by law enforcement, insurers, governments and drivers to combat theft are showing progress, more still needs to be done,” Weltman said.
The IBC says the Superintendent of Insurance expects “escalating claims costs due to inflation, bodily injury claims severity growth, vehicle theft rates and weather-related losses” will continue to grow.
This also comes as the 2024 annual report from the Superintendent of Insurance says Alberta rate caps are “deepening the financial crisis” for auto insurers in the province.
The report says a substantial majority of Alberta auto insurers were unprofitable that year, and auto insurers’ expenses in 2024 exceeded revenues by a collective $1.2 billion.
The IBC also says a handful of insurers have left the Alberta market, while others have restricted the sale of coverage.
Meanwhile, the IBC is calling on the provincial government to provide more resources for “coordinated inter-agency law enforcement” focused on auto theft and organized crime, and to create a provincial auto theft team with “dedicated prosecutorial support.”
It also says the Alberta government’s transition to a “Care-First Auto insurance system” on Jan. 1, 2027, is expected to reduce legal cost pressures, improve premiums for drivers, and enhance care to those injured in collisions, “with the most generous benefits in the country.”
