While a prominent brand name for a ridesharing service, Uber has become part of our lexicon. Hailing a car, regardless of the provider, is considered getting an Uber or Lyft. With the power and prominence of these rideshare titans also comes the responsibility of insurance coverage.
Passengers entering the car, only for the vehicle to collide with another, could create confusion.
The insurance quandary following a crash
Personal car insurance typically excludes accidents while driving people to a destination or delivery purposes. Recognizing the burgeoning growth of these titans of the gig-economy and the industries benefitting from it, insurance policies are starting to reflect modern norms with “carry for a fee” exclusions.
In addition, prominent ridesharers such as Uber and Lyft carry liability coverage and, in some cases, uninsured motorist coverage. While a significant benefit for those looking to make some extra money on the side, the two-policy dynamic does create somewhat of a conundrum as far as which policy would apply.
An increasing number of insurance providers have policies with commercial ridesharing exclusions covering rideshare drivers, provided that they are logged into the transportation network platform. Presuming that the driver’s personal policy actually provides coverage, the primary factor comes down to the driver opening the Uber or Lyft app whether a ride request occurred or not.
When passengers climb into the back seat of a car used for ridesharing, they trust that their driver will employ the highest safety standards. Falling short of those standards can result in serious injuries combined with confusion over insurance coverage. Oftentimes, that requires the help of an experienced personal injury attorney.
