Instacart Auto Insurance

Commercial Instacart auto insurance is needed because personal auto insurance does not cover an accident while the driver is delivering food. This form of coverage can cost as much as $1,700 per year, if not more.

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Rachel Bodine

Insurance Feature Writer

Rachel Bodine graduated from college with a BA in English. She has since worked as a Feature Writer in the insurance industry and gained a deep knowledge of state and countrywide insurance laws and rates. Her research and writing focus on helping readers understand their insurance coverage and how to find savings. Her expert advice on insurance has been featured on sites like PhotoEnforced, All...

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Leslie Kasperowicz

Farmers CSR for 4 Years

Leslie Kasperowicz holds a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Winnipeg. She spent several years as a Farmers Insurance CSR, gaining a solid understanding of insurance products including home, life, auto, and commercial and working directly with insurance customers to understand their needs. She has since used that knowledge in her more than ten years as a writer, largely in the insurance...

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Leslie Kasperowicz

Updated November 2022

Instacart Auto Insurance Summary
Instacart Auto Insurance Facts Sources
Instacart drivers are responsible for getting their own auto coveragewww.forbes.com
Instacart requires their drivers to have coverage that is consistent with legal requirementswww.forbes.com
Instacart drivers are required to pay for their own insurancewww.forbes.com
If you live in a no-fault state, you're responsible for getting no-fault auto insurancewww.forbes.com
Instacart's contract states that not all auto insurers cover vehicles used for food delivery serviceswww.forbes.com
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In 2020, there may be no service more popular than food delivery. This is born of both necessity and convenience. If you choose to drive with Instacart, be it for your main source of income or supplemental income, you’re going to need auto insurance. Learn more about Instacart auto insurance by reading this guide.

What kind of car insurance do I need for Instacart? We understand that finding the right insurer can be a bit of a hassle, especially in these uncertain times. This is why we’ll go through everything you need to know about Instacart insurance step by step so you can find the right insurer to suit your needs. Understanding auto insurance is paramount, especially if you’ll be driving for work.

In the meantime, type your ZIP code into our helpful and free tool above to find Instacart car insurance in your area.

Do you need Instacart auto insurance?

Do you need car insurance for Instacart? Absolutely, you need food delivery driver insurance. Does Instacart offer auto insurance for its drivers? According to Forbes.com, Instacart’s independent contractor agreement specifically states that drivers are responsible for getting their own auto insurance.

To find out if you’re going to be able to afford this, you’ll first need to know how much you’ll be paid. So, how much do delivery drivers make, particularly in vehicle delivery jobs? On average, Instacart delivery drivers make $14 per hour.

However, that’s the average pay can range from five dollars to $25 per hour. With that being said, the vast majority of shopper/ food delivery drivers can only drive up to 29 hours a week. This is because Instacart seldom employs full-time workers, due to the fact that they would be entitled to benefits.

You may be asking, “Do I need special insurance to be a delivery driver?” What you’ll need to be an Instacart driver is commercial auto insurance.

What does commercial insurance mean? Here’s a video from Travelers Insurance that should give you a pretty good idea.

Commercial auto insurance covers the cost of accidents involving a business-owned vehicle. In this case, as an independent contractor, you are the business and you own the vehicle.

Let’s take a look at a table comparing auto insurance rates for commercial insurance and other forms of coverage.

Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates by Coverage Type
Coverage TypesAverage Annual Rates
Comprehensive$148
Collision$323
Liability$538
Commercial$900-$1,700
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As you can see, commercial insurance when you’re in and out of grocery stores and fulfilling the delivery process can cost considerably more than other forms of coverage. You may have to work quite a bit to offset the cost. Don’t worry, there are ways to learn how to find inexpensive commercial auto insurance.

On the bright side, people ordering food these days tend to tip quite a bit more. Let’s take a closer look at auto insurance coverage for Instacart drivers by analyzing Instacart driver requirements.

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What Instacart insurance requirements are needed to get started?

It’s worth noting that, just like for Instacart’s car insurance requirements, the grocery delivery service company does not offer its drivers Instacart health insurance. You’ll have to get your health coverage through other means.

It is possible to get the needed commercial auto insurance at a reasonable price. The best way to do this is to find a combined commercial and personal policy. What you do is notify your insurance provider that you intend to drive for Instacart.

Just keep in mind that there is no Instacart auto insurance claims department, should you get into an accident. You will need to go through whatever insurer you choose.

Now that you know more about Instacart auto insurance, feel free to type your ZIP code into our helpful and free tool below to find reasonable rates for Instacart insurance.

Hopefully, we’ve covered everything you needed to know, but feel free to take a look at some common questions below.

#1 – Do I need special car insurance for Doordash?

Just as with Instacart, you’ll need commercial coverage for Doordash auto insurance. The same goes for Shipt there is no Shipt auto insurance coverage provided by the company.

#2 – Who pays more, Shipt or Instacart?

All in all, both pay about the same.

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#3 – Can you bring someone with you while you Instacart?

You can, but it is not preferred.

#4 – Does Instacart check insurance?

Judging by comments from past and current drivers, they do not.

#5 – Does Progressive cover Instacart auto insurance?

Progressive auto insurance offers rideshare insurance for services such as Instacart.

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#6 – How does Instacart work for drivers?

You can set your own schedule and work the hours you choose. You simply log into the app when you’re ready to work.

#7 – How do I drive for Instacart?

Instacart vs. Doordash’s hiring process is similar. You just have to be at least 18, eligible to work in the U.S., have consistent access to a vehicle, and be able to lift at least 50 pounds.

#8 – What is Instacart’s Shopper Injury Protection?

This is insurance that aims to protect contractors in the event that an accident occurs during fulfillment or delivery.

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