# Ride share endorsement not available in VT?



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

Researched for several hours trying to find a company that offers a ride share endorsement in VT; can't find anything outside of Geico's Commercial division and they said no thanks. The coverage I'm seeking is for protection during period 1; driving with app on waiting for a ping. Couldn't I just turn off the app after dropping off a pax, go park in areas I know I'll get pings and then just turn the app back on and wait a few minutes for a ping?? Thus avoiding Period 1 exposure? At least until such time that an insurer in VT comes out of the Dark Ages??


----------



## Z129 (May 30, 2018)

Try State Farm. I see you have a local agent. They offer rideshare endorsements in California. Maybe they do in Vermont. I have no idea. The agent has an email address so you can just drop him an email. Good luck.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

Z129 said:


> Try State Farm. I see you have a local agent. They offer rideshare endorsements in California. Maybe they do in Vermont. I have no idea. The agent has an email address so you can just drop him an email. Good luck.


Thanks I'll check them out. I find it hard to believe all the ride share drivers in VT are just risking it without coverage; not to mention possibly having their regular auto policies cancelled. Bizarre. But that's VT.


----------



## BigJohn (Jan 27, 2016)

vtcomics said:


> Researched for several hours trying to find a company that offers a ride share endorsement in VT; can't find anything outside of Geico's Commercial division and they said no thanks. The coverage I'm seeking is for protection during period 1; driving with app on waiting for a ping. Couldn't I just turn off the app after dropping off a pax, go park in areas I know I'll get pings and then just turn the app back on and wait a few minutes for a ping?? Thus avoiding Period 1 exposure? At least until such time that an insurer in VT comes out of the Dark Ages??


First, you need to do more research into your current personal auto insurance policy to fully understand what the insurance issue is, as it is NOT a "period 1" issue.

All most all personal auto insurance policies (those from USAA appear to be an exception) have language written deep in the policy that both a) explicitly excludes any commercial usage of the covered vehicle and b) declares that any commercial usage of the covered vehicle is a VIOLATION of the terms and conditions of the policy making the policy subject to cancellation including retroactive to the time such commercial activity can be proven.

That means that even during period 2 and 3 you are in direct violation of the terms and conditions of that personal auto insurance policy unless it has a rideshare rider.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

BigJohn said:


> First, you need to do more research into your current personal auto insurance policy to fully understand what the insurance issue is, as it is NOT a "period 1" issue.
> 
> All most all personal auto insurance policies (those from USAA appear to be an exception) have language written deep in the policy that both a) explicitly excludes any commercial usage of the covered vehicle and b) declares that any commercial usage of the covered vehicle is a VIOLATION of the terms and conditions of the policy making the policy subject to cancellation including retroactive to the time such commercial activity can be proven.
> 
> That means that even during period 2 and 3 you are in direct violation of the terms and conditions of that personal auto insurance policy unless it has a rideshare rider.


Indeed. Which thereby bans all rideshare drivers in VT; unless they have a commercial policy, which I'm sure most of them don't. USAA's insurance application took me to Liberty Mutual, which I understand is unique in that while they don't offer the rideshare endorsement, they also apparently won't void your policy due to partaking in ride share. Is that accurate? Thanks!


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

Z129 said:


> Try State Farm. I see you have a local agent. They offer rideshare endorsements in California. Maybe they do in Vermont. I have no idea. The agent has an email address so you can just drop him an email. Good luck.


BINGO! They offer it here, and I'm fairly certain they might be the only one. Good rate too. Thanks for the suggestion!!


----------



## BigJohn (Jan 27, 2016)

vtcomics said:


> USAA's insurance application took me to Liberty Mutual, which I understand is unique in that while they don't offer the rideshare endorsement, they also apparently won't void your policy due to partaking in ride share. Is that accurate? Thanks!


That is my understanding, that a personal auto insurance policy written under USAA does not contain language that would make the commercial use of a covered vehicle a violation of the terms and conditions.

Remember, that is distinctly different than coverage. AFAIK, that policy will still not cover commercial use.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

BigJohn said:


> That is my understanding, that a personal auto insurance policy written under USAA does not contain language that would make the commercial use of a covered vehicle a violation of the terms and conditions.
> 
> Remember, that is distinctly different than coverage. AFAIK, that policy will still not cover commercial use.


Appreciate the info. Fortunately State Farm has stepped up and hooked me up with a great rate and the Period 1 rideshare endorsement. Hopefully I'm in pretty decent shape with coverage now.


