Does DoorDash Require Insurance For Drivers?

DoorDash is a company that prides itself on assigning orders quickly and with fast delivery times.

While dashers must follow the speed limit and all road laws, accidents are bound to happen no matter what.

If a DoorDash driver ends up being on the job during an accident, questions arise about who is liable.

Meaning, who pays for any damages caused to both involved vehicles, harm to the dasher, or injury to the occupant of the other vehicle?

Is the dasher’s insurance held liable, or does DoorDash provides insurance for their employees?

Does DoorDash require insurance for its drivers?

How do they help their employees in the case of an accident?

Does DoorDash Require Insurance?

It’s required to be a DoorDash driver to have personal auto insurance.

Not only is it wise on the driver’s end in case of an accident when they aren’t on the clock, but DoorDash wants their employees protected at all times.

They must follow the rules of the Independent Contractor Agreement that clearly states dashers need some form of insurance.

In certain situations, DoorDash can aid the driver’s insurance company, but only if they have one in the first place.

Why Does DoorDash Require Drivers to Have Insurance?

One of the biggest reasons why it is necessary DoorDash drivers to have auto insurance is because if dashers aren’t on the clock, they are on their own.

Essentially, if a dasher is not in the process of completing an order according to their employee portal on the app at the time of the accident, then they are not in active delivery.

If they are not in active delivery, DoorDash is not responsible.

If the driver is in the middle of fulfilling an order request, then DoorDash will offer additional auto liability insurance to the driver.

Since the vehicle is under the driver’s name, they need a primary insurance company.

Does DoorDash Provide Insurance Coverage?

If the accident occurs while the driver is in active delivery, DoorDash will provide coverage if your accident meets additional criteria.

This includes that the dashers are liable for the accident, meaning they are at fault, and the driver’s insurance denies their claim.

DoorDash helps with damages and injuries caused to the other party.

If your vehicle is the one that receives the most severe damage, it won’t matter.

Your insurance is responsible for damage caused to your car.  

DoorDash covers up to a million in damages and bodily injury to the third party.

However, as of 2019, all DoorDash drivers were deemed eligible for occupational accident insurance.

This policy means you may receive a payment if you are harmed during an accident while in active delivery.  

Do You Need to Tell Your Insurance You Drive for DoorDash?

Yes, you should tell your insurance company you work for an independent contractor.

It’s crucial as a dasher to know what your insurance can do for you in case of an accident, especially since DoorDash provides coverage for certain situations.

It’s better to be prepared and safe than risk the possibility of out-of-pocket payments.

What Auto Insurance Do You Need for DoorDash?

There is no specific auto insurance company you must have to drive for DoorDash.

It’s only required you meet the minimum requirements per the insurance laws in your area.

What Does DoorDash Car Insurance Cover?

DoorDash insurance covers damages if you are the party at fault and if you are actively delivering food.

They cover damages to the third-party vehicle and person and potential coverage for bodily injury caused to the dasher.

Damage You Cause

DoorDash provides third-party liability insurance if the dasher is the responsible party and was actively delivering an order to a customer.

They can cover up to a million in damages and injury to the third party but won’t cover any damages applied to your vehicle.

If the DoorDash driver incurs harm in the accident, you could be eligible for insurance via the Occupational Accident Policy.

Accidents When There’s Food in Your Car

Accidents with food in the car should mean you were in the middle of a delivery.

This means DoorDash will supply coverage if you were the one who caused an accident.

They won’t cover your vehicle either way, but your person may receive insurance if you’re injured.

What Does DoorDash Occupational Insurance Not Cover?

DoorDash’s occupational insurance reimburses the employee for any harm done to their person.

It does not cover any damages suffered by your vehicle, only bodily injury suffered by you.

It does not cover health insurance.

1. Survivors Benefit

If you’re a survivor of an accident while completing a DoorDash order, there are several ways DoorDash’s occupational accident insurance helps.

For straight medical expenses, such as a hospital bill, they can provide up to a million dollars of coverage if you are eligible.

If you suffer a disability from the accident, DoorDash can provide you payments of half your weekly wage.

This doesn’t exceed five hundred dollars a week.

2. Accidental Dismemberment

Accidental Dismemberment is a form of disability, and DoorDash will offer weekly payments of up to five hundred dollars in coverage.

3. Paralysis Benefits

Paralysis also falls under the category of disability, leaving the driver eligible for weekly payments.

4. Older Drivers

There are no specific or separate insurance policies for older drivers delivering for DoorDash.

Your insurance coverage for accidental dismemberment, paralysis benefits, and survivors benefits may be reduced.

5. Anything While Not Actively Delivering

If you’re not actively driving, DoorDash will not be liable and, therefore, won’t provide any insurance coverage for any aspect of the accident.

What is Active Delivery?

Active Delivery refers to when a DoorDash driver is in the process of fulfilling an order.

If the driver has accepted delivery and is clocked in, they are in active delivery.

Best Insurance Companies for DoorDash

While DoorDash’s liability coverage and occupational accident insurance are optional as long as you have some form of insurance, your insurance company may provide more, less, or no coverage while you work for DoorDash.

These are the insurance companies that provide delivery insurance and coverage for auto damages, and here’s what you’ll have to pay additionally per month for it.

• Geico: Geico insurance starts at around twelve dollars a month but can go up depending on your situation.
• Progressive: Progressive auto insurance for delivery can reach up to one hundred dollars a month, the highest additional payment.
• USAA: USAA offers the best deal at a starting rate of six dollars a month.
• Allstate: Allstate can range between fifteen to twenty dollars each month for delivery insurance.

If you have any questions about which insurance is best for you, contact the company to speak with an insurance agent.

An insurance agent can provide the specifics of their rideshare insurance plan so you know exactly what benefits you’re paying for and what is excluded.

Since multiple insurance companies provide rideshare insurance, you can pick which is best for your budget.

How Much Does Delivery Driver Insurance Cost?

The cost for delivery insurance depends on the insurance company you have.

The previously mentioned insurance companies are some of the best offers available to delivery drivers, but it’s typically a per-month payment.

Pros and Cons of Getting Extra Insurance to Drive for DoorDash

There are positives and negatives to spending additional money each month to insure your car for a potential delivery accident with DoorDash.

It’s ultimately up to you whether one outweighs the other.

Pros of Getting Additional Insurance

The biggest positive outcome of additional insurance is the safety net it provides you in the case of an accident.

DoorDash offers insurance to help pay for damages to the third party or harm that comes your way in an accident.

Additional insurance will cover your car, the last thing that needs coverage.

The biggest advantage is that you’re covered if something happens.

Cons of Getting Additional Insurance

What makes additional insurance questionable is that some insurance companies have you paying an amount that doesn’t seem fair compared to the actual amount of time delivery drivers spend driving on the clock.

Since insurance coverage will only apply during active delivery, paying extra money each month may not be worth it to some drivers who only work for DoorDash part-time.

Conclusion: Should You Get Insurance as a driver?

You probably should.

However, this is a decision for you to make.

Insurance as a delivery driver is worth it in the end, especially if you find yourself in an accent during active delivery.

Having insurance as a delivery driver keeps you safe in case of an accident instead of sorry after an accident.

DoorDash offers many opportunities and benefits to its employees, and insurance is a big one that has a huge effect on the dasher.

With your insurance, DoorDash’s liability coverage, DoorDash’s occupational accident coverage, and additional delivery insurance from your insurance company, you’re fully covered and protected in case of an accident with actively delivering for DoorDash.