Liberty Mutual Insurance to cover Uber drivers
Liberty Mutual Insurance will provide coverage for Uber drivers and passengers throughout New England, South Carolina and Puerto Rico as part of the company's 2020 auto insurance programs, which became effective on December 31, 2019.
The news follows the decision in late 2019 by Bermuda-based insurer James River to stop covering Uber, having discovered that it had underestimated the price of the coverage.
"We're pleased to have been selected by industry leader Uber to join its auto insurance programs," said Liberty Mutual Insurance sharing economy and new mobility senior vice president and chief underwriting officer David Blessing. "We drew on our competitive advantage of vast commercial and personal lines expertise, including our best-in-class claims and service organizations, to meet the specific risk management challenges facing the company's ride-hailing and delivery operations."
Under the program, Liberty Mutual provides specific coverages from the time Uber drivers open the app and are waiting for a trip or delivery request through to the completion of the trip or delivery. The program covers all of South Carolina, Puerto Rico and New England, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
"Our dedicated sharing economy and new mobility practice allows us to continue successfully insuring ride-hailing, vehicle-sharing, car subscription, delivery services, and autonomous vehicle companies," said Liberty Mutual insurance product technology solutions vice president Nicholas Grant. "The unit blends dedicated underwriting, claims and service with deep industry experience to develop custom risk solutions that both protect companies and attract customers."
Uber vice president of safety and insurance Gus Fuldner added: "At Uber, we want both drivers and riders to have peace of mind during trips, and Liberty Mutual helps fulfil that obligation."
