An Uber driver whose insurer knocked back a claim because he hadn’t told them he was working for the rideshare company has had his complaint rejected by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

The man lodged a claim with Auto & General after his vehicle was involved in a collision on June 1 last year.

But it became apparent during the claims process that he had started as an Uber driver a couple of months before the accident, shortly after he had purchased the policy.

Auto & General says if the man had advised them of this change of use, it would have cancelled the policy and not been on risk at the time of the loss. It therefore declined the claim.

The driver said he was not working for Uber at the time of the collision and he did not know he had to inform the insurer about any changes of use.

He said he only speaks limited English, and the failure to update his insurer was an honest mistake.

However, AFCA found in the insurer’s favour. “The insurer was entitled to decline the claim and is not required to take any further action,” it says.