Everything changes with the click of a button – at least when it comes to rideshare insurance coverage.
As soon as a rideshare driver opens the Uber or Lyft app and makes themselves available to pick up passengers, Uber or Lyft insurance kicks in to provide additional coverage, beyond the limits of the rideshare driver’s personal auto insurance policy.
But how much coverage does it provide? Who does it apply to? And does it increase once a passenger’s actually been picked up?
These are the questions that all rideshare passengers and drivers should know how to answer, so let’s start by breaking down the coverage into the stages of rideshare driving:
Stage 0: The rideshare driver’s app is closed; they are not available to pick up passengers. During these times, Uber and Lyft insurance doesn’t apply; if the rideshare driver gets in an accident, only their personal auto insurance will cover the damages.
Stage 1: The rideshare driver is logged into the app and is waiting to accept a ride request. If the rideshare driver causes an accident during this stage and their personal auto insurance doesn’t apply, both Uber and Lyft provide third-party liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per person
- $100,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident
- $25,000 in property damage coverage per accident
Stage 2: The rideshare driver has accepted a ride request and is on their way to pick up the passenger(s). If the rideshare driver causes an accident while on their way to pick up a passenger, the amounts of coverage provided by Uber and Lyft shoot up to the following:
- $1 million in third-party liability insurance
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage (depending on the state)
- Uber’s coverage limits in Florida: $10,000 per person and $20,000 total per accident
- Lyft’s coverage in Florida: none
- Contingent comprehensive and collision coverage up to the cash value of the car, with a $1,000 deductible (for Uber), or a $2,500 deductible (for Lyft)
Stage 3: The rideshare driver is in the process of bringing a passenger from their pick-up location to their destination. The same amount of coverage that applies in Stage 2 applies in Stage 3. In other words, when it comes to insurance coverage by Uber and Lyft, nothing changes from the time the driver accepts a ride request to the time they arrive at the passenger’s destination and the passenger gets out of the vehicle.
Have you been injured in a rideshare-related accident in Florida, and you’re not sure how the various types of coverage can benefit you?
At Fenstersheib Law Group, P.A., our Uber and Lyft accident attorneys work tirelessly to ensure that injured rideshare passengers receive the maximum amount of compensation possible.
This requires knowing the ins and outs of rideshare driving stages and the coverage that applies at each. We’ve covered the basics here, but nothing beats a personalized evaluation of your specific situation.
Don’t hesitate to call us today for answers to any and all of your questions. We’re eager to hear from you.
Our main office is located in Hallandale Beach, Florida, and we have secondary Florida offices located in Hollywood, Miramar, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa, & Jacksonville.
Call Fenstersheib Law Group, P.A. at 800-TELL-ROBERT
