Gig economy and riders, here are all the new insurance protections
The Italian regulations on riders have recently been defined. The Ministry of Labour Circular No. 9 of 18 April 2025 is flanked by Inail Circular No. 40 of 4 July 2025, which intervenes on insurance protection and premium calculation criteria for services intermediated by digital platforms
The 'gig economy', recalls the Fondazione Studi Consulenti del Lavoro in the in-depth study 'Digital platform and riders', is a new economic model based on temporary, flexible and short-term jobs, in most cases mediated by digital platforms that allow, through websites or apps, the needs of potential users to be matched with the services, for a fee, offered by the other side. The Italian regulation on riders has recently been defined. Ministry of Labour Circular No. 9 of 18 April 2025 is flanked by Inail Circular No. 40 of 4 July 2025, which intervenes on insurance protection and the criteria for calculating the premium for services intermediated by digital platforms.
Inail cover always due
The picture confirms that Inail cover is always due. Regardless of the structure of the relationship (self-employed, para-subordinate with hetero-organisation, or subordinate), the nature of the insurance obligation does not change, but only the method of determining the premium and the tariff item varies, depending on the qualification of the relationship and the risk of the activity. It therefore becomes essential to correctly frame the nature of the employment relationship involved.
In terms of application, the Inail circular distinguishes three hypotheses: for self-employed relationships, the premium is calculated on the conventional wages limited to the days worked; in hetero-organised collaborations, the basis is given by the actual wages or, in any case, by the wages of the applicable Ccnl; in subordinate relationships, the actual wages according to the applied contract are relevant. In any case, the principal who uses cyclo-contractors fulfils the obligations of the employer (Legislative Decree 81/2015).
The company that makes use of the services of cycle couriers intermediated by platforms (which will take on the role of principal or employer depending on the genuinely identified relationship), is in any case entrusted with the obligations of an employer, in terms of reporting in the event of registration, variation, termination, as well as those relating to accidents or cases of occupational disease.
Riders via platform
The in-depth study then reconstructs the phenomenon of platform riders, reaffirming the primacy of facts in the qualification of the relationship and the importance of the concrete ways in which the platform is used.
