Rideshare Car Insurance (Australia)

MyCarTracks_support · May 18, 2026, 11:32am

Rideshare car insurance in Australia is not just one policy. Use this guide to review compulsory third party cover, property damage cover, comprehensive cover, platform support packages, and the insurer’s rules for rideshare or delivery use.

The Australian Government’s Moneysmart car insurance guidance explains the main policy types, and Uber’s Australian vehicle requirements say vehicles driving with Uber need compulsory third party (CTP) insurance and at least third-party property damage insurance. CTP is the injury insurance attached to vehicle registration; it does not cover damage to vehicles or property.

Quick answer

Before you drive passengers or deliveries, check:

CTP or the local equivalent attached to your state or territory registration
third-party property damage cover if the platform requires it
whether your comprehensive or third-party policy allows rideshare, food delivery, courier work, or both
whether your name is listed on the policy if the platform requires it
whether a rental or borrowed car is approved for platform work
exclusions for full-time use, weekly hours, delivery categories, unlisted drivers, vehicle modifications, tyres, or overloading
what excess applies after an incident
whether platform injury support is personal injury support only, not property cover

Do not assume personal car insurance covers paid app work. Tell the insurer how you use the vehicle and get the answer reflected in your policy documents or certificate of insurance.

Rideshare car insurance in Australia: the policy types

Cover type	What it usually covers	What to check for gig driving
CTP / state injury cover	Injuries caused by your vehicle, required for registration.	State rules, premium class, passenger transport use, and whether rideshare changes the registration/CTP setup.
Third-party property damage	Damage you cause to other people’s vehicles or property.	Whether rideshare or delivery use is allowed and whether the platform requires this cover.
Third-party fire and theft	Third-party property plus limited cover for your car if stolen or damaged by fire.	Whether app work is included or excluded.
Comprehensive	Damage to your vehicle and other people’s vehicles or property, subject to policy terms.	Rideshare or delivery endorsement, listed drivers, excess, exclusions, and weekly-hour limits.
Platform support insurance	Platform-specific injury or accident support.	Whether it applies only on-trip, what injuries or expenses are covered, and what it does not replace.

Moneysmart says comprehensive cover will not cover everything, so exclusions matter. Read the product disclosure statement and certificate of insurance before you rely on a policy for app work.

Uber, DoorDash, and delivery use

Uber says Australian rideshare vehicles must have CTP and at least third-party property damage insurance. UberX drivers also need to be listed on the car’s property damage insurance policy even if they are not the main policyholder.

Uber’s partner support insurance describes personal injury support for eligible drivers and delivery people for certain on-trip accidents, subject to policy wording. Treat it as a support package to read, not as a replacement for your own vehicle insurance.

DoorDash delivery can use a car, scooter, or bicycle, but a personal vehicle policy may still exclude paid delivery. NRMA’s rideshare FAQ is one insurer example: it says rideshare or takeaway food delivery use needs to be disclosed and shown on the certificate of insurance, and it lists limits and conditions for its own policies. AAMI also says its comprehensive cover can extend to ridesharing if the customer tells AAMI and updates car usage.

Those insurer examples are not universal rules. Your policy controls your cover.

CTP and state differences

CTP is attached to registration across Australia, but how it is bought and classified differs by state and territory. Moneysmart says CTP may be included in registration in some states and bought separately in others.

State passenger transport rules can also add requirements. South Australia, for example, says rideshare vehicle owners may need the correct CTP premium class and a current Certificate of Inspection for passenger transport use. New South Wales uses Green Slip CTP terminology, while the Australian Capital Territory uses motor accident injuries wording.

If you drive across a border or change where the vehicle is registered, check the state regulator and insurer before assuming the old setup still works.

What to ask your insurer

Ask direct questions and keep the answer:

Does this policy cover rideshare passenger trips?
Does it cover food delivery, grocery delivery, courier work, or Shop & Deliver orders?
Is there a weekly-hour, full-time, or commercial-use limit?
Does my certificate of insurance need to show rideshare or delivery use?
Are all drivers listed, including a spouse, friend, or rental driver?
What excess applies during app work?
Are tyres, windscreens, theft, fire, charging cables, delivery bags, or personal items covered?
What happens if the app is on but no trip has been accepted?

If the policy wording and customer-service answer conflict, rely on the written policy and ask for clarification before driving.

Rentals, borrowed cars, and fleet cars

If you rent a car for Uber, use an approved rideshare rental path. Uber Help says unapproved hire cars can lead to account problems, including permanent deactivation.

For borrowed cars, Uber Help says drivers need owner permission and must be listed as an insured driver on the vehicle’s insurance policy. For family cars, company cars, novated leases, or fleet vehicles, check the finance, lease, employer, insurer, and platform rules before accepting trips.

For delivery, do not assume a standard rental agreement allows paid delivery just because the platform accepts the vehicle details. The rental agreement and insurance still matter.

Records to keep

Keep an insurance file with:

CTP/registration documents
certificate of insurance and product disclosure statement
written confirmation of rideshare or delivery use
listed-driver details
platform insurance/support summaries
inspection certificates
rental, lease, or finance agreements
photos and notes after incidents
claim numbers and repair invoices
business kilometres and app statements for the period

For tax records, insurance and platform costs may need to be split between business and private use. The local ATO Mileage Guide for Australia explains the car expense record layer.

How MyCarTracks fits

Use MyCarTracks automatic mileage tracking to separate rideshare, delivery, and private kilometres. If an insurer, tax agent, or platform asks what the vehicle was being used for, contemporaneous trip records are easier to review than rebuilt calendar notes.

Mileage tracking does not prove insurance cover by itself. It supports your records; the policy wording decides coverage.