How does Uber Ridesharing Coverage work in Ontario?

The auto insurance coverage that Uber has in place, provided by Economical Insurance, is designed to cover Uber drivers while they‘re on a rideshare trip in Ontario.  But how does the coverage actually work?  The details can be a bit confusing, so we‘ve broken down the important coverage features as well as what coverage applies and when.
 
When does the Uber insurance coverage kick in?
First, it‘s important to understand when the Uber insurance coverage can come into play.  To understand this better, we can break down the Uber driver experience into a couple of phases:
Pre-Acceptance Phase

Period 1 (also referred to as the “Pre-Acceptance period”)  begins when the driver has logged into the Uber app and has made themselves available on the network to receive transportation requests.  This period would be before the driver has actually accepted any incoming request.

Post-Acceptance Phase
Period 2 is the first part of the “Post-Acceptance period”.  This is when a driver has now accepted a transportation service request and is on the way to pick up the passenger or goods;
Period 3 is the second part of the “Post-Acceptance period”.  This period reflects actually transporting the passenger or goods to the destination.  This period ends when a trip is completed, ended, or cancelled – whichever is later.If you‘re not in either the Pre-Acceptance or Post-Acceptance phases, then you would be in Period 0 – the vehicle is being used for personal use and there is no coverage under the Uber policy.
 
What coverage is provided?
For Period 1, in Ontario, coverage under this phase offers:
$1,000,000 liability limit
Standard Accident Benefits
Uninsured Automobile coverage
Direct Compensation Property Damage
Comprehensive and Collision physical damage coverage, both subject to a $1,000 deductible
$1,000,000 Family Protection Coverage (OPCF 44)For Periods 2 and 3 in Ontario:
$2,000,000 liability limit
Standard Accident Benefits
Uninsured Automobile coverage
Direct Compensation Property Damage
Comprehensive and Collision physical damage coverage, both subject to a $1,000 deductible
$2,000,000 Family Protection Coverage (OPCF 44)To learn more about these different types of coverage, visit us at: https://www.staebler.com/your-car
 
Do I still need to have my own auto policy?
YES!  For a few of reasons:
First, it‘s important to keep in mind that even though there is a commercial policy in place for times when providing ridesharing and the delivery of goods service, that does not replace the responsibility of the driver to having a personal auto policy in force.  By law, drivers still need to have a personal automobile policy in place when operating a vehicle and have a copy of the Liability Insurance Card (“pink slip”) available.  In Ontario, Pink Slips can be carried either physically or digitally via an ePinkSlip.  To learn more about ePinkSlips, click here: https://www.staebler.com/digital-pink-slips

Secondly, in Ontario, the collision and comprehensive coverage that applies in Periods 2 and 3 is contingent on carrying physical damage on the personal lines policy.  This means that the driver must also have that coverage on their own personal auto policy is order for the Uber coverage to apply.
Also, the Uber insurance policy provides only Standard Accident Benefits – meaning that there are no optional increases for things like Income Replacement, Medical, Rehabilitation & Attendant Care, or Death and Funeral, to name a few.  If drivers need coverage higher than the standard, then they‘ll want to make sure they have their own policy in place with those extra options.  To learn more about Accident Benefits coverage and the available coverage options, visit us at: https://www.staebler.com/accident-benefits
 
Want to know more about auto policy coverages?
To learn more about the different coverage parts of the auto policy, including: Liability, Accident Benefits, Collision and Comprehensive, and more – visit our website at:  https://www.staebler.com/your-car
For a deeper dive into Accident Benefits coverage specifically, visit us at: https://www.staebler.com/accident-benefits

Sources:
 - Canadian Underwriter  
 - Uber Insurance