Uber Strikes Insurance Deal to Protect South African Drivers

(Bloomberg) -- Uber Technologies Inc. is partnering with security and insurance company Chubb Ltd. to cover its South African drivers in case of death or injury as violent attacks plague the country’s cities.

The new deal will pay out a lump sum to the family in case of death, or to the driver if he or she is permanently disabled, the U.S. cab-hailing company said by email Wednesday. It also covers ambulance and hospital costs and will provide daily payment for thirty days while the driver recovers from an attack while working. The insurance also covers those who work for food-delivery business Uber Eats, the company said.

The arrival of Uber in South African cities from 2013 has sparked several, often violent, protests and attacks by drivers of metered taxis. A number of Uber drivers have been killed in hijacking incidents and taxi violence. Overall, the country has a notably high rate of murders, with more than 19,000 occurring in the year through March 2017, or 52 a day.

To contact the reporter on this story: Loni Prinsloo in Johannesburg at lprinsloo3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rebecca Penty at rpenty@bloomberg.net, John Bowker, Vernon Wessels

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