Toronto Personal Injury Lawyer Andrew Lee featured in Advocate Daily
April 30, 2018
Uber has become a disruptive innovation in the way people move, both globally and domestically. Between November 2015 and October 2016, an estimated 2.7 million people in Canada used the peer-to-peer ride service (Statistics Canada). With millions of rides per year in Canada, accidents while traveling in an Uber or a similar ride-sharing service are an unfortunate reality.
Uber’s Blanket Fleet Insurance Policy
In July 2016, Uber Canada announced that its drivers and riders in Ontario would automatically be covered by a blanket fleet insurance policy from the moment drivers make themselves available to accept a ride request to the moment passengers exit the vehicle.
Specifically,
- If involved in an accident during an Uber ride (after the Uber driver has accepted a request, but before the customer/passenger has exited the vehicle), a claim can be made under the blanket fleet policy for any damages up to the policy’s third party liability limit of $2 million.
- If the personal injuries are sustained in an accident after the Uber driver has made him or herself available on the Uber app, but before a ride request has been accepted, the third party liability limit is $1 million.
What this means for you
Whether you are an Uber driver, customer/rider, or a third party, you are covered up to the aforementioned policy limits. If the damages caused in the accident are above and beyond the limits of the blanket fleet policy, your personal injury lawyer may be able to pursue a claim against other potential defendants.
The blanket fleet policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it continues to meet the needs of consumers and rideshare participants.
