[Hidden-tech] Drive for Uber? Or ride with them?
Max Hartshorne
editorial at gonomad.com
Tue Aug 18 09:22:45 EDT 2015
I really don't think UBER hasn't thought this whole insurance thing out...it would be very surprising for a company valued at $53 billion to not know the work-around for car insurance for their drivers. I think your agent is just scaring you.
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Max Hartshorne
Editor
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-----Original Message-----
From: "Deborah Chandler" <debchandler411 at gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2015 11:48pm
To: "Ron Miller" <ronsmiller at gmail.com>
Cc: "Rich Roth - Webmaster" <webmaster at hidden-tech.net>, "Hidden-Tech Tech" <Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net>
Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] Drive for Uber? Or ride with them?
Hi all,
Well, I have not received a personal reply email from Uber about the situation, but I received this text tonight (likely sent to drivers throughout the entire region), in case anyone else would like to show up. I will definitely be there.
UBER: Meet an Uber representative tomorrow at the Residence Inn Marriott Springfield-Chicopee from 9–1PM! Come in and get your questions answered. See you then!
Best,
Deb
On Aug 17, 2015 7:13 PM, "Ron Miller" <[ ronsmiller at gmail.com ]( mailto:ronsmiller at gmail.com )> wrote:
I've used Uber frequently and I always talk to the drivers about why they're doing it, how they got into it and if they like it. To a person everyone has loved doing it. No complaints.
I've had nothing but positive experiences. In fact, I took one in LA once and the guy was so nice, the person I was riding with offered him a tip and he refused it.
The thing I love about it is that you order it, you pay through the app automatically and you get out when you get there. It's so simple.
I have had instances where it didn't work well, but that was due to excessive crowds and the drivers just couldn't get to me.
BTW, there are some drivers set up in western Mass, particularly in Springfield, but it's not widespread at this point by any means.
Ron
On Mon, Aug 17, 2015 at 3:59 PM, Deborah Chandler <[ debchandler411 at gmail.com ]( mailto:debchandler411 at gmail.com )> wrote:
Hi Hal and all,
I wanted to bring you all up to date on this insurance issue with Uber. From my research to date, and that of a few local insurance agents, it is looking like Uber has not done their homework in the state of Massachusetts. I just emailed them, included my findings from my local insurance agents, but as of the night I discovered the potentially huge issue, I have not driven for Uber.
If any of you drive for them, or know anyone who is, or who is driving for Lyft or Sidecar or any other rideshare companies (or as Uber calls themselves, a "transportation network provider") PLEASE realize that even if you keep driving for them, and play dumb about your insurance coverage, you could potentially be opening yourself up to "uber" liability. I am learning that not only can your insurance company cancel your policy, but once they find out you've driven for one of the rideshares, (and they *can* find the evidence from your phone app) then you could be slapped with insurance fraud.
Feel free to contact me offline if you would like to discuss this further. I will also share what Uber writes back to me. But as of this writing, I am putting Uber in the category of unethical companies who are willing to hang their independent contractors out to dry, and who are taking a calculated risk if an incident arises. And I simply do not have any interest in testing those waters. I will not continue to drive for Uber until such time I find out that an insurance agent will legally cover me. Meanwhile, as Hal stated, a commercial policy is just cost prohibitive for many of us wanting to do this type of work. And furthermore, the agent I just spoke to won't even write a commercial policy, because it is too risky, as Uber and the others navigate the turbulent marketplace.
Lastly, if you are a passenger with Uber, please make sure YOU are adequately covered if you are injured or killed. That also seems to be up in the air. I don't know any of the details of the Uber case in CA, but an Uber driver hit and killed a little 6 year old girl and it has gone to court. IT sounds like Uber is saying they are not liable.
Best,
Deb
On Thu, Aug 6, 2015 at 7:22 PM, Hal Rosenthal <[ hrosen50 at gmail.com ]( mailto:hrosen50 at gmail.com )> wrote:
I was in the process of becoming a driver and checked with Amica, my insurance company. They were extremely clear that my policy would not cover Uber driving. Had I not checked and had an issue, they wouldStoller have denied the claim. They suggested that I get a commercial policy. I've decided to cancel my application to drive.
