# Lack of Transparency - Insured or Uninsured ?



## Abraxas79 (Feb 7, 2016)

A little background information. Starting driving for UBER part-time on weekends in Toronto, Ontario, Canada beginning in December 2015. Immediately though, I was concerned about the Insurance issue, as there were a number of well publicized cases of UBER drivers being involved in accidents where they later found out that they were uninsured. Generally what would follow is their personal insurance company would immediately void their policy for non-disclosure/material misrepresentation, making it very difficult to obtain insurance in the future. In one case, a driver is paying the monthly finance charges on a vehicle he no longer owns (Total Loss) in addition to facing personal liability in a loss where he was at fault. UBER did not respond in these cases. 

So having contacted UBER regarding the Insurance issue, I received the same canned response everyone gets; We have a fleet policy providing $5,000,000.00 general liability, Accident benefits etc. in the event you have a claim where you are carrying a passenger for hire. Being uncomfortable knowing that my personal insurance will not respond to these claims, I searched the market place and finally found an Insurer willing to provide the right type of commercial insurance for this risk at a reasonable premium.

Here is where it gets interesting. The Insurer (Kingsway General Insurance) wanted to see evidence of UBER's Insurance coverage before issuing the policy, so I asked our local "Partners" for a certificate of insurance as proof of coverage. This is a very common practice in the industry. I received no response. A couple of weeks went by, I followed up with my request, still no answer. Now, I have to ask anyone reading this a simple question. Would you go to work for a company driving your own car or company car or any vehicle being told that you are insured, but receiving no evidence of it ? Trust us you are insured, and then you find out after having a claim that you are not ? 

Finally, I did get what was required, but only have my insurer contacted the broker (James River) directly. It seems to me that at least in Canada, UBER is deliberately trying to obfuscate what coverage they are providing. In every case that I have researched UBER's immediate reaction seems to be to deny any liability whatsoever. They are only every made to pay kicking and screaming after protracted costly legal actions. 

This should make anyone driving for UBER in Canada without the proper type of insurance pause for thought.


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