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Food delivery service Swiggy gave its drivers insurance support and other privileges based on their performance, leaving them vulnerable to being cut off during a time of crisis, Rest of World reported.
One case featured an anonymous delivery driver for Swiggy who said he was eligible for family insurance benefits, but lost out because he missed work while trying to take care of his ill wife.
Swiggy introduced three tiers of worker benefits last year - gold, silver, and bronze - according to the news outlet. While those on the gold level can avail family insurance benefits, those in the silver level do not get family coverage, and drivers on the bronze level only get accident-related insurance coverage, per the report.
The benefits change on a weekly basis, and workers have to execute “perfect” deliveries that meet several customer satisfaction conditions in order to earn points that allow them to avail insurance privileges at the different levels.
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Many of the 40 Swiggy drivers interviewed in the report expressed confusion and distress at the new insurance policy, which is reportedly provided by Reliance General Insurance.
Swiggy did not take part in Rest of World’s story but later shared a post about its insurance policy.
“All gig partners who deliver an order on Swiggy are given insurance cover for accident hospitalisation, accident fatality, accidental OPD, loss of pay up to 3 months, and free ambulance services,” said the post, adding that it worked to give the greatest insurance benefits to partners who are active on the platform because there were many who registered but did not carry out gig work afterwards.
“These covers are amongst the best in the industry,” said Swiggy, noting that drivers with more engagement would get “incrementally better insurance benefits”.
