# Avoid Travelers Insurnace - They deny claims if you are online.



## Lost In Translation (Sep 18, 2015)

I was in the Uber Staging Lot at San Francisco Airport. I was involved in a small fender bender with another driver. The guy was a total moron and got Uber involved, screwing us both in the process.

I am (or was) insured by Traveler's. He was insured by State Farm. I was online but neither en route or on a trip. He was parked (improperly see photos) and I was moving slowly pulling into a parking stall.

Traveler's notified me today they are denying coverage claiming I was online and therefore working and using my car as a livery service and driving for hire. 

Uber's Insurance Company, James River, is also denying coverage since I was neither en route nor on a trip. Not sure they would pay in any case as Uber covers the passenger and liability for damage to third parties as a result of being either en route or on a trip, not simply being online.

So I am screwed. 

AVOID TRAVELERS INSURANCE IF YOU DRIVE FOR UBER.


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## Disgusted Driver (Jan 9, 2015)

So, let me make sure I understand. You hit a stationary object and are *****ing about the other driver, oops, I mean parker. 

Also, did you not realize that your insurance wouldn't cover you, have you not read anything here? 

If you have regular insurance from any carrier and they find out you are driving for hire, you are not covered. If you hit something it's almost always your fault. Any questions?


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## Ben105 (Feb 27, 2016)

Though in CA doesn't the new insurance law make Uber's insurance the primary in all three modes (1, 2, and 3)????


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## Midlife51 (Jun 6, 2015)

Allstate insurance now offers as part of their insurance all three modes 1,2,3 for very minimum price. Try it.


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## Ben105 (Feb 27, 2016)

I know Liberty Mutual also is very rideshare friendly.


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## Lost In Translation (Sep 18, 2015)

Scott Benedict said:


> Though in CA doesn't the new insurance law make Uber's insurance the primary in all three modes (1, 2, and 3)????


Only modes 2 and 3, not 1. And Uber's insurance is liability only, not collison. They might have paid to fix the other guy's car but they would not have paid to fix mine.


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## Ben105 (Feb 27, 2016)

I think you're incorrect about mode 1. This is copied from the actual law:

The following requirements shall apply to transportation network company insurance from *the moment a participating driver logs on to the transportation network company's online-enabled application or platform* until the driver accepts a request to transport a passenger, and from the moment the driver completes the transaction on the online-enabled application or platform or the ride is complete, whichever is later, until the driver either accepts another ride request on the online-enabled application or platform or logs off the online-enabled application or platform:

The bold-faced is my emphasis.


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## Ben105 (Feb 27, 2016)

And as Far as I know, they must cover your property damage as well IF you have that coverage on your personal policy. That is my understanding as it was explained to me. Though Uber has a $1000 deductible and Lyft has a $2500 deductible.


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## SFAgentKyle (Mar 16, 2016)

Period 1 (app on) is where you have the most significant hole in coverage. Unless you have a rideshare endorsement, your vehicle will not have physical damage coverage from your carrier or from James River.


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## Roogy1 (Mar 13, 2016)

This is State Farm just rolled out in TN.
Can anyone explicitly explain what this means?
Sorry thick headed German here but, it doesn't seem like you could drive very many miles while driving for Uber....
Am I right?


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Lost In Translation said:


> I was in the Uber Staging Lot at San Francisco Airport. I was involved in a small fender bender with another driver. The guy was a total moron and got Uber involved, screwing us both in the process.
> 
> I am (or was) insured by Traveler's. He was insured by State Farm. I was online but neither en route or on a trip. He was parked (improperly see photos) and I was moving slowly pulling into a parking stall.
> 
> Traveler's notified me today they are denying coverage claiming I was online and therefore working and using my car as a livery service and driving for hire..


Did you offer to pay the cash to have the other gentleman's car professionally repaired? Do you even have that kind of money readily available?

He really isn't a "moron" if you were unable to pay to have his car repaired, that you apparently damaged.

Commercial drivers for Uber, or for any other outfit, need to read their policies carefully, make sure they have coverage when things happen. The problem wasn't with Travelers, but really with you, as you didn't realize that you weren't covered


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## Lost In Translation (Sep 18, 2015)

I_Like_Spam said:


> Did you offer to pay the cash to have the other gentleman's car professionally repaired? Do you even have that kind of money readily available?
> 
> He really isn't a "moron" if you were unable to pay to have his car repaired, that you apparently damaged.
> 
> Commercial drivers for Uber, or for any other outfit, need to read their policies carefully, make sure they have coverage when things happen. The problem wasn't with Travelers, but really with you, as you didn't realize that you weren't covered


I never said I wasn't responsible. The way he was parked certainly was a contributing factor, but under the law, I am responsible. And my insurance would have covered everything, because I know enough NOT to offer any additional information to the insurance company that isn't specifically asked for. Less detail is best. If the question can be answered by a YES or NO, use those words and nothing more. Keep your mouth shut. "I was parking at the airport" is far better than "I drive for Uber and I was parking at the Uber Staging Lot".

