Rideshare services, which were once niche industry disruptors, are now major service providers and employers here in California. Rideshare services have made getting rides faster.
Unfortunately, sometimes rideshare vehicles get involved in a crash. When that happens, everyone involved will potentially have some questions about liability and insurance coverage.
Who pays for the losses you suffered in a recent rideshare collision?
If you are the passenger in a rideshare vehicle
The companies that own the apps that help you connect with rideshare drivers have insurance policies that apply to collisions while on an app-arranged ride. If the other driver clearly caused the wreck, not the rideshare driver, then you may have to make a claim against their policy. However, if your driver played a role in causing the wreck, you may be able to make a claim against the company’s policy.
If you are someone who drives for a rideshare service
Picking up passengers and driving them around in your own vehicle means that you spend more time driving and therefore have a greater overall risk of getting into a crash than the average person. As a rideshare driver involved in a crash, there are several factors that influence what insurance company will pay for your expenses.
If the crash occurred while you are in your vehicle but have not accepted a ride, then your own policy will generally cover you. Once you accept a passenger or pick one up, the company policy may apply, although you may have liability-only coverage until you have a passenger in your vehicle. You also need to consider adding supplemental coverage to your own policy that helps protect you as a rideshare driver.
If you were in the other vehicle
If you get into a crash with a rideshare vehicle, the same rules apply as with any other collision. If you are at fault, then you have to make a claim against your own coverage for collision damages to your vehicle. However, if the rideshare driver caused the crash, you may have to make a claim against either their policy or the policy of the rideshare company depending on their work status at the time of the collision.
Understanding how insurance works after a rideshare crash damages your property or leaves you with injuries can help you get the coverage you need.