Must I Enroll in Drivers Benefits Before I Get Hurt?

Yes, for the benefits that pay cash when something bad happens. The Black Car Fund (BCF) says that for Accident Disability and Critical Illness, "you must be enrolled in the program BEFORE any injury or illness occurs. You cannot enroll afterwards and be eligible for these benefits." The $100,000 Accidental Death benefit also requires you to be enrolled at the time. Enrolling is free for eligible Uber, Lyft and black car drivers, so do it now, while you are healthy.

General information, not insurance advice. The plan certificates in the Drivers Benefits app have the full terms.

Which benefits need you enrolled first

Sources: BCF FAQ, Accident Disability, Critical Illness, Accidental Death, Dental.

Why the rule exists

These are insurance policies the Fund buys for drivers (from The Hartford and MetLife, the BCF pages say). Insurance covers future events, not ones that already happened. The Critical Illness disclosure explains the look-back: if you got advice or treatment for a condition in the three months before your coverage started, the policy won't pay for it if it happens in the first six months of coverage. The sooner you enroll, the sooner those clocks run out.

Who can enroll

You can enroll if you drive for a BCF member base, such as Uber or Lyft, and meet the eligibility rule: for TLC-licensed drivers, at least 20 passenger hours in the past 30 days; for drivers not licensed by TLC, at least $4,000 in passenger income in the most recent quarter. Yellow and green taxi work does not count. Check yours at am I covered by the Black Car Fund.

How to enroll today

TLC's Driver Resources page also links to the Fund's "Activate Your Benefits" form.

Staying enrolled matters too

Enrolling once is not the end. Drivers Benefits checks your hours with TLC data, and you need an average of 20 passenger hours a month over a rolling six months to stay eligible. If you drop below, your benefits end and you get an email with a chance to appeal. A gap in eligibility can leave you uncovered on the day something happens, so if you plan a long break, know that coverage may stop and re-check when you come back.

If you are already hurt

If the injury happened on a job from a member base, you are covered by workers' comp no matter what. Report it: call the authorities, tell the base, then the BCF through its app or at 212-269-4800 (press 1). See the workers' comp claim guide. If you were hurt off the job and were not enrolled, the disability benefit won't pay for that accident, but enroll now so you're covered next time.

Related: Black Car Fund driver benefits, does the BCF cover yellow taxi drivers, BCF on a street hail, how much BCF workers' comp pays and the money topic.