Car Insurance for DoorDash Drivers
Dashers have basic liability coverage through the company, but there are big gaps in coverage. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself.
Written by Bonnie Stinson
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Table of Contents
- Does DoorDash provide any car insurance coverage for drivers?
- What does DoorDash insurance include?
- What kind of car insurance coverage should DoorDash drivers have?
- What happens if you get in a car accident while working for DoorDash?
- Popular insurance providers for DoorDash drivers
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DoorDash drivers get
car insurance
as part of their contract with the company, but it only covers basic liability. In other words, only other people are protected. You and your vehicle have no coverage through DoorDash’s standard policy. There are unique conditions that come with DoorDash’s standard coverage, and you really don’t want to end up in a situation where you don’t have coverage in an accident. Your personal auto policy may even be canceled if your provider wasn’t aware that you were working as a Dasher.
We’ve read the fine print and we’re here to help! Here’s everything you need to know about car insurance for DoorDash drivers.
MORE: Does my car insurance cover me if I drive for Uber or Lyft?
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversDoes DoorDash provide any car insurance coverage for drivers?
Yes, DoorDash does provide some car insurance coverage for its delivery drivers, unlike many other food delivery companies. There is no extra insurance cost to the DoorDash delivery driver for this coverage.
The coverage offered by DoorDash is
basic liability insurance
up to $1 million. This policy covers repairs for another person or their vehicle if you get into an accident. Bodily injury and property damage you cause to other people are included in this policy. It protects the auto insurance company from lawsuits if you cause damage, too. On the one hand, DoorDash’s liability limit is much higher than that of most personal insurance policies. However, specific conditions must be met in order for a driver to benefit from the company’s car insurance coverage.
What does DoorDash insurance include?
DoorDash insurance provides basic liability coverage for all its drivers. This coverage is considered “excess only,” which means that it can only be used after the driver’s personal auto policy has been exhausted.
To access DoorDash’s car insurance coverage, here are the requirements:
- Driver must be at least 18 years old
- Driver’s vehicle must be in working condition
- Driver must be currently making an active delivery with food in the car
In other words, there are several situations in which you cannot use DoorDash’s coverage even while driving for DoorDash:
- You don’t have your own car insurance
- You are on the way to pick up an order
- You are leaving a delivery with no food in the car
Those are some pretty serious gaps in coverage! Dashers cannot rely solely on DoorDash’s car insurance coverage to protect their assets while at work.
In addition to liability coverage for car insurance, DoorDash offers
occupational accident insurance
to its drivers as of 2019. If you are injured while in active delivery, you could be eligible to claim medical expenses, disability payments, and more. MORE: What car insurance do I need?
What kind of car insurance coverage should DoorDash drivers have?
Every driver should have personal car insurance that adheres to their state minimum requirements. If your state only requires basic liability coverage, you may not have driver insurance with policy limits that will cover you and your vehicle.
Some companies allow you to make a note that the car is occasionally used for delivery work. However, this can increase your premium, and you may still be denied coverage in the event of an incident.
Here are a few additional coverages that Dashers, Uber Eats drivers, Postmates drivers, and GrubHub drivers should consider to protect themselves, their vehicles, and their assets.
Rideshare coverage
: This add-on can ensure that you have protection because you’ve disclosed to the company that you work for a delivery or rideshare company. Otherwise, some car insurance companies will refuse to cover you for an accident that occurs while you were conducting business in your personal vehicle.Business-use coverage: At a cost of only a few dollars per month, you can add this coverage to your personal auto policy. It gives you protection while the vehicle is being used for business purposes.
Commercial auto insurance: If you only use your vehicle for DoorDash deliveries (and never for personal use), then this special insurance could be the right choice for you.
Never hide the fact that you use your vehicle for business purposes. If you get into an accident while on delivery, the insurance company will find out anyway—and then they’ll deny you coverage. You could even get your policy canceled.
What happens if you get in a car accident while working for DoorDash?
If you get into an accident while Dashing, the first thing you need to do is file a car insurance claim via your own insurance company.
Ask for the insurance and identification information of the other parties. Get their driver’s license number, insurance policy number, and license plate. Take photographs and collect evidence of the accident. Ask for bystander contact information for a witness account.
Whatever you do,
stay at the scene of the accident
—whether you caused it or not. There are very serious consequences for hit-and-runs. Please don’t try to leave and make your food delivery!Once you have all the information listed above, you can file a claim with your insurance provider. Then, you can contact DoorDash to inform them of the accident. Their team will explain what happens next.
MORE: How to file a car accident claim report
Popular insurance providers for DoorDash drivers
The best car insurance policy for you will depend on your driving record, driver profile, and location. While all drivers should have their own personal auto insurance policy, only a few companies offer the add-on coverage that a Dasher needs.
Start by asking your existing insurance provider if they offer any coverage for rideshare drivers, business-use, or delivery drivers. Some insurance agents will offer you an add-on, whereas others will require you to purchase a commercial policy.
Here are some of the most popular insurance policies for a DoorDash driver:
- Progressive: offers add-on coverage for rideshare drivers as well as flexible coverage for delivery drivers with no need for commercial coverage
- GEICO: a hybrid personal-business policy for coverage while driving (not available in every state)
- State Farm: does not require extra coverage and it extends to Dashers without an add-on
- Allstate: if you’re Dashing with a personal policy with the proper add-ons, you can apply your accident forgiveness endorsement
- USAA:offers a rideshare add-on and delivery coverage (just ask your USAA agent)
Bear in mind that coverage availability varies by state. Make sure to check with your insurance company’s local office before you decide on a provider.
Before you purchase a policy, please take a quick moment to compare insurance rates with multiple providers. You might be surprised how much money you can save by using a comparison shopping app to find the right provider and policy.
“Jerryis a great service made easy for a newbie. It was my first time buying car insurance and everything was quickly taken care of. Everything was done in the app, so that was incredibly satisfying.” —August M.
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Should I tell my insurance company I do DoorDash?
Yes. There is no benefit to hiding your independent contractor status from your insurance company. If you get into an accident while Dashing, they could deny you coverage even if you didn’t let them know.
It’s a much better idea to let your insurance company know that you work as a delivery driver and ask what kind of extra coverage they can offer you, starting with commercial car insurance.
Will my insurance go up if I do DoorDash?
It’s possible that your insurance premium will increase if you work as a food delivery driver. However, this is primarily due to the extra coverage you’ll need (like rideshare insurance or business-use coverage) as well as the extra miles you’ll be covering.
This all adds up to increased risk, so your company is likely to charge you a slightly higher rate than someone who only uses their car to commute. The cost of a rideshare add-on is usually just a few dollars per month—and you’ll pay a lot more than that if you get into an accident without any coverage!
