Dott - one of the many e-scooter operators in Brussels - has announced that riders will now be insured when they rent a scooter from their 1,000 strong fleet.
This news comes at a time when Brussels is considering the wider impact of the explosion of e-scooters on the streets throughout the country
With an estimated 4,000 units now scattered throughout the streets of the Belgian capital, regional mobility authorities are considering creating zones where the unruly parking of e-scooters would be prohibited.
The increased use has also led to a rise in accidents recorded on e-scooters, the majority of which involve traumas to the head and the spine, as well as fractured noses and injuries to the limbs and joints — particularly the knees, wrists and elbows, as previously reported.
"We want to offer both safety and ease of use," says Nikos Stathopoulos, General Manager for Dott in Belgium. "That's why our scooter users are now fully covered for civil liability (damage you cause yourself) and for damage caused by third parties, without having to do anything about it. There are no extra costs involved either," reports Bruzz.
The insurance does not, however, cover a possible "passenger" because "to ride two on a scooter can be dangerous," said Stathopoulos.
Eco Payment
The Amsterdam-based startup announced the plan during a recent press conference. It was also announced that Dott will also offer ecocheque payments for the scooter rental.
"Eco vouchers are a typical Belgian payment system. The fact that we are responding to this is in line with our philosophy: integrate locally as much as possible," said Stathopoulos.
"People do not always know what to do with their ecocheques," he added. "The first year, we buy a fridge, the second a washing machine but after? This partnership with Sodexo, Edenred and Monizze offers an interesting use."
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Further information on the insurance will be communicated with customers in the next 10 days, added Stathopoulos.
It was previously announced that auto insurance is no longer required for private electric scooters, starting on Saturday, according to Assuralia, the professional union of insurance companies.
Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times