----------



## BigJohn (Jan 27, 2016)

vtcomics said:


> Fortunately State Farm has stepped up and hooked me up with a great rate and the Period 1 rideshare endorsement. Hopefully I'm in pretty decent shape with coverage now.


<SIGH>

While it appears you are now set and on the right path, your terminology is not correct.

It is NOT a period 1 rideshare endorsement. It is a rideshare rider which the ONLY SINGLE THING it does is allowing the commercial use of the covered vehicle for rideshare purposes, but in no way covers such usage under its insurance provisions.

Those are two distinct things that most people just do not get. Allowing something does not mean covering it under insurance.


----------



## Z129 (May 30, 2018)

vtcomics said:


> BINGO! They offer it here, and I'm fairly certain they might be the only one. Good rate too. Thanks for the suggestion!!


Awesome. Glad that worked out for you. I know I literally breathed a sigh of relief when I became properly insured for this job. One less major thing to worry about.


----------



## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

vtcomics said:


> Indeed. Which thereby bans all rideshare drivers in VT; unless they have a commercial policy, which I'm sure most of them don't. USAA's insurance application took me to Liberty Mutual, which I understand is unique in that while they don't offer the rideshare endorsement, they also apparently won't void your policy due to partaking in ride share. Is that accurate? Thanks!


Doesnt necessarily ban Uber, Vermont only requires liability as state minimum. Uber will cover liability in period 1, you can still have car insurance just won't have coverage for yourself if something happens but you can still drive Uber legally.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

steveK2016 said:


> Doesnt necessarily ban Uber, Vermont only requires liability as state minimum. Uber will cover liability in period 1, you can still have car insurance just won't have coverage for yourself if something happens but you can still drive Uber legally.


"Ban" I guess isn't the right phrase, but if the Vermont insurers void your policy because they discover you're doing rideshare then who can legally drive? And if you lose your insurance then Uber fires you for not having insurance. So in a round about way you'd be "banned" from rideshare driving. The whole thing is nuts!


----------



## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

vtcomics said:


> "Ban" I guess isn't the right phrase, but if the Vermont insurers void your policy because they discover you're doing rideshare then who can legally drive? And if you lose your insurance then Uber fires you for not having insurance. So in a round about way you'd be "banned" from rideshare driving. The whole thing is nuts!


Those that have paid for vehicles that are willing to risk operating on just liability coverage that Uber offers.


----------



## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

vtcomics said:


> Thanks I'll check them out. I find it hard to believe all the ride share drivers in VT are just risking it without coverage; not to mention possibly having their regular auto policies cancelled. Bizarre. But that's VT.


It was like that for YEARS in florida.

I started doing uber in 2014 and quit when the insurance requirements were finally figured out by the state, in 2017


----------



## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

As long as the state requires TNC companies to have insurance in place during trips the main issue is going to be during period 1 because normally they don't cover your car in period 1.


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

uberdriverfornow said:


> As long as the state requires TNC companies to have insurance in place during trips the main issue is going to be during period 1 because normally they don't cover your car in period 1.


Unless you find an insurance company that provides an endorsement for rideshare to add on to the existing general policy. The good news is that more and more insurers are starting; albeit slowly, to offer the endorsement.


----------



## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

vtcomics said:


> Unless you find an insurance company that provides an endorsement for rideshare to add on to the existing general policy. The good news is that more and more insurers are starting; albeit slowly, to offer the endorsement.


also keep in mind a lot of them only pay the deductible...i think it was state farm that had the same policy in place as your personal when I was checking around


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

uberdriverfornow said:


> also keep in mind a lot of them only pay the deductible...i think it was state farm that had the same policy in place as your personal when I was checking around


Are you referring to the deductibles from the Uber /Lyft policies?


----------



## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

vtcomics said:


> Are you referring to the deductibles from the Uber /Lyft policies?


some rideshare endorsements only pay for the deductible that you would have to pay to fix your car so $2500 for lyft and $1000 for Uber


----------



## vtcomics (Oct 9, 2018)

uberdriverfornow said:


> some rideshare endorsements only pay for the deductible that you would have to pay to fix your car so $2500 for lyft and $1000 for Uber


Right. That coverage is included in the State Farm endorsement. Along with coverage for Period 1. And for only an extra $10 a month it is well worth it.


----------

