The Insurance Bureau of Canada has stepped into the nationwide battle between municipalities, taxi companies, and the ride-sharing app Uber. Spokesman Steve Kee publicly urged Uber drivers to check their current insurance policies for commercial use, warning that policies for personal use would likely lead to rejected claims.
The statement by the Insurance Bureau came the same week the Alberta government warned Albertans that they may not have insurance coverage or accident benefits under provincial law while using Uber.
Insurance issues have been at the heart of the Uber debate in Canada throughout the year, when the Insurance Bureau made clear that the policy shifts Uber was making in the United States would not be effective here. The resulting issue led Toronto city councillor Jim Karygiannis to call for a ban of Uber usage on city-issued smartphones.