Quebec auto insurance board SAAQ launches online portal with a few hiccups

Hiccups as SAAQ launches new site Quebec’s automobile insurance board, the SAAQ, launched a new website Monday, and it didn’t go smoothly.

Quebec's automobile insurance board (SAAQ) launched its new online tool - SAAQ Clic - on Monday with a few hiccups.

The SAAQ said that a server overload resulted in some clients not being able to access the site, but that the new site is secure and functioning well.

"We had a couple of little issues at the beginning of the day, but it's been fixed," said SAAQ vice president of strategic marketing Dave Leclerc.

Some users complained that the site was not user friendly and that wait times stretched close to 15 minutes to complete a transaction.

"After spending 15 minutes on hold, I get this," wrote one Twitter user, posting a screengrab of an error message.

The upgrade required the SAAQ to suspend some services at the end of January and into February. Those suspensions of service resulted in a backlog that Leclerc acknowledged may be frustrating for some clients.

He advised SAAQ clients to use the online portal or book an appointment rather than turning up at a service centre, as lines are long.

The site includes around 30 new services for commercial and private customers.

Among the new services now offered online are the following:

All services can be found here.