# What do you do for medical coverage? Retirement?



## Madison Alder (Jul 24, 2017)

Hello there,

My name is Madison Alder and I'm a reporter with Bloomberg BNA in Washington. I'm working on a couple of stories about how workers in your industry -- "the gig economy" -- gets benefits, and I need your voices.

What do you currently do for medical coverage? How could an Obamacare repeal (and possible replacement) impact you? What you do for retirement savings? Have you used Betterment, the online retirement savings company that Uber partnered with a year ago? If so, has it been effective in helping you save for retirement?

Thanks!


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## corniilius (Jan 27, 2017)

I have a real job for that.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Madison Alder said:


> Hello there,
> 
> My name is Madison Alder and I'm a reporter with Bloomberg BNA in Washington. I'm working on a couple of stories about how workers in your industry -- "the gig economy" -- gets benefits, and I need your voices.
> 
> ...


If you want to do a story,

Might I sugest doing a story on how most uber drivers fail to make enough after deductions (standard mileage rate) to owe any taxes at all? Or even show any profit at all on paper.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

My main medical care plan is inspired by Obama: hope. I just hope nothing bad happens to me.

Paid an Obama penalty last year because a university paperwork error stopped me from being covered by them like I should have been. This year I have a bronze plan eating up my savings... but actually I got a pretty big discount through Uber Stride. In theory I'm covered but don't really understand it. All I know is that it has high copays and high deductibles. All I really care about is catastrophic coverage but I am paying for things I don't need and the deductibles are almost as high. All I know is that I don't have to pay obamacare penalty and that it doesn't cover dental. The only doctor I've seen in over a decade is a dentist. I pay my dentist cash.

Retirement? HA! I don't plan to retire. If I get to the point where I cannot work anymore or take care of myself some day, I'm not sure I want to live anymore anyway.

I'll be lucky to have enough saved to replace my current Uber car once it dies! Praying not to get in any car accidents. I have no collision insurance either. At least I know that if I am at fault in an accident while on a trip though I will only have to pay out of pocket $1000 if I'm online with Uber or $2500 if I'm online with Lyft. Thankfully they provide liability insurance with those deductibles. However, if I can afford to, I won't invoke it because my bet is that invoking their insurance means deactivation. When it comes to liability, cash is king, just like with dentists.

And if I'm not on a trip with Uber or Lyft, my personal liability insurance covers me as long as the damages are less than $30,000.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

Trafficat said:


> I'll be lucky to have enough saved to replace my current Uber car once it dies! Praying not to get in any car accidents. I have no collision insurance either. At least I know that if I am at fault in an accident while on a trip though I will only have to pay out of pocket $1000 if I'm online with Uber or $2500 if I'm online with Lyft. Thankfully they provide liability insurance with those deductibles. However, if I can afford to, I won't invoke it because my bet is that invoking their insurance means deactivation. When it comes to liability, cash is king, just like with dentists.
> 
> And if I'm not on a trip with Uber or Lyft, my personal liability insurance covers me as long as the damages are less than $30,000.


I "have no dog in this fight," as the saying goes, but wanted to see if you have read the same posts about Uber insurance as I have.

My understanding of the insurance provided by Uber (and I assume Lyft is similar) only covers your vehicle in an at-fault accident if you have a personal policy with comprehensive and collision coverage. So they would cover damage to your car in excess of the deductible. Their liability coverage starts with the first dollar- no deductible applies in the case of pax or third party injuries or property damage other than your car. For all intents and purposes, you are vastly under insured.


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## Trafficat (Dec 19, 2016)

You are probably right that you don't owe the deductible on liability insurance.

In any case I bet a driver who is at fault in accidents isn't too likely to continue to be a driver.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

Madison Alder said:


> Hello there,
> 
> My name is Madison Alder and I'm a reporter with Bloomberg BNA in Washington. I'm working on a couple of stories about how workers in your industry -- "the gig economy" -- gets benefits, and I need your voices.


You need to research "the gig economy" worker habits first. Do you know that the average Uber driver only makes around $350/month? And you can forget about health insurance because it's estimated that nearly 80% of TNC drivers don't even carry the proper car insurance. Go into the Stories sub forum and read the thread "Millennial who lost his car tipped me $10" that was posted yesterday. I think that "the gig economy" workers have a hell of allot more to worry about then benefits.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

Wife has a real W-2 job so medical and dental are covered.
Retirement? LOL! I just spent a month in Asia on my wife's dime (I pay the bills, she covered the vacation). Imma be a beggar and she's not particularly attentive to my needs.
Short answer:
I'll die behind the wheel of my cab.


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## Titanium Uber (Mar 5, 2017)

Medical insurance through full-time job. Retirement through full time job. They match 75% of first 8% I put in. I put in 15% and have for years. Wife also has 401k at her work. Obamacare repeal or not won't affect me just as it didn't when it started.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

Obamacare plus the minimal secondary medical coverage from Uber/Lyft when in an accident.

Uber Driver Auto Insurance is a great under-reported story, as is medical coverage. If you have not already done so then I suggest that you read the pinned post in this sub-forum and

https://uberpeople.net/threads/trump-care-is-dead.185136/#post-2883055- article near the bottom
https://uberpeople.net/threads/non-commercial-auto-insurance-in-nys.175003/


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

I have full medical, dental and vision as well as matching 401k. 




I also have a full time job that is not Uber.


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## RedANT (Aug 9, 2016)

For medical coverage I have TriCare, (retired military) VA, (minor disability rating) Blue cross/Blue Shield, (part of my retirement pension plan) and Medicare.


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## TaroTeaFan (Jun 19, 2017)

If the medical coverage refers to the one in the auto insurance, a lot of people don't know that the medical coverage is redundant if they have a job and their employer has already covered them on the medical expense. When we optimize the insurance coverage for our customers, we noticed a lot of people are overpaying for their insurance.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

TaroTeaFan said:


> If the medical coverage refers to the one in the auto insurance, a lot of people don't know that the medical coverage is redundant if they have a job and their employer has already covered them on the medical expense. When we optimize the insurance coverage for our customers, we noticed a lot of people are overpaying for their insurance.


Too bad that you can't give specific advise outside out California. 

My understand of the "medical insurance" provided by both Uber and your personal auto policy is that they are Secondary, may be used if related expenses remain after you medical insurance pays out. In which case, it would not be "redundant", but "supplementary". Is this true in California? Everywhere else?


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## TaroTeaFan (Jun 19, 2017)

Maven said:


> Too bad that you can't give specific advise outside out California.
> 
> My understand of the "medical insurance" provided by both Uber and your personal auto policy is that they are Secondary, may be used if related expenses remain after you medical insurance pays out. In which case, it would not be "redundant", but "supplementary". Is this true in California? Everywhere else?


I think for those who have medical insurance from employers, the medical coverage is just like convenience fees to the insurance companies.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

TaroTeaFan said:


> I think for those who have medical insurance from employers, the medical coverage is just like convenience fees to the insurance companies.


I'm not sure if this applies, but back in the mid eighties my employer-provided health insurance paid for treatment of injuries I had sustained when another car rear ended mine. But it was with the understanding that I would reimburse my carrier if and when a settlement was reached. Interestingly they didn't ask for the full amount they had paid out to doctors.


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