Uber has announced a new and innovative insurance policy designed to cover accidental rider injuries while on a trip with Uber in Ghana.

A statement from the company said “Uber’s priorities is the safety and security of riders and partner-drivers, and insurance is a critical part of Uber’s safety programme.”

The new policy for riders, which takes effect immediately, is provided by Star Assurance Company Ltd, a trusted insurance company that provides general insurance policies such as Motor, Fire, Accident, Travel, Bonds, Engineering and Marine insurance.

The policy, which is totally free for all riders, will provide riders with personal accident insurance, which covers the rider’s accidental medical expenses as well as compensation for death or permanent disability suffered by a rider while on a trip with Uber.

“It is specially packaged to cater to riders where applicable in the unfortunate event of an injury or accident while on any trip requested through the Uber app,” the statement added.

Country Manager for Uber Ghana, Kofi Agyare explained that “At Uber, we view the addition of this insurance coverage as an important part of fulfilling our goal of reliable, affordable and safe transportation options for all Ghanaians”.

He said the policy is an innovative and first of its kind solution for Uber riders in Ghana and has been tailored specifically for those on the road, building on Uber’s security already available through the app.

Agyare noted that Star Assurance Company Ltd is dedicated to continually improving its products, operations and performance in order to deliver innovative solutions and Uber is excited about this partnership with Star Assurance.