SINGAPORE, 26 February 2019 – GOJEK has inked an exclusive strategic partnership withGigacover, a Singapore-based insurance technology company focused on the protection needsof freelancers, to launch an insurance scheme that covers all its driver-partners.
As part of the scheme, all GOJEK driver-partners can enjoy a standard earnings protectioncoverage of $80 per day. To qualify for the coverage, driver-partners need only to pay asingle, subsidised monthly rate to Gigacover, depending on their age. Top active driver-partners* will enjoy free coverage paid for by GOJEK on a quarterly basis.
Designed in close consultation with the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA)Singapore, GOJEK’s scheme will cover driver-partners for medical leave of up to 21 days andhospitalisation leave of up to 84 days – in what is currently the most extensive earningsprotection coverage offered to private-hire drivers in Singapore. Going by Gigacover’srecords, road accidents involving private-hire drivers have resulted in the latter beinghospitalised for as long as 70 days.
Under the partnership, all GOJEK driver-partners will enjoy exclusive preferential rates onearnings protection insurance provided by Gigacover. This is part of GOJEK’s mission to deliverbetter earnings protection to its driver-partners - in line with the recommendation by theTripartite Workgroup on Self-Employed Persons** for insurance that will cover the loss ofincome due to prolonged illness or injury.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Manpower comments: “We are encouraged that GOJEKhas worked with an insurer to develop a Prolonged Medical Leave insurance product toprovide coverage for its drivers. We welcome the growing support among transport operatorsto protect their self-employed drivers. We hope to see even more operators also steppingforward to offer such insurance to self-employed persons they contract with.”
Lien Choong Luen, general manager of GOJEK Singapore, says: “Life throws curveballssometimes; we don’t know what’s around the corner. GOJEK’s partnership with Gigacover isdesigned to provide peace of mind for our driver-partners, so that they can focus on theirwork without worries. Our driver-partners are our life-blood. By taking care of them, we knowthey will in turn take care of their passengers by delivering the best experience.
He adds: “We are thankful to our driver-partners who have stayed with us since we launchedour beta ride-hailing service. We humbly ask for their support as we continually improve to dobetter for them. This partnership is the first of many initiatives we are launching to boost thewell-being of our driver-partners. It also comes as part of our efforts to partner with localcompanies so that we can all grow together.”
Chua Cheng Xun, co-founder of Gigacover, says: “Our mission is to create simple, flexible andaffordable insurance for freelancers, and we are thrilled to be taking a big step forwardtowards our goal by partnering with GOJEK to protect GOJEK’s private-hire driver-partners.GOJEK's driver-partners form a huge part of Singapore’s gig economy, an important ecosystemthat Gigacover champions and whose workers we are committed to support.”
GOJEK’s earnings protection scheme will take effect from April 1, 2019. More details will beannounced in due course.
*Top active driver-partners are those who complete the most number of trips in a quarter, and are determined byGOJEK on a quarterly basis.
**The Tripartite Workgroup on Self-Employed Persons comprises officials from the Ministry of Manpower, SingaporeNational Employers Federation and National Trades Union Congress. It was formed in 2017 to identity the mainchallenges faced by self-employed persons and make recommendations to address them.
