Uber drivers and couriers in France will automatically receive accident insurance beginning this fall, as Uber and French insurance company Axa said yesterday.
But the reason for this is not out of any altruism. Instead, it’s a legal requirement of Uber to comply with France’s latest labor law.
Back in May, the French government passed a law [link in French] that tech platforms and marketplaces will have to cover independent workers who make more than $6,000 per year on that platform. President Emmanuel Macron also promised during his presidential campaign that independent workers would be able to apply to unemployment benefits just like full-time employees.
The insurance product from Uber and Axa will cover medical expenses, disability protection and survivor benefits; however, it was not said whether Axa will only cover medical expenses if a driver cannot drive anymore, or more than that. It is also notable that Uber refers to it as “accident insurance” and not “medical insurance.”
And while the insurance coverage is free to drivers, it was not specified how such a service will be funded — like whether it would be a cost passed onto the consumer or could be packaged as some kind of fee to drivers.
Meanwhile, Uber plans to launch personal injury and illness insurance in the U.K. — for a price — and drivers in New York are also covered by Uber’s insurance policy, but only when driving for Uber.
