Uber Eats Insurance

Compare Uber Eats Insurance with Quotezone.co.uk

With so many takeaway apps to choose from, working as a food delivery driver is a great way to boost your income on the side. But whether you work for Deliveroo, Uber Eats or Just Eats, it’s crucial to have insurance that covers your activities. Without adequate cover you could be held financially responsible if you have an accident – here’s what you should know.

Do I need insurance for Uber Eats?

If you’re delivering takeaway food then you’ll need some form of food delivery insurance. These policies reflect the unique hazards you’ll face when making food deliveries for profit, because:

• You’ll be covering more miles than the average driver
• You’ll typically be driving at night and in all weathers
• You’ll be working to a tight timetable making multiple drop offs
• You’ll be carrying cargo

As far as insurers are concerned, all these factors can increase the risk of an accident happening, which is something your Uber Eats insurance policy will take into account.

I already have car insurance, do I still need Uber Eats insurance?

In short, yes – you still need courier insurance to cover your Uber Eats work. This is because your your standard car insurance only covers driving for social, domestic and pleasure use, as well as commuting to a single place of work. Working for Uber Eats means your driving activities fall outside of this so you’ll need a policy that reflects what you’re doing.

Driving without appropriate insurance can invalidate any policy you do have so if you have an accident your insurer can refuse to pay out. This will leave you to pay for damages out of your own pocket as well as being left uninsured for your regular driving activities.

What our experts say:

“There could be thousands of delivery drivers working across the UK without realising their insurance is not valid.  With the cost-of-living soaring, millions of people are taking a hard look at their finances and seeking additional ways to earn a little extra cash” – Greg Wilson, Founder of Quotezone.co.uk.

What does insurance for Uber Eats include?

What’s included in your policy will depend on the terms and conditions set out by the insurer, but you’ll be able to choose from one of three levels of cover:

• Third party only – covers compensation and repairs if you cause injury or damage to someone else or their property in an accident. This is the minimum level of cover you can have by law but it’s important to remember that it won’t pay to repair your car.
• Third party, fire and theft – includes third party only cover and will also compensate you if your car is stolen or damaged by fire.
• Comprehensive cover – includes third party, fire and theft and will also pay to repair your car if you have an accident (even if the accident is your fault).

Other features that might be part of your policy or that you’ll often be able to add on include:

• Breakdown cover and courtesy car – provides roadside help and a replacement vehicle if yours is being repaired.
• Legal expenses – covers legal fees and court costs if you need to defend yourself.
• Personal effects cover – This covers any personal possessions that are stolen or damaged from your vehicle.
• Replacement locks – In case your vehicle keys are lost or stolen, this will cover the cost of installing replacement locks.

How much does Uber Eats insurance in the UK cost?

Price is affected by all sorts of factors some of which will depend on your own circumstances – for example:

• The car you drive – expensive or powerful cars attract higher premiums as they can be pricier to fix and are a greater target to thieves.
• The miles you cover – covering more miles increases the time you spend on the road which raises the risk of being involved in an accident.
• Your claims history and driving record – a recent claim can increase your premium, as do points on your licence.
• Your age – younger drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in a road accident which is reflected in higher premiums.

If delivering for Uber Eats is only something you do on the side, it’s tempting to go for the cheapest policy you can find but that can be a false economy in the long-term.

Any policy you have should cover the activities you do and provide you with enough protection considering all the potential risks. While that could cost a little more upfront, it could save you from significant financial hardship later on.

When it comes to comparing quotes, it’s vital that any policy you choose covers your needs. If it doesn’t, you could find yourself footing the bill for expensive repairs and covering the cost of damaged goods.

While price is undoubtedly an important part of choosing a policy, it shouldn’t necessarily be the overriding factor when you’re trying to compare hire and reward insurance. Cheaper policies may have more exclusions or limitations which could mean you need to add on the protection you need – increasing the cost.

On the other hand, more expensive policies might already include everything you need, in which case, they could represent better value for money.

What is certificate of motor insurance for uber eats?

A certificate of motor insurance is simply documented proof that you have the necessary insurance to be operating as an Uber driver. Uber eats will require you submit this as proof that you are able to operate as a driver for them.

*Idling your vehicle while making a drop off is a mistake many new delivery drivers make when they hit the road. This is damaging to the environment and health of those living in the area. It can also lead to fines should you be caught by law enforcement.

Must I have Uber Eats insurance by law?

Yes, you’ll need to have some form of hire and reward, courier insurance or food delivery insurance before you start making deliveries, because a regular insurance policy won’t cover you while you’re delivering goods for profit.  As previously mentioned this is due to the nature of the role and the inherent risks involved with making deliveries for payment.

