Grubhub says it’s easy for anyone to sign up for its service and become a driver with no experience required as long as they have a car.
However, most tasks that require a vehicle also require insurance, and if you’re wondering whether this also includes Grubhub, I looked into it!
Does Grubhub Require Insurance In [currentyear]?
Grubhub requires insurance before the company can approve a driver as of [currentyear]. According to the Grubhub website, you need auto insurance, but Grubhub doesn’t specify what kind. When signing up for Grubhub, the company verifies your insurance. Also, Grubhub doesn’t cover you if you get into an accident.
To learn everything you need to know about insurance and Grubhub before applying, including what kind would work for you, how it handles accidents, and more, read on!
Why Does Grubhub Need Insurance?
Grubhub needs insurance because the law says anyone operating a motor vehicle, a car or a motorbike in this case, requires insurance.
Does Grubhub Check Insurance?
Yes, Grubhub checks your insurance when you apply to be a driver by requiring proof of insurance, something you can provide via your insurance ID card.
That said, your insurance ID card makes for solid proof of insurance because it contains the following information:
- Your first and last name
- Your insurance provider’s name and address
- Your policy’s effective and expiry dates
- Your policy’s number
- Your vehicle’s details, including its make, model, and vehicle identification number (VIN)
Further, Grubhub can use this information to verify that you have some form of state-mandated insurance but not which kind.
Also, since Grubhub doesn’t specify the type of insurance you need, this should be enough to get you approved.
However, I’ve found claims of Grubhub taking more drastic measures to check insurance if the company suspects that the proof provided isn’t real.
According to one report, Grubhub asked a driver for a declaration page after they were unsatisfied with their insurance card.
Does Grubhub Affect Your Insurance?
Yes, Grubhub affects your insurance in several different ways. These days, most major insurance companies have special policies for people who do ridesharing with their vehicles.
For example, rideshare policies cost more than the standard coverage, and they ask if you’re involved with these services when signing up.
Also, if your insurance company finds out that you’re working for Grubhub but hadn’t told them, they could take action, from raising your premiums to canceling your coverage.
With that, they could find out that you work as a courier when you get into an accident and file a claim or when they notice that your car’s mileage has drastically increased in a short period.
What Happens If A Grubhub Driver Crashes?
If a Grubhub driver crashes, they can only file a claim with their insurance company and hope that they agree to cover it.
Also, if the crash happens while the driver is working but they hadn’t signed up for ridesharing coverage, their insurer might reject the claim.
That said, standard insurance coverage policies only cover regular everyday driving. So, if the vehicle is used for direct work purposes, the policy might not extend that far.
How Do I File A Claim With Grubhub?
You can’t file a claim with Grubhub since it doesn’t provide insurance, and the company expressly excludes itself from liability.
As per its terms of use, Grubhub says it’s not responsible for any damage or loss, including personal injury, even when it’s the result of something the company knew about.
With that, Grubhub is unique in this regard because every other major food delivery service, including Postmates, Uber Eats, and Doordash, provides insurance coverage to drivers.
Further, most of them have similar terms for coverage, including:
- You’re only covered when you’re on an active run
- They have their ranges for what they can payout
- You can usually only make a claim if your insurer already turned you down
What Type Of Insurance Do I Need For Grubhub?
Many large insurance providers today offer rideshare insurance, and this is what you would need for Grubhub.
Unfortunately, it costs more than the regular insurance coverage options, but it’s meant to cover you when working, something other policies don’t do.
Also, if you can’t get rideshare insurance from your provider, you could go with commercial insurance on the car you use for Grubhub.
That said, commercial auto insurance is intended to cover vehicles that are used for work, and while they’re more expensive than most insurance, they’re your best bet if you can’t get rideshare coverage.
Still, Grubhub only needs you to have some kind of insurance so you can get in with any, but I recommend asking your provider for pointers on which one would work best for you.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on how to cancel a Grubhub order, how do Grubhub drivers get paid, and is Grubhub safe.
Conclusion
Grubhub requires insurance, and it does check if you have it, but the company doesn’t specify which kind you need beyond the minimum state-mandated option.
Also, you could get rideshare or commercial insurance, but it’s best to ask your provider which policy would work best.
Grubhub won’t cover the driver, meaning they can’t even file a claim.
With that, Grubhub is the only major food delivery service without insurance because companies like Uber, Postmates, and Doordash provide coverage.
