Canadian insurers may have spoken too soon, with winter storms in the Prairies spike claim numbers overnight and ruining industry hopes for a slow season from coast to coast to coast.

Manitoba Public Insurance is now reporting no fewer than 1,500 collision claims over two days, chocking them up to 20 cm of snow.

On Thursday several schools divisions in and around Winnipeg moved to cancel classes as snow accumulated in drifts that kept many off the roads.

Not enough, say brokers, themselves reporting a spate of calls from customers reporting the first collisions of the season.

Much of Canada has been spared – at least so far – that harsh but seasonal weather. The calm may have lulled some carriers and brokers into a false sense of security about their ability to keep claim numbers down.

Still forecasts suggest this winter will be milder, although claims may in fact increase, warn some industry players.

“The conditions (this winter) are ripe for commercial insurers to see lower losses related to winter storms, but higher losses for auto insurers because there will be more people on the roads," said Rob Haines, senior insurance analyst at CreditSights.