If you suffered an injury in a ride-share car accident through no fault of your own, you may have questions about who should pay for damages.
The law handles ride-share accidents much like any other car accident in that the negligent party is responsible.
Could you be liable?
Whether or not your face full or partial liability for a ride-share accident depends on your position in the accident. If you were either the driver of the ride-share vehicle or the driver of another vehicle involved in the collision, you could face responsibility. If you were the passenger of a ride-share driver, you likely face no liability.
Whose insurance covers damages?
If the ride-share driver is all or partially responsible, either their personal insurance covers it or the ride-sharing company’s insurance does. Which insurer pays depends primarily on the driver’s work status at the time.
Uber and Lyft stipulate specific periods of app activity for varying levels of insurance coverage. For example, both companies offer the following:
- Liability insurance for bodily injury and property damage when the app is on and waiting for a ride request at the time of the accident
- Liability, uninsured/underinsured motorists, and collision and comprehensive if the driver accepted a ride or had a passenger at the accident
Ultimately, an Uber or Lyft driver not on-duty with the app off relies on their personal insurance to provide protection. Both companies require them to have a minimum of state-mandated insurance coverage.
As a passenger, you should not pay anything for damages. That responsibility falls on the liable party.