Delivering for an app looks like personal driving — until a claim proves it isn't.
Coverage for delivery platforms, courier fleets, and gig drivers
Delivery Network Companies (DNCs) connect customers with drivers who deliver food, groceries, or packages through a digital platform — the model behind DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, Instacart, Amazon Flex, and Shipt. As with rideshare, drivers use personal vehicles and coverage depends on what the app is doing. Unlike rideshare, delivery is a newer and far less uniform area of insurance, and the protection drivers assume they have is often lower — or absent — than they expect.
How Delivery Coverage Works: The Phases
As with rideshare, coverage turns on the app's status:
App Off — personal use only; the personal auto policy governs.
Available Period — app on, waiting for or available to accept an order. This is the gap window: the platform provides only limited, contingent liability, while the personal policy typically excludes delivery use.
Delivery Period — order accepted and in progress, through drop-off. The platform's commercial liability applies, though the limit is set by the platform's own policy and, in many states, is not backed by the $1,000,000 statutory floor that rideshare requires.
What Delivery Network Company Insurance Covers
DNC and delivery coverage may include:
Auto Liability — third-party bodily injury and property damage during active delivery; limited and contingent while the driver is only logged in and available.
Contingent Liability — excess coverage that sits over the driver's personal policy during the available period.
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist — protection when an at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, where provided.
Physical Damage — comprehensive and collision for the driver's vehicle, which is inconsistent across platforms and often available only if the driver carries it personally, subject to a deductible.
Occupational Accident — a separate, driver-injury benefit that some platforms provide during active deliveries, covering the driver's own medical and disability costs. It is distinct from auto liability and does not protect third parties.
Who Needs It
Delivery Network Company insurance is important for:
Delivery and DNC platform operators required to carry and disclose coverage
Courier, last-mile, and delivery fleet businesses running drivers on their own or third-party platforms
Companies whose staff use personal vehicles to deliver goods
Individual delivery drivers who need a delivery endorsement or commercial policy to close the gaps the platform leaves open
What It Does Not Cover: The Gaps to Know
Personal auto policies exclude driving for a fee, and the business-use exclusion typically triggers the moment the app is on, so an accident while logged in — even before an order is accepted — is routinely denied. Two gaps matter most: the low limits during the available period, and the driver's own vehicle, which many delivery platforms do not cover at all. Coverage also varies sharply by platform: some provide $1,000,000 of liability during active delivery voluntarily, some provide far less, and at least one major grocery-delivery platform provides no auto liability, leaving the driver personally exposed. Because DNC regulation is still emerging state by state, what the law actually requires depends heavily on where the driving happens.
Our Approach
At Cory Washington & Co., we cut through the inconsistency of delivery coverage. We identify exactly what each platform's policy does and does not provide, where personal auto leaves off, and where the business or driver is exposed — then structure commercial auto, hired and non-owned, or endorsement coverage to close the gap. Licensed in all 50 states, we place Delivery Network Company coverage through markets that understand gig-economy risk and explain every trade-off in plain English.
Related trucking & auto coverage: Transportation Network Company · Commercial Auto · Hired & Non-Owned Auto · Cargo.
All insurance descriptions on this website are provided by Cory Washington & Co. LLC strictly for general informational purposes. They are not intended to be, and should not be relied upon as, legal, financial, or insurance advice. The information presented is general in nature and does not guarantee the availability, terms, conditions, or scope of any insurance coverage. Actual coverage is determined solely by the specific policy language issued by the insurer and remains subject to underwriting approval. Nothing on this website creates or implies an agent-client relationship, binds coverage, or alters any existing policy. Cory Washington & Co. LLC expressly disclaims any liability for actions taken, or not taken, based on the content provided here. For advice regarding your particular situation, please consult directly with a licensed insurance professional at Cory Washington & Co. LLC or another qualified insurance professional, and always review your policy documents in full.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get delivery network company insurance through Cory Washington & Co.?
Request a quote or contact our team. We start with a short conversation about your operations, analyze your exposures, then negotiate delivery network company insurance across multiple carriers that compete for your account and present options with the trade-offs explained. Cory Washington & Co. LLC is licensed in all 50 states.
What drives the cost of delivery network company insurance?
It depends on your exposure. Delivery network company insurance is priced on factors like your industry, size, prior claims, and the limits and deductibles you select — so two businesses rarely pay the same. We shop your account across competing carriers and present the trade-offs in plain English.
Do I need delivery network company insurance?
Requirements vary. Delivery network company insurance may be mandated by statute, or required under your contracts, leases, or loan agreements — and in many cases it is simply prudent given the risks involved. We look at your specific obligations and exposures, then recommend the coverage and limits that fit.
What if another agency has already declined or non-renewed my coverage?
Difficult, specialty, and previously-declined placements are a core part of our work. We access excess & surplus (E&S) and specialty markets that many generalist agencies cannot, and we explain the trade-offs clearly so you can decide with confidence.
Available in all 50 states. See how requirements differ in California, Texas, Florida, New York, or choose your state.