Popular ride-sharing service Uber is active in many Canadian cities, including Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary, Quebec City, and Edmonton, but is considered illegal in large cities like Vancouver. However, one of the major concerns for its passengers from regulators across Canada is about to come to an end.
Insurance broker Aviva Canada announced today ride-sharing coverage specifically created for ride sharing services like Uber that will “protect both passengers and drivers.” The insurance add-on will be available next month to drivers in Ontario who spend up to 20 hours a week offering rides to customers using apps like UberX. The insurance will protect both driver and passenger from the moment a passenger enters the vehicle to the time he or she exits.
As for the cost, Aviva states it will be a “small portion of the income earned by the driver,” which is calculated by the time spent ride sharing, as well as location and driving record.
Aviva notes it will work with regulators across the country to bring the insurance option to other provinces “in the coming months.”
Greg Somerville, President and CEO of Aviva Canada, stated, “With ride-sharing on the rise, consumers have new options available to them, however, there is a gap in insurance coverage which potentially leaves them without appropriate protection and benefits. When consumer needs change, we must evolve our insurance solutions to respond. We’re excited to offer a simple and affordable solution within a driver’s existing personal auto policy, thereby providing drivers and passengers with absolute peace of mind that they have insurance coverage while ride-sharing.”
[source] Aviva [/source]