Due to this, insurers will require that a driver takes out a specialised form of insurance to cover their food deliveries during the time they are working. Insurers will not accept any claims made for accidents that occur whilst you are making deliveries under your standard day to day insurance policy. This can void your insurance and leave you out of pocket in the event of an accident. It can also make finding future insurance difficult.

If you begin making deliveries on a ‘hire and reward’ basis and you only have a standard insurance policy that policy could be invalidated. Further, if you are pulled over by police making deliveries on the wrong insurance policy, you can face up to six penalty points on your license as well as up to £300 in fines.

In short you’ll need to be covered with the appropriate cover in order to be able to legally make deliveries for Uber Eats.

How can I get cheaper Uber Eats Insurance?

Like many other insurance types, there are some practical steps you can take to reduce your premiums and start saving. Some of these a fairly universal whilst others are more specific toward a food delivery policy.

• Drive safely – Having made previous claims or being convicted for driving offences are all indications of poor driving skills. This means avoiding these things is highly recommended for keeping your premiums down.
• Invest in security – Having up to date security systems for your vehicle such as dashcams, internal CCTV, working alarms can all increase the security of your vehicle. This can lower your premiums as the more secure your vehicle is the less of an insurance risk it will present to your insurer.
• Avoid modifications – Quotezone.co.uk has found that modifying your vehicle can push up your premiums considerably. Some modifications such as dash cams can in fact reduce your premiums but others, such as certain engine modifications, can dramatically increase your premiums. Illegal modifications can void your insurance policy. 
• Keep your vehicles in a secure location – This may seem obvious, but the more secure your vehicle is when not in use the cheaper your premiums will be. Having your vehicle parked in a garage or in a drive way can dramatically reduce instances of theft and break in.

The easiest way of finding cheaper insurance is to compare multiple quotes from different insurers. Some policies can differ by as much as 1000% between the cheapest and most expensive policies.  

Personal safety tips for Uber Eats drivers

Whilst you are out making deliveries you’ll find yourself exposed to certain risks. Some of these will be common place for many motorists however some will be unique. You must consider what you will be doing whilst making food deliveries, this includes making deliveries under pressure and to tight time frames, carrying other peoples food, as well as driving in all sorts of weather and traffic conditions. 

This means there are some risks that you may be exposed to whilst making deliveries which could lead to you making a claim.

• Theft – Driving for fast food delivery operators can expose you to risks such as theft and robbery. Unfortunately in some areas within the UK there is growing concern for the wellbeing of delivery drivers as they are viewed as easy targets for opportunistic theft and robbery. The best way of reducing the chances of this happening to you whilst making a delivery and so resulting in a claim is to take the following precautions.
  • • Keep your vehicle close by and locked while you dismount to deliver the food to customers
    • Keep your cargo bag secure and difficult to access quickly
    • Be aware of your surroundings
• Collision – This is particularly true for motorbike drivers as zooming between cars can be an effective way of meeting your deliveries on time. However this also comes with its risks, as such manoeuvres can increase the chances of being involved in an collision. It can be tempting to to sometimes take risks on the road to beat the traffic and meet your order deliveries on time. However this puts you at a much greater chance of being involved in a traffic accident. It isn’t worth risking a claim just because you are under pressure to make a delivery, a claim is the surest way of pushing up your premiums. 
• Weather conditions – As a food delivery driver you’ll be driving in all weather conditions and during busy traffic periods. This means you’ll need to take extra care to ensure that you are adhering to the road rules and driving to the conditions. Remember, nothing will push up your premiums quite like making a claim. 

What do I need to do to get Uber Eats insurance?

As with other forms of insurance, you will first need to enter some basic details about yourself, your delivery vehicle and the type of cover you wish to take out. This can be done in a few moments and will give you a wide variety of policies, removing the need to manually search between individual provider sites for your Uber Eats cover.

You should also ensure that all the relevant information given on your policy is up to date and correct. Failing to provide this could lead to your insurance being made invalid when you need to make a claim, leaving you out of pocket. Always check the documentation of a policy before buying to ensure you are getting the correct level of coverage for your needs. 

Compare Uber Eats car insurance

At Quotezone.co.uk, we make it easy to search for Uber Eats delivery insurance. Simply answer a few short questions about you and your car and then we’ll match you up with suitable courier insurance providers. At Quotezone.co.uk, we are insurance comparison experts. We help motorists find cheaper insurance by connecting them to quotes from a large panel of UK based specialist providers. This increases your chances of finding the cheapest Uber Eats insurance policies, as you will have a greater selection of fleet insurance quotes to compare simply by filling in one quick form. By filling in a quick form with your fleet details we can offer you quotes from top UK based insurance providers so you can start comparing in moments.