Amazon Flex is an excellent program for anyone looking to make extra income with their vehicles. Amazon offers independent contractors insurance plans that match the hire-and-reward work model.
Considering the limited extent of the Amazon Flex insurance plan, it’s advisable to acquire individual
commercial insurance coverage. You’ll still face accident risks like distracted driving, poor weather, theft, vandalism, or other misconduct by other drivers.
With all of this in mind, it’s prudent to consult a
commercial car insurance professional regarding the best insurance plan for your vehicle while working under the Amazon Flex program.
Read on to learn more, and contact our insurance professionals about your specific insurance needs.
Common Amazon Flex Insurance FAQs
Does Amazon Flex Provide Drivers With Insurance Coverage?
Yes. Amazon provides commercial coverage to its drivers who are contracted to make deliveries. The plan offers
comprehensive coverage, liability coverage, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and collision coverage.
Even so, the Amazon Flex coverage has the following exceptions:
- It doesn’t cover passengers
- Anyone who makes deliveries on your behalf is not covered
- The coverage applies when you’re actively making a delivery
What Are Amazon Flex Insurance Requirements?
Amazon requires all vehicle owners to maintain minimum insurance policies for delivering packages in their area of operation. As a self-employed driver, you’ll need a commercial insurance package to drive for Amazon Flex.
Commercial insurance protects you while driving for work, like delivering packages or food items. The commercial insurance policy also includes public liability coverage unavailable with the usual
personal auto coverage.
A typical personal auto policy protects you if you injure someone or cause property damage. You’ll enjoy better protection if you find a policy that offers both personal auto and commercial coverage.
In addition to your coverage, Amazon provides Flex delivery partners with commercial coverage in all states except New York. The Amazon commercial auto policy includes the following:
- An auto liability cover of $1,000,000
- Collision and contingent comprehensive coverage
- Underinsured motorist / Uninsured motorist coverage
The Flex commercial auto policy applies to drivers actively making deliveries in a specific region. Amazon can deny a claim if anyone apart from a delivery partner was driving the vehicle when an accident occurred.
Can I Drive for Amazon Flex With My Own Car?
Yes – Amazon Flex allows you to use your vehicle to make deliveries to earn extra money.
The vehicle you use to make deliveries should be mid-sized or larger with a 5-seat capacity or more. Vehicles with fewer than five seats are not eligible for Amazon deliveries, except vans or enclosed bed pick-up trucks that protect cargo from harsh weather.
Vehicles that qualify for the Amazon Flex program include trucks, vans, and SUVs. Although you don’t need to take your car for inspection, Amazon checks each one so it meets the set standard of delivering large orders.
Can Amazon Flex Drivers Have a Passenger?
Yes, you can bring someone when making deliveries with Amazon Flex. Since making deliveries may involve leaving the vehicle for an extended period, bringing passengers or pets, except service animals, may affect your work.
However, you must adhere to the following guidelines if you decide to have a passenger with you:
- A passenger is restricted from driving as you make the deliveries.
- The passenger must remain in the vehicle as you pick up a package from an Amazon location. An Amazon employee must accompany a passenger who wishes to leave the delivery vehicle.
- Passengers cannot leave the vehicle in restricted Flex Areas such as retail merchant or grocery locations.
- A passenger may not perform or assist with delivery services, including customer interaction.
- Your delivery vehicle should have enough space to accommodate all assigned packages in your route, including the passenger.
Failure to comply with the above guidelines may affect your participation in the Amazon Flex Program.
You must request a passenger to sign a waiver if you’re a driver who occasionally brings a non-family member along during delivery. The waiver ensures the extra person understands the risk of being a non-family member passenger as you make Amazon Flex deliveries.
In most cases, some people who can ride along during deliveries are those in close relationships, including a spouse, child, parent, or sibling.
Why Do You Need Commercial Car Insurance When Making Amazon Flex Deliveries?
Whenever you use your personal car to do business, e.g., Amazon Flex, you automatically violate the terms of your insurance policy. Moreover, a personal insurance policy prohibits vehicle owners from doing courier or delivery work.
With that in mind, you need a commercial insurance policy for adequate protection and compliance with
Amazon Flex requirements.
How Much is Amazon Flex Insurance?
Drivers are automatically covered and don’t need to pay for their insurance because Amazon caters to their commercial auto insurance coverage.
However, the cost of an individual commercial insurance plan depends on the driver’s age, claims history, gender, vehicle make and model, credit score, and driving record.
Common Amazon Flex Insurance Claims
Theft
It’s devastating to find your vehicle missing from a parking lot. Criminals can target a vehicle for robberies, re-sale of parts, or drug trafficking. If authorities don’t recover your car, the comprehensive insurance coverage refunds the car’s value less deductible.
Windshield Damage
The most common causes of windshield damage include rocks and gravel dislodged from the road by tires. Alternatively, stress from extreme temperature changes can cause windshield cracks.
Drivers who carry comprehensive coverage are reimbursed for either repair or replacement of the damaged windshield.
Injury Claims
Many
car accidents result in injuries of varying degrees of severity. Common injuries involving Amazon Flex cars include whiplash, spinal cord injuries, broken limbs, and brain injuries.
Single-Car Crash Claims
There are many single-car collision claims where drivers accidentally hit objects like walls, street lamps, or road barriers. The common causes of single-car crashes include distracted driving, poor weather conditions, and speeding.
A typical commercial car insurance plan covers related collision damages.
Speak to an Experienced Amazon Flex Car Insurance Professional
Owning a vehicle is one of the qualifications for joining the Amazon Flex Program. An additional personal insurance policy will protect you further when making deliveries. At Panorama Insurance Agency, we use our experience and personal touch to offer an insurance plan that matches your needs.
Contact us online or call us at
818-306-4890 for more information.
