Grab/Ryde issues and charges

[Maxus-MIFA9]

     

took my 2nd uber ride today (last one was on Sunday). Experience still ok, except both drivers depend SOLELY on Google to guide them. The first one took a route which I would not have taken. Hopefully these drivers will improve as they clock more mileage

 

OK..... you often go to Geylang, which can go by either Sim's Avenue or Guillemard Road. So which way the driver took ? 

 

 

               

[Darryn]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/private-car-owners-who/2189542.html

 

SINGAPORE: The General Insurance Association of Singapore (GIA) has advised private owners who are using their cars to ferry passengers in return for a fare to get expanded motor insurance coverage.

 

In a press statement on Tuesday (Oct 13), GIA said it wants to inform these motorists that their private insurance policies have a "limitation to use" condition, which restricts usage to "social, domestic and pleasure purposes".

This means that if the vehicle is used for "hire or reward" purposes, the insurer is entitled to void the policy on account of breach of warranty, and the policyholder can be denied indemnity under the policy.

Examples of such "hire and reward" usage would be motorists who use their private cars to provide transport services for a fee via ride-sharing apps like Uber and GrabCar.

For example, in the event of an accident, the insurer will not be liable to pay for the damage to the vehicle insured, damage to third-party property, or bodily injury resulting from the accident.

GIA also added that while "an insurer may deny indemnity to the policyholder on property damage claim, the Motor Vehicle (Third Party Risks and Compensation) Act Cap 189 disallows an insurer from denying compensation to claimants for third party bodily injury".

However, the same Act also has a provision in Section 8 (3) that allows the insurer to recover any sum paid by them in or towards the discharge of liability covered by the policy - under a condition in all motor insurance policies titled "Avoidance of Certain Terms and Rights of Recovery".

"As most cases of injury claims tend to be of substantial amounts, a policyholder will suffer heavy financial loss if not covered by an expanded motor insurance policy," said GIA.

The association said that for policyholders whose policy has a "limitation to use" warranty and who wishes to ferry passengers for "hire and reward", there are GIA member insurers that are "prepared to expand this limitation" to allow the vehicle to be insured for this purpose.

GIA also advised motorists to check with their insurers if their private car policies with standard restriction for use can be widened to cover business apart from social, domestic and pleasure usage.  

- CNA/wl

All the while I thought Uber and Grabcar insurance is different from private cars?? Some of the drivers told me the insurance is at least 3 times more than the usual?? So why GIA come out with such statement? 

Yes, apparently it is a requirement of being allowed to drive for Uber / Grabcar that you show some proof of the relevant applicable insurance coverage. 

 

What this seems to be, in my mind at least, is a pre-emptive statement in general that private cars cannot be used as taxis. 

While Uber / Grabcar MAY require coverage, the statement didn't specifically address these ones - it cited them as examples.  There is always the potential that other apps may not be so strict, that drivers may have some private arrangement not through Uber / Grabcar* or that people might somehow circumvent the controls put in place to use a car other than the one approved by Uber / Grabcar. 

 

In summary - it's simply a pre-emptive warning that drivers need to have the appropriate insurance or face a big bill in the case of an accident. 

 

* The other day while queueing at Ikea, I was approached by someone asking if I needed transport home - I didn't need so I didn't ask further, but it would seem that it was someone trying to offer some sort of bootleg taxi service. 

[Othello]

Bro, most of the time I also depend on the GPS by Uber. There are simply too many streets and avenues in areas like Tampines, Pasir Ris, Woodlands, Bukit Panjang, Jurong East and West, Bukit Batok, Clementi, etc.

 

There's no way a driver can know all the routes.

......

 

Hope you understand.

 

yah, not complaining lah. just comparing with taxi drivers. I'm sure with more hours on the road, Uber drivers will also slowly learn to travel the faster/shorter way in time. 

I thought you can ask the uber driver to take the route you want? Same like taxi driver.

 

uber virgin mah  roger that !! 

if out of GPS route and he got lost how?

 

my driver today didn't get lost. I saw him opposite, then dunno why he go make big detour before reaching my location. That's what I meant by over relying on GPS 

OK..... you often go to Geylang, which can go by either Sim's Avenue or Guillemard Road. So which way the driver took ? 

 

 

 

   

 

alamak, pichar lobang 

[Maxus-MIFA9]

if out of GPS route and he got lost how?

 

Po mata ....

[13177]

if out of GPS route and he got lost how?

Passenger can direct the driver ma, how to get lost? Unless both also don't know the way!

[Fcw75]

yah, not complaining lah. just comparing with taxi drivers. I'm sure with more hours on the road, Uber drivers will also slowly learn to travel the faster/shorter way in time. 

 

uber virgin mah  roger that !! 

 

my driver today didn't get lost. I saw him opposite, then dunno why he go make big detour before reaching my location. That's what I meant by over relying on GPS 

 

   

 

alamak, pichar lobang 

 

Haha, not saying you complaining. Just trying to explain to you.

 

Cheers bro!

 

[Kb27]

So COE may be going up, as more people buy cars to be used as uber drivers.

 

On the other hand, taxi numbers may be going down,

[Fcw75]

So COE may be going up, as more people buy cars to be used as uber drivers.

 

On the other hand, taxi numbers may be going down,

 

Uber themselves are buying a lot of new Toyota Altis. COE how to drop?

 

I myself also renting one from them.

[Kb27]

Uber themselves are buying a lot of new Toyota Altis. COE how to drop?

 

I myself also renting one from them.

 

I see, I didn't know that uber is buying cars to rent out.

 

So this affects COE numbers as in Cat A, bcuz I think taxi COE does not fall in any category ?

That means the COE numbers will be screwed up again, bcuz part of COE Cat A becomes like "taxi"

Edited October 14, 2015 by Kb27

[Maxus-MIFA9]

Uber themselves are buying a lot of new Toyota Altis. COE how to drop?

 

I myself also renting one from them.

 

Got Honda Odyssey ....

 

I don't mind giving up my Picnic and drive their Odyssey. Earn money plus social use...

[Othello]

I see, I didn't know that uber is buying cars to rent out.

 

 

that's why left 2 yrs jap/korean sedan can fetch 12k depn mah 

[Airwaver]

Uber themselves are buying a lot of new Toyota Altis. COE how to drop?

 

I myself also renting one from them.

 

New Altis? So how much $ are you paying for the rent?

 

[Ingenius]

I seriously doubt that Uber is buying new cars to rent out.  Imagine how much the rental will be, how can the hirer earn after paying the rental ? So far I have heard of people who rent used car to drive for Uber, never heard anyone rent their new cars.  Maybe I am wrong.

[Kurty]

Is it worthwhile to get a vehicle like 1.6 and convert it for uber purpose?

 

Least the cost of operating is lower.

 

Of course, it also pose as a liability but eventually you still 'own' the car, should you don't want to do uber.

[Ingenius]

Don't forget the commercial insurance one had to pay to use his private car.

[Fcw75]

I seriously doubt that Uber is buying new cars to rent out. Imagine how much the rental will be, how can the hirer earn after paying the rental ? So far I have heard of people who rent used car to drive for Uber, never heard anyone rent their new cars. Maybe I am wrong.

I am driving one now.

[Ingenius]

I am driving one now.

OK, this confirms what your said about uber buying new car. Thanks.

[Darryn]

I am driving one now.

Do you mind sharing your daily rental?