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.”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. 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.