So, by involving Uber and making a lot of noise, he gets these possible results:

1) If he doesn't have Ride Share Coverage, neither of us are covered. He pays to fix his own car and he can try to recover by going to Small Claims Court. In Small Claims Court, how he was parked might be material enough to reduce my liability somewhat. But it is a pain in the ass to go to Small Claims Court. Time consuming.
or
2) He has coverage and I don't. He gets his car fixed BUT HE PAYS THE $500 or $1,000 deductible that would have been covered by my company had he simply allowed the process to continue without involving or invoking Uber. Again he can sue me if he wants to. But now he is suing only for his deductible: Same pain, less gain.

No, I don't have a spare $1,200 to fix his car.

I bought a TNC friendly policy from Farmers yesterday. They have a table set up in the Uber Drivers Center offices. Same coverages as Traveler's but has full TMC coverage and unlimited mileage plus loss of use. My rate went from $130 a month to $270 a month. I probably paid too much, but maybe not by much.

And our city wants a few hundred for a business license because Uber somehow mysteriously slipped the tax collector the driver's database.

And my DMV renewal is due for another $300

This was a valuable education. I got lucky in that it was a minor cosmetic only accident. Imagine if I were driving around waiting for a ping and I got into a major accident and my car was seriously damaged. I would be in a huge mess. Not enough money to fix my car, not enough money to pay off the loan, no ability to work (I drive full time).

Uber's policy only covers damage you cause to OTHERS. It does not cover the driver in any way for anything. Lesson learned.

Yeah, $140 a month is a huge increase. Especially when I barely make enough to cover food & rent. But I obviously was underinsured and have no choice if I want to keep driving.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Lost In Translation said:


> I never said I wasn't responsible. The way he was parked certainly was a contributing factor, but under the law, I am responsible. And my insurance would have covered everything, because I know enough NOT to offer any additional information to the insurance company that isn't specifically asked for. Less detail is best. If the question can be answered by a YES or NO, use those words and nothing more. Keep your mouth shut. "I was parking at the airport" is far better than "I drive for Uber and I was parking at the Uber Staging Lot".
> 
> So, by involving Uber and making a lot of noise, he gets these possible results:
> 
> ...


This is why you should never drive with the app on and no request.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Lost In Translation said:


> Not sure they would pay in any case as Uber covers the passenger and liability for damage to third parties as a result of being either en route or on a trip, not simply being online.


This isn't true. Uber is either the primary or secondary in period 1.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Lost In Translation said:


> 2) He has coverage and I don't. He gets his car fixed BUT HE PAYS THE $500 or $1,000 deductible that would have been covered by my company had he simply allowed the process to continue without involving or invoking Uber. Again he can sue me if he wants to. But now he is suing only for his deductible: Same pain, less gain.


This isn't true either. Your period 1 is for liability and you are liable so the other driver would not have a deductible.

When Travelers rejected you, did you file with James Rivers using the written rejection?


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## Tina S (May 21, 2016)

Roogy1 said:


> View attachment 36793
> This is State Farm just rolled out in TN.
> Can anyone explicitly explain what this means?
> Sorry thick headed German here but, it doesn't seem like you could drive very many miles while driving for Uber....
> Am I right?


It sounds like if you use the car more then 50% of your miles for ride sharing then you are not eligible for coverage? I would definitely check into that and get it in riding.


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## SFAgentKyle (Mar 16, 2016)

Lost In Translation said:


> I never said I wasn't responsible. The way he was parked certainly was a contributing factor, but under the law, I am responsible. And my insurance would have covered everything, because I know enough NOT to offer any additional information to the insurance company that isn't specifically asked for. Less detail is best. If the question can be answered by a YES or NO, use those words and nothing more. Keep your mouth shut. "I was parking at the airport" is far better than "I drive for Uber and I was parking at the Uber Staging Lot".
> 
> So, by involving Uber and making a lot of noise, he gets these possible results:
> 
> ...


Check with State Farm(us), you can have coverage during all 3 periods for your car and avoid Uber/James River's claims run around.


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## dizie (Aug 15, 2016)

how did they know u were online?


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## 1974toyota (Jan 5, 2018)

Lost In Translation said:


> I was in the Uber Staging Lot at San Francisco Airport. I was involved in a small fender bender with another driver. The guy was a total moron and got Uber involved, screwing us both in the process.
> 
> I am (or was) insured by Traveler's. He was insured by State Farm. I was online but neither en route or on a trip. He was parked (improperly see photos) and I was moving slowly pulling into a parking stall.
> 
> ...


Ubers policy states it will not cover you if you work for a TNC, wether in stage 1-2-3? should have checked your policy,jmo


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