If you are a frequent road user, you know that accidents happen. From just knocking of side mirrors to major injuries and disabilities caused on passengers. Not quite a number of Ugandans are insured under any health policy and in occurrence of accidents it is family that takes on the burden.
Ride hailing and transport services like Uber, Taxify, SafeBoda who employ drivers have had a major impact on the number of road users due to the large number of drivers they employ, they too are at risk of accidents.
Uber realized a missing link for its clients and offered an insurance cover for its drivers and riders, and this insurance is under UAP Old Mutual. The worry of getting an injury while riding with an Uber is over.
This move by Uber is the first of its kind among all the ride hailing services in Uganda, and you are insured immediately the rider accepts and starts the trip.
Here are the Benefits from the Injury protection for Uber riders and drivers in Uganda
Medical cover: If an accident happens on-trip, this cover reimburses drivers and riders for necessary medical treatment costs up to UGX 1,875,000 (One million eight hundred seventy-five thousand Uganda Shillings). In addition, this cover reimburses ambulance service costs.
Death and funeral payments: In the unfortunate event that a driver-partner or rider dies as a result of an accident On-Trip, their dependents or heirs will benefit from a lump sum payment of UGX 7,500,000 (Seven million five hundred thousand Uganda shillings). They will also obtain an amount of UGX 750,000 (Seven hundred fifty thousand Uganda shillings) for funeral expenses.
Permanent disability payments: In the unfortunate event that a user suffers a permanent disability as a result of an accident on-trip, they will benefit from a lump sum payment up to UGX 7,500,000 (Seven million five hundred thousand Uganda shillings). The amount depends on the severity of the disability, as determined by UAP Old Mutual.
Daily payment benefit for drivers (injury): If a driver is hospitalized for more than 48 hours as a result of an accident that happened on-trip and are thereafter unable to drive because of those injuries, they will receive a daily payment of UGX 13,000 (Thirteen thousand Uganda Shillings) for up to 30 days whilst they are medically certified by a doctor as unfit to work.
Conclusion
Clearly Uber has shown that it cares about its clientele base (both the riders and drivers), and this shall attract quite a number to its services because on is assured of security.
Other ride-hailing services like Taxify and SafeBoda shall probably adapt to this insurance cover.