Online cab aggregator major Uber on Wednesday announced that it will provide free accident insurance, which will cover riders hailing cars, autos and motorcycle up to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh. The insurance provides cover for physical injury as a result of an accident from the point the rider enters the vehicle until the end of the Uber trip.
Uber said it is a one-of-its-kind initiative, in partnership with Bharti AXA and TATA AIG, for physical injuries. “At Uber, the safety of all our riders is at the heart of our business and their wellbeing will always be our top priority,’’ said Pavan Vaish, Head of Central Operations (Rides) for India and South Asia.
To claim insurance, aggrieved customers have to report an accident to Uber. Users can go to the ‘past trips’ section on the app and provide feedback on the ride. To navigate further, riders need to go to the menu and select Help > Trip and Fare Review > I was involved in an accident. Uber’s 24x7 support team will then reach out to the rider and coordinate with the insurance partner to take them through the claim process.
Uber said that for deaths due to accident during the trip, the family of the victim(s) will be compensated with Rs 5 lakh. In case of permanent disability due to accident, the victims will get compensation of upto Rs 5 lakh while in the case of hospitalisation, users will get Rs 2 lakh, including OPD (Outpatient Department) benefits of up to Rs 50,000.
Uber’s rival Ola, in April, had introduced a paid Customer Trip Insurance, which covered missed flights due to driver cancellations/uncontrollable delays, medical expenses, baggage loss (for Outstation trips) and financial emergencies (for Outstation trips).
The insurance costs Rs 1 for daily rides, Rs 10 for Ola Rentals, and Rs 15 for Ola outstation.