Paid Carpooling Will Not Require Special Insurance in Israel

Israel will not require special insurance policies for paid carpooling, Israel's Commissioner of Capital Markets Dorit Salinger confirmed in a letter to insurance companies Monday, following inquiries sent to her office. Drivers will be covered by a basic mandatory insurance, Salinger said. Israeli regulations signed into law in December allow non-commercial drivers to make up to two carpool rides with up to four passengers a day and charge each up to NIS 2 (approximately $0.55) per kilometer. Rides must also be pre-booked and not hailed on demand. According to the letter, booking can be made using an app. Israeli law still prohibits commercial for-profit rides to be made by unauthorized drivers, requiring special licenses and insurance policies for private taxis, which make peer-to-peer ridesharing services, such as Uber or Lyft, illegal in the country.