Snow removal via the Uber model

[wawajake]

Considering reports are now showing that Uber drivers are not reporting to their car insurance companies that they are using their vehicles for commercial use, because their car insurance would go from $1000 CDN to $14,000 CDN per year...........the customers of Uber driver are not insured for in event of accident, (Uber has their own policy to protect them from being sued and put onus on the drivers (meanwhile the drivers don't have valid insurance) So having that insurance debacle happening to unaware customers, would be exacerbated even more by uber snowplowers that are not insured for damage and will be long gone when you try to chase down.

 

[aczlan]

Considering reports are now showing that Uber drivers are not reporting to their car insurance companies that they are using their vehicles for commercial use, because their car insurance would go from $1000 CDN to $14,000 CDN per year...........the customers of Uber driver are not insured for in event of accident, (Uber has their own policy to protect them from being sued and put onus on the drivers (meanwhile the drivers don't have valid insurance) So having that insurance debacle happening to unaware customers, would be exacerbated even more by uber snowplowers that are not insured for damage and will be long gone when you try to chase down.

Not sure how it is in Canada, but in the US Uber provides insurance starting when you accept the ride and ending when you drop them off:

https://newsroom.uber.com/insurance-for-uberx-with-ridesharing/

Aaron Z

 

[roadhunter]

Considering reports are now showing that Uber drivers are not reporting to their car insurance companies that they are using their vehicles for commercial use, because their car insurance would go from $1000 CDN to $14,000 CDN per year...........the customers of Uber driver are not insured for in event of accident, (Uber has their own policy to protect them from being sued and put onus on the drivers (meanwhile the drivers don't have valid insurance) So having that insurance debacle happening to unaware customers, would be exacerbated even more by uber snowplowers that are not insured for damage and will be long gone when you try to chase down.

I agree completely. There are people I know of around here who do not possess the right commercial insurance for what they do and it torques me off. I have a hard time believing that a uber drivers non commercial type auto policy insurance is going to cover the costs once they find out it was being used commercially. Riding around in some clowns car and the next thing you know you are in an accident and in the hospital hoping the the "uber insurance" will pay up. Sounds like a situation to avoid IMO.

 

[MortalWombat]

Didn't somebody already try this back in the 90s?

 

[CurlyDave]

UBER, the company, has a commercial insurance policy that covers passengers in an UBER car.

I do not really understand your concern. This is a very reasonable way to handle the issue. Commercial insurance is very expensive and it would drive the cost of the rides up significantly if each individual driver had to purchase a commercial policy. On the other hand, the company has significant bargaining power with insurance companies, and can provide the insurance at an effective rate.

I usually avoid both taxis and UBER, but if I had to take one or the other it would be UBER every time. Drivers with good manners who are on time, speak english, and want my business beat surly cabbies who I can't understand, never arrive on time and treat me like an inconvenience instead of a paying customer. .

 

[skyhook]

It appears that Uber is backed by a $5,000,000 policy in Canada. Read all about it here.

400 Bad Request

 

[PILOON]

One of the features of UBER is "surge pricing". People who are willing to pay more for faster service can get it, price sensitive customers can select a budget-friendly schedule.

This last New Years Eve 'surge pricing' here in Montreal has led to headline coverage and possible class action suits.
Folks with a 'few under their belt' overlooked 'surges' and complained bitterly.
(They probably could barely even focus on their phone screen)
Mind you $800. cab rides would sure hurt.
As a result Uber did issue some refunds.
I think the biggest Uber issue, yet to come, is probably insurance as there is a major difference in premiums between 'pleasure' and 'commercial' coverage as risk exposure sure changes.

Probably with Uber snow the risks would not be much different, insurance wise.

 

[PILOON]

It appears that Uber is backed by a $5,000,000 policy in Canada. Read all about it here.

400 Bad Request

In Quebec under our 'No Fault' insurance system that could prove interesting.
Wonder what the SAAC thinks about it. (Uber, that is)

 

[wawajake]

this Uber supposed insurance was researched by major media (Macleans magazine in Canada) and the insurance that Uber has only covers their AZZ , and they pretend that they are covering the occupants , by referring to them having insurance , except they don't explain the details of who it actually covers......and they turn a blind eye to their drivers not telling their insurance companies that they are using their vehicle for commercial use . So don't believe what uber is telling you , it is sort of like the Fox being asked if he will take care of the henhouse.

 

[CurlyDave]

This last New Years Eve 'surge pricing' here in Montreal has led to headline coverage and possible class action suits.
Folks with a 'few under their belt' overlooked 'surges' and complained bitterly.
(They probably could barely even focus on their phone screen)
Mind you $800. cab rides would sure hurt.
As a result Uber did issue some refunds.
I think the biggest Uber issue, yet to come, is probably insurance as there is a major difference in premiums between 'pleasure' and 'commercial' coverage as risk exposure sure changes.

Probably with Uber snow the risks would not be much different, insurance wise.

For all those who think that $800 is a completely unreasonable 'surge price" for a ride home on New Years Eve, let me pose a very simple question:

What is the cost of a driving under the influence conviction? Clearly if the customer was too drunk to notice the price, he/she was under the influence.

$800 may be a bitter pill to swallow, but an acquaintance who was caught drunk driving in January of 2015, had fine and court costs of over $3000. Plus he lost his job due to not being able to drive. He has been unemployed for a year, and now must have a "blow-and-go" device" installed in his car. $360 plus $60 per month for I think five more years. And, on top of that his wife's insurance went up by $100 per month. This was in Southern Oregon. It is a lot higher in many places.

Now tell me again how an $800 ride home at closing time, when half the city wants the same thing, all at the same time, is a complete rip-off. (The guy I know wishes fervently that he could have paid someone $800 to avoid his problems.) And, if they had been willing to wait outside on the sidewalk for an hour, that surge price would have gone right back to a normal price. But it was cold and they really didn't want that.

If I was UBER, I would have stuck to my pricing.

* * * * *

Now as far as insurance goes, UBER has been around long enough that if there was an enormous issue with insurance we would be seeing a huge number of lawsuits, not just a little trickle. Maybe the real problem is that commercial insurance is grossly overpriced.