Food start-up Deliveroo to spend US$13 million on driver medical insurance but stops short of other benefits
Drivers in 12 countries will receive an insurance package that will cover up to three quarters of their average income if they suffer an injury while delivering food
By Shafi Musaddique
Deliveroo is handing out free medical insurance for 35,000 food delivery drivers worldwide, but stopped short of giving further benefits in what it said could risk the self-employed status of workers.
Drivers in 12 countries, including the U.K., Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, will receive an insurance package that will cover up to three quarters of their average income if they suffer an injury while delivering food.
Deliveroo said Tuesday that it was spending an initial amount of US$13 million to cover drivers for medical expenses of up to US$10,000, at no cost to its workers.
The start-up said that it would like to introduce further benefits to food delivery workers but risks counting them as contracted staff rather than self-employed workers, which the company currently does.
