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Time of India
19-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘On-time' trend hides hazards: Delivery agents struggle to get insurance claims for accidents on the job
1 2 Pune: The rising trend of quick commerce and food order apps assuring time-bound deliveries has led to many agents facing riding accidents and injuries in recent times. Delivery agents also highlighted that such mishaps are followed by several challenges in collecting insurance claims — they often end up with little to no compensation in the absence of formalised or regulated documentation and support across the industry. Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the Indian Gig Workers Front, told TOI, "There are hardly any cases where delivery executives are able to get insurance claims fulfilled. There is no real protection for gig workers. Companies just show insurance documentation as there is a govt requirement for it. Many executives have faced challenges making claims." You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune There is some confusion prevalent among gig workers as to what qualifies for claims under company insurance policies. "I was told that health and medical-related claims are covered by the company, but any accident-related claims are not covered as we ride our own personal two-wheelers for work," said Raju Atole, a quick commerce delivery agent. Mukesh Singh, a food delivery agent, said, "I met with an accident a few months ago while on the job and my bike got damaged. However, I was unable to make an insurance claim as some paperwork was insufficient from both my side and the company's side. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo I had to spend my own money to get it repaired." Pratyush Ranjan, executive vice president of employee benefits at Howden Insurance, said that the sharp rise in the total number of gig workers has led to an increase in of claims over the past year. For gig workers in e-commerce and quick-commerce sectors, this increase in claims is complemented by rising accident risks due to heavier traffic, poor road conditions, worsening weather, and growing competition among employers and platforms. "The claims process is often challenging for workers due to low literacy levels and incomplete or missing paperwork. In some cases, platforms/companies have erased workers' employment histories, making it impossible for them to file claims. Many partners turn to unions for help in accessing insurance benefits. However, in a sector where workers are not organised collectively, making claims becomes even more difficult," he said. Now, to provide additional support to riders, some insurance providers have also started offering specialised products that include coverage for risks associated with using two-wheelers for goods or food delivery, such as accident benefits specifically for fractures suffered during accidents at work. Varsha Gujarathi, chief customer officer at Universal Sompo General Insurance, told TOI, "In India, two-wheelers currently do not have a designated registration category for goods carriage. As a result, many delivery partners working with platforms in food and quick delivery are using privately registered vehicles for commercial delivery purposes. Overall, the sector is witnessing a gradual shift towards more formalised insurance products and regulatory frameworks, aiming to balance the needs of delivery partners, platforms, and public safety. " For the benefit of delivery executives, insurers like Bajaj Allianz have started offering food delivery platforms in India a broader range of insurance covers for their delivery agents. "Two increasingly popular benefits are recovery relief and hospital daily allowance. Recovery relief offers a lump-sum payout to help agents manage expenses during extended recovery periods, while hospital daily allowance provides a fixed amount for each day of hospitalisation to cover incidental costs," said Bhaskar Nerurkar, head of the health administration team at Bajaj Allianz General Insurance. Elsewhere, some delivery companies have implemented internal policies to prioritise safety over speed and avoid penalising riders for late deliveries, which may help mitigate risky behaviour. However, when TOI reached out to some food delivery and quick commerce platforms, they were unavailable for comment at the time of going to print.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Overcharging, arguments affect commuters as cabs, autos go on strike in city
Arguments with passengers and overcharging marred the indefinite strike called by aggregator app-based cab and auto drivers from Friday in the city. Among the worst affected were flyers arriving at the airport and struggling to find further travel options. A woman on her way to a doctor near Amanora Mall said she was mistreated by some autorickshaw drivers on strike. "I had hailed an auto and was on my way to the doctor when a group of other autorickshaw drivers stopped the driver. They snatched his cellphone and forcibly tried to pull me out of the vehicle, stating that a strike was on," she told TOI, choosing anonymity. "They paid no heed even when I said I had a doctor's appointment. When I screamed, they backed off a bit. The auto driver took the opportunity to drive off. How can they indulge in violence like this?" she said. Indian Gig Workers Front has called the strike in Pune, Mumbai and Nagpur demanding fare-by-meter system acknowledgement by state govt and scrapping of e-bike taxis . This story continues on page 4 in the newspaper. For your reading convenience we have added it below. No relief likely from cab & auto strike till Tuesday Pune: The strike called by cab and auto drivers affiliated to aggregator apps led to major inconvenience for commuters in the city on Friday. For instance, in the morning hours, a ride from NIBM Road to Pune airport (around 15km) by auto showed a fare of Rs430 against the normal Rs240 on the Uber app. If one booked an Uber XL, the fare reflected a whopping Rs1,461, and a ride via an Uber Sedan showed a fare of Rs777. A ride via UberGo showed a fare of Rs739, and if one wanted to ride in the Uber Premier category, the fare showed Rs1,096. Elsewhere in the city as well, auto prices almost doubled - a short ride from Karve Road to FC Road cost at least Rs70-80 by auto, versus the usual average of Rs40-50 on aggregator apps. By meter, the same cost comes to around Rs30. Arriving flyers at the airport in the early hours of Friday were especially hassled. Vivek Purekar, who had to go to Kothrud from the airport, said, "I booked an Uber cab, for which the fare is locked advance. Upon reaching the AeroMall from the arrival area, I was told that cab drivers were on strike and I had to take another mode of transportation. Many other flyers besides me were clueless about this. I then wasted around 30 minutes trying to cancel the pre-paid ride and had to take pre-paid autorickshaw to my destination." Ajinkya Bhavane, who came from Delhi and wanted to go to Kalyaninagar, was in for a shock too. "The cab pickup area at the AeroMall was practically empty, and even after repeated attempts over 30 minutes, I couldn't get any cabs. I came outside with my luggage and found an auto driver who asked me to pay Rs500 for the short distance, saying that there was a strike going on. I was in a hurryand had no choice," he rued. Ankit Rai, a Pune resident, wrote on X, "There are no cabs available to commute to work. The aggregator applications are showing triple times surge, and striking drivers are stopping cabs and assaulting the non-striking drivers and also passengers, resulting in passengers being left stranded on the road." Sonu Pandey, who was at the airport late on Thursday evening, also shared his plight on X and posted: "Last night, I witnessed five or six individuals acting like thugs, threatening and physically assaulting cab drivers, forcing them to cancel rides. Meanwhile, regular cabs were charging exorbitant fares - upwards of Rs2,000 for a mere 10km ride. This is a complete disaster." Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the Indian Gig Workers Front, accepted that incidents of violence occurred. "We have been appealing to striking drivers not to indulge in any violence and will continue to do so. On Friday, we also met some officials of the transport department who said they could arrange a meeting with all stakeholders by Tuesday. So, at present, the strike will be on until Tuesday at least until our demands are met," he told TOI. Earlier this year, the Indian Gig Workers Front announced that from May 1, cabs of Ola, Uber and Rapido should charge fares as per state govt-approved rates. App companies had said that for autos, they had already switched to a SaaS (software as a service) model, wherein commuters could book autos via the apps but then fares would be decided by mutual understanding. On May 1, the Gig Workers Front launched the website ' on which govt approved fares would reflect when details were entered. Pune RTO officials had told TOI that once the state aggregator policy comes into effect, this confusion will be cleared. "Once it comes into play, apps will have to adhere to norms and apply for a licence," Pune deputy RTO Swapnil Bhosle had earlier told TOI.
