Any motor vehicle accident can be complicated and devastating, but an accident occurring during an Uber/Lyft ride, or rideshare service, can be even more complex. Whether you are at fault or not, the rules can change for you and your passenger(s).

Who Pays the Damages in Rideshare Accidents?

Both Uber and Lyft provide liability insurance to all its drivers with coverage up to $1 million if the driver is determined at fault for the accident, plus $250,000 uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) bodily injury coverage, with a $1,000 comprehensive and collision deductible for property damage. However, the means to recover damages is not necessarily clear, as there are different technicalities that come in to play.

Uber/Lyft passengers can be due compensation if they are injured in an accident during a ride.

If a driver is found at fault for an accident, and they have insurance coverage, they insurance would be responsible for paying for accident related damages sustained by the rideshare driver and their passenger. The insurance would also be responsible for property damage to the rideshare vehicle. Once the limits of the at-fault party’s policy are exhausted, the rideshare company’s underinsured motorist coverage will typically cover any additional medical expenses.

Technicalities: Uber/Lyft Policies Apply In Specific Situations

Uber and Lyft insurance policies are only effective while the driver is using the vehicle for rideshare purposes, and it will not cover any accidents occurring when the vehicle is being driven for personal use. Under these circumstances, the driver’s liability policy will usually provide coverage.

Some personal insurance policies do not restrict coverage for rideshare purposes, so the policy would cover accidents occurring during personal use and ride shares. Further details on what rules apply at what times can be found here.

What You Can do if You are in an Accident While using Rideshare

If you were injured while riding in an Uber of Lyft-affiliated vehicle, recovery is likely an option for you. It may be possible, with the assistance of our attorneys at Childers, Schlueter & Smith, to recover damages from the Uber policy, the Uber driver’s personal insurance, and the at-fault driver’s liability coverage. If you have been injured in a car accident, may it be with Uber/Lyft or just on your own, please give us a call for a free consultation.

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