Scepticism greets Hudak's call for ridesharing insurance: Drivers who don't obey the current law unlikely to obey future laws

TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2015 /CNW/ - Members of Toronto's taxi industry reacted with scepticism at Ontario MPP Tim Hudak's call for the Ontario government to develop a new insurance product for bandit taxi cabs including UberX today.

"There is already an insurance product UberX drivers can purchase: the OPCF 6A," Moini points out. "They do not purchase it. To do so would alert their insurance company that they are carrying fares for money, and they risk having their policies cancelled as we saw happen with Aviva in October."

Currently, all taxi and limo drivers who carry passengers for compensation in Ontario must carry the OPCF 6A insurance endorsement. They must present this document in order to receive their license from the City of Toronto; no professional is allowed to drive without it.

Moini points out the naïve illogic of expecting under-the-table bandit taxi drivers to purchase any new insurance product introduced in the future: "These drivers do not purchase the product which is available to them now. What makes anyone think they will buy a new product in the future? They do not obey the laws that exist now. What makes anyone think they will obey new laws in the future? It's a fantasy."

Philomena Comerford, President and CEO of Baird MacGregor Insurance notes, "Uber recently announced it has 20,000 drivers in Toronto. By their own admission, they have 20,000 uninsured cars driving around our city. This is not only highly irresponsible, but illegal."

SOURCE Toronto Taxi Alliance

contact Rita Smith at 647 242 5505, or [email protected]