Booking seats on trains or buses is likely to be difficult. Engaging a
private taxi is expensive. For city travel, there are several taxi aggregators like
Ola, Uber and Meru to depend on. For
long-distance travel, there were a few options till one carpooling service
which had been making waves in the country the BlaBlaCar stepped in. Ever since
that the interest in ridesharing services has been on the upswing in
India.
BlaBlacars model is simple. It connects people looking for a
city-to-city ride with car owners going in the same direction so that they can
travel together and share the cost of their journey. The name is a play on how chatty
members are while riding in the cab.
So it is basically hooking up people who are driving with
those without a car who are heading in the same direction. This creates a new
market, and at the same time eases traffic congestion, and helps the environment.
Passengers will also be able to save some money as it is cheaper than renting a
car and drivers will get to earn a bit for a trip they were already planning to
make. However, its business model is not fool-proof and has a grave risk.
In case of an accident and unfortunate injury or death of
your co-passenger will your insurance company honour your claim? No, because you are carrying a passenger for hire or reward, where the vehicle is on the date of the
contract of insurance a vehicle not covered by a permit to ply for hire or
reward.
BlaBlaCar
claims that “Co-travellers' contributions
to car owners do not generate profit, they only offset costs, therefore
ridesharing is not ever hire and reward. Rides must only be given in a vehicle
seating four passengers or less. BlaBlaCar scrupulously fulfills these
conditions, as we limit number of seats and cap price per co-travelers”
BlaBlaCar’s interpretation
is based on the clarification issued by The Association of British
Insurers, which states as “All ABI motor insurers have agreed that your insurance cover
will not be affected if your passengers contribute towards your journey costs
(including fuel, vehicle depreciation and associated vehicle running costs), as
long as lifts are given in a vehicle seating eight passengers or less. This
does not apply if you make a profit from payments received or if carrying
passengers is your business. The ABI is supportive of car sharing platforms
such as BlaBlaCar, Liftshare, GoCarShare whose prices and the number of
seats offered are usually automatically capped, fulfilling the above
requirement regarding profit. The ABI recommend that users of these services
look at the terms and conditions associated with the schemes”
BlaBlaCar should be reminded that the British have left India
in 1947 and Motor Vehicle Insurance in India is governed by the provisions of
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and regulated by IRDA.
A gratuitous or fare
paying passenger in a goods vehicle or fare paying passenger in private vehicle
has been proved to be a good defense for refusing the claim by Insurance
Company and in number of other cases this judgment has been reiterated
with a direction that the Insurance Company shall first make payment of the
compensation to the claimant and then recover it from the owner.
Private Car Insurance
Policy covers Vehicles used for social, domestic and for professional purpose
(excluding carriage of goods other than the registered owner ) of the insured
or used by insured's employees for such purpose but excluding use for hire
or reward, racing, pace making, reliability trial, speed testing and use
for any purpose in connection with the Motor Trade
What will happen if your insurance
claim is rejected? With the development
of law, liability of the insurance Company has been made strict to the third
party even if there is no negligence or defense to the Insurance Company are
available. A right has been given to the Insurance Company by way of legal
precedents incorporating various provisions to recover the said amount paid to
third party from owner. This recovery can be made by mere filing of an
execution application and not by a separate civil suit.
Being BlaBla you have
the option to reduce your cost of travel, pollution level, find new friends and
many endless benefit but at the cost of losing your hard earned saving and
peace of mind.
So when you go BlaBla
remember that “Once a word has been allowed to escape, it cannot be recalled”
