In most states, Uber only provides contingent liability coverage and no collision for drivers. In PA, Uber was required to provide primary liability coverage during phase 1 driving. I have not heard of more than a small number of states where this is the case. In most states, James River during phase one: Liability is contingent, no collision. What is the rule in St. Louis? What kind of insurance do you have that manages to cover that period, which is your claim. My guess is you are going to tell me you have a $5,000 minivan and due to its value, you don’t actually have collision.
The only way to really reduce depreciation in this gig is to understand that your car wasn’t intended to be driven for 200-300+ miles a day in city traffic on crappy city roads. Day after day month after month.
My Geico policy cost $1,600 in VA. It’s expensive, but I don’t have to worry about getting into an accident and getting dumped by Geico.
You’re in a thin minority. You’re quite fortunate. More carriers are starting to figure out how to insure TNC drivers. By and large, the vast majority of drivers will get deeply burned by their insurance carriers if they get involved in an at-fault accident.
I try to tell other drivers about the risks, but some don’t realize the risk they are taking. Even if Uber’s insurance covers you (I am only making an assumption here), you don’t need the risk of getting cancelled.
In my experience, when looking for new insurance they always ask if you have been cancelled by another carrier. I’m sure the answer is used in their premiums calculations or whether they will offer you a policy.
You are right on the money. Having insurance cancelled is akin to being black balled. Many carriers won’t touch a person who’s been cancelled.
Drove big rigs for 3 yrs. I wasn’t an O/O(Owner/Operator) but I did have to pay attention to the condition of my rig on a daily basis & take the necessary steps to stay running & profitable.
What no one mentioned is your 2005 is already fully depreciated…Smart for not using a new car. Use the .56 per mile expenses the GOV lets you use on Schedule C 1040 as a good guideline for your expense.
That tidbit of advice is sooooo valuable. In 2006 I bought a 2007 Honda Fit for $18K. Rather than depreciate it against the business I purchased it for, I opted instead for taking the IRS mileage deduction. Since 2006, IRS mileage deductions have increased slightly.
The 80,000 includes 7,000 gallons of gas and maintenance. The 80,000 tax deduction probably amounts to %15 ($12,000) or %25 ($20,000). It seems like it is alot but you only get a percentage of it (tax deduction not a tax credit). Still good but not the windfall that everyone thinks.
Plain and simple driving a new car for uber is crazy. Higher insurance, lower maintenance, high depreciation, but UBER miles are hard on a car. You want a car that has 100k + already and is almost fully depreciated before you start. No car is fully depreciated.
That’s why I didn’t drive a new car for Uber. Never would. I bought the car to use for one of my other businesses. By the time I started driving for Uber the Fit had 145K miles on it. And all those miles were accumulated for the other businesses I operate.
You are not covered at all in Period 1 when you log in. Super uses your insurance first. You are never fully covered unless you have a TNC policy. The insurance companies all talk and will find out what they want.
Seriously, this is a list of some of the worst advice anyone could possibly put together. It’s so bad, that the good advice is tidal waved by the bad advice. Screw your fare over finding them a block away? Never respond to a ping behind you? Never give away items that cost next to nothing in a good tipping area? Negotiate a fee and get deactivated? WTF?