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Heaven help us if they are regulated the way they are where I live! Regulation has been used as a cudgel to keep the taxi system in the stone ages. And protection? I was recently in an accident with a taxi. Turns out the company "self-insures" which means fundamentally no insurance. It's not a no-fault state, but my insurance has had to cover because the taxi company is not to be found.
You may know your way around, but not everyone does. They're the ones who get skinned.
So, you think they're safer riding with an individual who doesn't have commercial auto insurance?
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Heaven help us if they are regulated the way they are where I live! Regulation has been used as a cudgel to keep the taxi system in the stone ages. And protection? I was recently in an accident with a taxi. Turns out the company "self-insures" which means fundamentally no insurance. It's not a no-fault state, but my insurance has had to cover because the taxi company is not to be found.
You may know your way around, but not everyone does. They're the ones who get skinned.
I agree the taxi industry is full of cronyism and currupt, hiding behind bought regulation to keep them viable. Uber and the like are a great business model, but there needs to be some middle ground.
I'm not in favor of having to pay for expensive "operators license" (eg: "Tax") just to drive people around, but the insurance thing is a big deal. It's all good and well until someone gets seriously injured in an Uber ride. Uber will refuse to pay because they can, the driver's insurance will (justifiably) refuse to pay because they weren't insuring the activity, and the driver can't afford to pay. The driver and rider will both go bankrupt while Uber collects their 20+% and goes on their merry way.
Like I said, the model is good, but it raises questions that have not been addressed before, and need to be addressed. It also challenges an older industry that needs to be shaken up. And a company that has some hint of humanity in them can come and mop the floors with Uber's shady practices.
I agree the taxi industry is full of cronyism and currupt, hiding behind bought regulation to keep them viable. Uber and the like are a great business model, but there needs to be some middle ground.
I'm not in favor of having to pay for expensive "operators license" (eg: "Tax") just to drive people around, but the insurance thing is a big deal. It's all good and well until someone gets seriously injured in an Uber ride. Uber will refuse to pay because they can, the driver's insurance will (justifiably) refuse to pay because they weren't insuring the activity, and the driver can't afford to pay. The driver and rider will both go bankrupt while Uber collects their 20+% and goes on their merry way.
Like I said, the model is good, but it raises questions that have not been addressed before, and need to be addressed. It also challenges an older industry that needs to be shaken up. And a company that has some hint of humanity in them can come and mop the floors with Uber's shady practices.
Why wouldn't their health insurance pay in this situation?
Why wouldn't their health insurance pay in this situation?
Same reason that someone pours scalding hot coffee on their own genitalia and expects the Hamburgler to pay for it.... (No offense, but while I agree with your sentiment, it's just not reality in America in 2014).
Same reason that someone pours scalding hot coffee on their own genitalia and expects the Hamburgler to pay for it.... (No offense, but while I agree with your sentiment, it's just not reality in America in 2014).
Why wouldn't their health insurance pay in this situation?
Sooo... you're suggesting that one's health insurance should cover a huge bill if one is severely injured in a car crash just because they think Uber is cool because.... "there's an app."
I'm still waiting for an Uber driver to rape someone. I'm sure most of them are nice enough people, but come on... there's not really that extensive a background check on people who don't really work FOR the company.
These are contractors.
Uber are, in my opinion, gaming the system and they'll vanish when they cannot get more VC poured into their wallets.
Or when they have to start passing the same standards as other driver services.
__________________
When in doubt, check it out: FAQ
I'm still waiting for an Uber driver to rape someone. I'm sure most of them are nice enough people, but come on... there's not really that extensive a background check on people who don't really work FOR the company.
Sooo... you're suggesting that one's health insurance should cover a huge bill if one is severely injured in a car crash just because they think Uber is cool because.... "there's an app."
I'm still waiting for an Uber driver to rape someone. I'm sure most of them are nice enough people, but come on... there's not really that extensive a background check on people who don't really work FOR the company.
These are contractors.
Uber are, in my opinion, gaming the system and they'll vanish when they cannot get more VC poured into their wallets.
Or when they have to start passing the same standards as other driver services.
The only thing I'm suggesting is that, as far as I know, health insurance pays for injuries that are covered under your policy. I could be wrong about this. I'm not an attorney nor am I in the insurance business. I think the insurance company could require that you sue the company if they thought negligence played a part. At least I have heard of something like that happening to a family friend. (Really horrible situation...daughter drowned in grandmas pool and the insurance company would only cover the bills if the parents sued grandma.)
Are you sure they don't do a background check?
I'm not defending them. I know very little about the company except what I've read here. And it does sound like there are a lot of loopholes that need to be closed. I just didn't think it was reasonable to assume that a health insurance company won't cover the hospital expenses if the patient was in an Uber car when the accident happened.
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