Missouri's House Votes to Require Uber Insure Drivers Without Passengers

Intro:	Uber's lack of coverage for drivers without passengers was challenged in Missouri's House Thursday.
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Wrap: Ride-sharing companies currently do not insure their drivers between rides. However, Missouri's House passed a bill that would require that insurance.

Kansas City Representative Noel Shull, a Republican, described the issue many Uber drivers face.

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Description: The issue here really is that once the Uber driver turned his app on, in the past, he would not have been covered for liability in case he bumped into someone who did not have a passenger in the car.

Drivers' personal insurance covers liability when driving for private reasons. It does not cover damages for any commercial reason, such as ride-sharing.

From the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.

Intro:	A bill passed by Missouri's House would make Uber liable for accidents not involving passengers.
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Wrap: Uber does not have to pay for an accident on the way to pick up a passenger. Personal car insurance does not either.

Missouri's House voted to clear up that grey area and require ride-sharing services to be liable for accidents between rides.

Republican Representative Rob Schull, from Kansas City, said Missouri is one of few states to not fix the issue.

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Description: By the end of 2015, a total of 29 states had enacted laws to protect not only the drivers but their passengers and the public by closing the insurance gaps that left drivers and the public vulnerable in an accident.

Uber was not immediately available for comment.

From the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.

Intro:	A lack of insurance coverage for Uber accidents was addressed by Missouri's House Thursday.
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Wrap: A grey area exists when Uber drivers get into an accident without a passenger. Personal insurance does not cover the damage, because the driver used the car for commmercial reasons. Uber is not liable, because the car was not ride-sharing at the time.

Missouri's House voted to require ride-sharing companies to be liable for all accidents incurred by their drivers, with a passenger or not.

Representative Bob Burns, a Democrat from St. Louis County, spoke in favor of the bill.

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Description: This talks about the insurance issues; that makes sure the public is protected in case of an accident.

There was no dissent on the floor, and Uber was not immediately available for comment.

From the state Capitol, I'm Jack Morrisroe.