If you drive for a living — private hire, delivery, trade or business miles — a non-fault accident doesn't just damage your car. It damages your income. The good news: lost earnings caused by someone else's negligence are recoverable from the at-fault driver's insurer. This guide explains what you can claim, the evidence that makes it stick, and how to keep the losses to a minimum in the first place.
Who Can Claim Loss of Earnings?
- PCO and private hire drivers — Uber, Bolt and licensed taxi drivers whose vehicle is their livelihood
- Self-employed drivers and couriers — whose income stops the moment the wheels stop
- Employed drivers — wages lost while off the road, including commission
- Business owners — demonstrable trading losses where a vehicle is essential to the business
- Anyone with a provable income loss caused by the accident (including trips to medical appointments)
What You Can Claim
1. Lost net earnings
The income you actually lost while unable to work: fares not taken, jobs not done, shifts not covered. Claims are calculated on net profit or net pay, so keep your evidence precise.
2. Mitigation — the duty to limit your losses
UK law expects you to take reasonable steps to keep your losses down. The most powerful mitigation step for any driver is obvious: get back on the road quickly. A TfL-plated PCO replacement delivered within 2 hours means the earnings claim shrinks — because you're earning again. Insurers respect claims where the driver mitigated properly; they fight claims where weeks of "downtime" could have been avoided.
3. Related costs
Vehicle recovery, storage and travel costs while off the road are also recoverable as part of your non-fault claim.
The Evidence That Makes Your Claim Stick
Insurers pay documented losses, not estimates. Gather:
- Earnings records — platform statements (Uber/Bolt weekly summaries are ideal), dispatch records, or accounts for the 8–12 weeks before the accident
- Proof the vehicle was off the road — repairer estimates, recovery documents, total loss notification
- A gap in the records — the same platform statements covering the off-road period, showing the drop
- Receipts and invoices for any related costs
- Your PCO licence and badge details for private hire claims — they prove you were entitled to work
As a rule of thumb: if you can show what you normally earned, and show that you couldn't during the off-road period, you have a claim. Our handlers document this alongside your main claim, so you don't chase it separately.
How Long Does a Loss of Earnings Claim Take?
Straightforward claims with clean evidence often settle within weeks of your main claim concluding. Disputed or complex cases — thin records, mixed income sources — can take longer. What matters most is filing early: statements and dispatch records are easier to pull close to the event.
Step One: Stop the Losses Today
Every day without a vehicle is money you may never recover in full. So the first step of any loss of earnings claim is the same:
- Report the accident online in about 3 minutes, or call 020 7052 5403 — 24/7
- Tell us you drive for a living — we prioritise TfL-plated PCO replacements and business-use vehicles
- Get back on the road within 2 hours of claim confirmation
- Keep earning while we handle repairs, hire recovery and your income claim
- Track everything live in your claim portal
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Uber drivers claim lost earnings?
Yes. Platform earnings statements provide exactly the evidence insurers need — your weekly summaries before and after the accident tell the whole story.
I'm paid partly in cash. Can I still claim?
Yes, but expect to work harder on evidence. Bank deposits, a work diary, dispatch records and even a signed letter from a regular account can support a cash-inclusive claim.
What if I was off the road for just a few days?
Short claims are still valid claims. A four-day loss of £400 is documented and claimed the same way as a four-week loss.
Does claiming loss of earnings slow down my replacement vehicle?
Not with us. The vehicle comes first — mitigation is the heart of the claim — and the income claim is documented while you're back driving and earning.
Protect Your Income — Report Today
Don't let someone else's mistake cost you a week's wages. Report your accident online now, or call 020 7052 5403 — a TfL-plated replacement can be on your doorstep within 2 hours.