Does a Rideshare Company Cover My Injuries?

Using a rideshare service may seem convenient until it creates unnecessary burdens in your life. This is specifically if your ride ends in an accident, and you are left with serious injuries and damages as a consequence. In using a third-party service, where you merely played the role of a passenger, you may wonder how insurance works and who should cover your subsequent medical bills, lost income, and the like. Well, if you would like this question answered, please follow along to find out whether a rideshare company will agree to pay for the cost of your injuries, and how a proficient Passaic County Uber & Lyft accident lawyer at the Law Offices of August R. Soltis can fight to ensure you are not left to deal with this heavy financial toll alone.

When does a rideshare company’s insurance cover my injuries?

Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft notoriously deny liability for auto accidents involving their drivers. This is because they categorize their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. However, these companies must, at some capacity, provide insurance coverage for your claimed injuries under certain conditions. The coverage system generally reads as follows:

• Driver offline (i.e., app closed): the rideshare company will not provide insurance coverage; only the at-fault driver’s personal auto insurance plan will apply.
• Driver online (i.e., waiting for a ride request): the rideshare company will provide liability coverage at $50,000 per person injured in the accident, $100,000 total injury liability per accident, and $25,000 property damage liability.
• Driver accepts ride (i.e., en route to pick up): the rideshare company will provide liability coverage of up to $1 million.
• The driver has the passenger in the vehicle: the rideshare company will provide liability coverage of up to $1 million to the passenger and limited coverage for damages to the driver’s vehicle.

How do I start an insurance claim against a rideshare company?

No matter what type of auto accident you are involved in, whether you were a driver, passenger, or pedestrian, the first step you should always take is to seek immediate medical attention. Not only is this important for your personal health, but this initial medical documentation may become critical evidence for your insurance claim later on.

Also, immediately after your accident, you should call law enforcement to the scene. When you speak with them, make sure you inform them that you were in a rideshare vehicle. This is because the rideshare company will need this documented to even consider processing your insurance claim.

Next, you should report the crash inside the ridesharing app sooner rather than later. This is the only way the company will see your coverage request and subsequently prompt the internal claims process. But we strongly urge you not to speak with any insurer, especially a rideshare company’s representative insurance adjuster, without your lawyer present.

Of note, your lawyer may work on your behalf to subpoena the rideshare app’s data to confirm whether you were actively present in the vehicle at the time of the accident. This is so you may have the best chance at getting the maximum amount of liability coverage to which you are entitled.

We suggest you employ the services of a talented Passaic County auto accident lawyer from the Law Offices of August R. Soltis if you want the best possible chances at a positive legal outcome. We look forward to serving you.