Consultation opens on insurance options for food delivery riders

The NSW Government has today commenced consultation on potential personal injury insurance arrangements for food delivery riders injured or killed at work.

Minister for Digital and Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said the consultation is the first of its kind in Australia, aimed at further responding to the heightened risk of injury in the industry.

“We want food delivery riders protected so that they do not fall between the cracks of our existing workers compensation and CTP schemes, and other private insurance arrangements,” Mr Dominello said.

“We must consider the merits of improving injury insurance for the people in our community who deliver food to earn an income.”
The State Insurance Regulatory Authority is leading a public consultation on potential insurance options.

• Proposed options include:
• Maintain the status quo with increased education and awareness about existing personal injury and income protections.
• Require gig platforms to provide personal injury insurance for their food delivery riders.
• Establish a scheme to provide a personal injury insurance safety net for food delivery riders.
• Establish a scheme to provide personal injury insurance to food delivery riders modelled on motor accidents (CTP) scheme benefits.
• Establish a scheme to provide personal injury insurance for food delivery riders modelled on workers compensation protections.
• Extend the existing workers compensation scheme to cover food delivery riders by deeming food delivery riders as ‘workers’ for the purposes of workers compensation legislation.

Mr Dominello said that there is no preferred option and that Government will consider the merits of all other proposals.
“This consultation is open to all fit-for-purpose solutions for gig platforms that prioritise support for food delivery riders in their hour of need,” Mr Dominello said.

“The food delivery sector is ever-expanding, and we need to find a modern and tailored solution to the issues facing this sector.”

Further information is available at https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/consultations/injury-insurance-arrangements-for-food-delivery-riders-in-the-gig-economy

Submissions to the consultation are due by 5pm on Friday, 28 May 2021.

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