Uber Hong Kong in talks over ‘goodwill payment’ to compensate family of dead driver
Ride-hailing firm will also look into addressing transparency of its third-party insurance
Uber Hong Kong is in talks over an ex gratia payment to the family of a driver who died last month in the city’s first fatal accident involving the ride-hailing firm, the Post has learned.
Fifty-year-old Uber driver Hui Ki-wai was killed when his BMW sedan collided head-on with a taxi along Argyle Street, resulting in a four-vehicle pile-up.
The accident, which also left four others injured, was the first in the city to involve an operating Uber vehicle. The tragedy sparked a debate, raising questions about whether – and to what extent – the company would compensate those affected in such situations.
In a contract with insurer AIG, the US-based firm said it provided third-party coverage of up to HK$100 million for bodily injury or death for all Uber rides in Hong Kong based on the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Ordinance.
However, for Uber drivers or other motorists at fault in an accident involving the company, the third-party insurance will not cover their injuries or death.