Are you suggesting that Uber has insurance for its drivers? At the risk of being told what Amica told me but at least not getting surprised if you needed to use your insurance, I suggest you check with your carrier.
Hal
On Thursday, August 6, 2015, Deborah Chandler <[ debchandler411 at gmail.com ]( mailto:debchandler411 at gmail.com )> wrote:
Hi all,
To follow up, I have been driving for Uber for about a month now. They
officially rolled out the Springfield area back at the end of April.
All is going fine overall, albeit slow. But I am assured by my student
passengers that the amount of work will increase when students come
back to school over the next month. It seems the students all use Uber
and love it, and they have many reasons to use Uber over a taxi. Word
about Uber has apparently spread mostly word of mouth.
The reason I am writing to you great folks is that I am having a bit
of confusion and concern over my auto insurance coverage not being
adequate and I wonder if someone can help me understand it. In my
approval process to become a driver, I shared my insurance policy with
Uber. They shared theirs with me once I was approved. But now I am
hearing from other drivers that there is concern over us drivers not
being adequately covered.
So, if you are either driving for Uber and have already gained a solid
understanding about our insurance coverage, or you work in the auto
insurance industry, please be in touch with me right away. I can share
my documents (which I admit, I don't follow too easily, and my
insurance agent is still *researching*...)
REQUEST: please don't respond in criticism of Uber if your only
knowledge about Uber is through reading the mainstream media and all
the back-and-forth conflict between the taxi industry, the various
city and state regulators and Uber corporate. As usual, the media
stories are full of exaggerations and biases. They tend to confuse and
muddy the waters, and the politicians usually base their loyalties on
who contributed to their campaign coffers.
In my opinion, Uber is fair competition for the taxi industry and many
taxi drivers are just getting their knickers in a twist because they
had to pay a lot of money up front to do their job and now Uber
drivers are doing the same job better, without the upfront cost and
they are taking business from the taxi drivers. I would be pissy, too,
if I were them...
Thanks in advance for your solid input on this,
Deb
On Fri, Apr 10, 2015 at 11:33 PM, Rich Roth - Webmaster
<webmaster at hidden-tech.net> wrote:
> Emailing in from the land of the Uber (SF)
> We've used Uber/Lyft a few times just in the last week and I'd have to say
> it works well
> here because there are so many drivers, you wait maybe, well actually you
> don't wait
> you have to be ready when you call -- ok so you don't call, you request it
> on the ap
> which shows you exactly where the incoming car is and then handles all
> payment.
>
> No reason someone in the Valley can't drive for Uber, only I'd wonder
> how many call requests you'd get, esp given how far you'd need to go,
> AND what I really don't know is how Uber handles the driving cost outside of
> the actual trip.
>
> Net-net: might work in the more concentrated area like Springfield,
> or Holyoke on a busy weekend -- beyond that, many of these 'ap' based
> alternative
> approaches to transportation and the like work on spontaneous requests
> because of the concentration of the people needing such services.
>
> Ridebuzz has a better chance of working when people plan ahead
>
> Interesting in any case to explore alternatives for rural areas.
> Part of why airbnb or Uber work is because the infrastructure the company
> provides
> a level of safety individual connections do not, such as insurance and
> mutual ratings.
>
> Rich/webmaster
>
>
> On 4/3/2015 3:22 PM, Deborah Chandler wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Do you drive for Uber or do you use their ride services? I would like
>> to ask you about it. I don't see any Western Mass towns or cities
>> listed yet, but wonder how to find out who drives in our area. I see
>> Worcester is listed.
>>
>> My understanding is that we can offer and get rides in our area, even
>> if our city is not listed, as long as there are drivers signed up and
>> available.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Deb
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>
>
> --
> Rich Roth
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