When an Uber or Lyft is involved in a crash, figuring out which insurance policy actually applies gets complicated fast. We sort out who’s responsible so you don’t have to.
A rideshare accident can involve several layers of insurance depending on what the driver was doing at the moment of the crash: waiting for a ride request, en route to pick someone up, or actively transporting a passenger. Each phase can trigger different coverage, sometimes the driver’s personal policy, sometimes the rideshare company’s commercial policy.
Sorting out which applies, and making sure the right one pays, is often the hardest part of these cases.
If you were hurt while riding as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, you’re generally not at fault regardless of which driver caused the crash, but that doesn’t mean the claims process is simple.
You may be dealing with the rideshare company’s insurer, the at-fault driver’s insurer, or both, each with their own incentive to minimize what they pay.
As a passenger, you’re generally not at fault no matter which driver caused the crash. Which insurance pays depends on the situation: if your Uber or Lyft driver was at fault, the rideshare company’s commercial policy typically applies while a passenger is in the car. If another driver caused it, their insurance is involved too. You may be dealing with more than one insurer, each trying to minimize what it pays.
It depends on what the app showed at the moment of the crash. Coverage usually works in phases: when the app is off, only the driver’s personal policy applies; when the driver is logged in and waiting for a request, limited coverage applies; and when the driver is on the way to or carrying a passenger, the rideshare company’s larger commercial policy generally applies. Pinning down which phase was active is often the key question in these cases.
You’d generally pursue the rideshare driver and, depending on their app status at the time, potentially Uber or Lyft’s commercial coverage. Establishing what the driver was doing in the app when they hit you is central to which policy applies, and it’s exactly the kind of detail that has to be pinned down early.
Because there can be several layers of insurance and more than one company involved, each with its own incentive to point at the other. Sorting out which policy actually covers your injuries, and making sure the right one pays, is usually the hardest part of a rideshare case.
Nothing upfront. Rideshare accident cases are handled on a contingency fee, so you pay no attorney fee unless we recover for you.
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Learn more →Whether you were a passenger, a driver, or hit by a rideshare vehicle, we sort out the coverage so you can focus on recovering. The call is free, and you pay nothing unless we recover for you.
(For fault rules, what to do after any car accident, and what you may be able to recover, see our page – Houston Car Accident Lawyer.)
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