Uber or Lyft Crash? Whose Insurance Applies

Which insurance applies after an Uber or Lyft crash?

It depends on what the driver’s app was doing at the time of the crash. When the app is off, the driver’s own policy applies. When the app is on, Uber’s or Lyft’s coverage can apply. The amount goes up once the driver accepts a ride.

There are three periods. In period 1, the app is on and the driver is waiting for a ride. In period 2, the driver has accepted a ride and is on the way. In period 3, the rider is in the car until they get out.

While the driver waits, Uber says it covers harm the driver causes to others. Its limits are at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash for injuries, and $25,000 for property damage. Some states require more.

Source: Uber: Insurance for rideshare trips · as of Oct 5, 2026

From the time a driver accepts a ride, Uber says it has at least $1,000,000 for injuries and damage to riders and others in a crash the driver caused.

Source: Uber: Insurance for rideshare trips · as of Oct 5, 2026

Lyft says it has at least $1,000,000 in most places during a ride. It lists some states where limits are lower.

Source: Lyft: Insurance resources for drivers · as of Oct 5, 2026

Lyft says most personal car policies do not cover a driver while they drive with Lyft. Texas, Florida and New York law let a personal insurer leave out rideshare driving.

What rideshare insurance does California require?

California law sets the coverage for each period. It is far higher once a driver accepts a ride. While a rider is in the car, the company must also pay for harm from a driver with no insurance or too little.

While the app is on and the driver waits, the minimum is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash for injury or death, and $30,000 for property damage. There must also be at least $200,000 in extra coverage.

Source: California Public Utilities Code § 5433 · as of Oct 5, 2026

Source: California Public Utilities Code § 5433 · as of Oct 5, 2026

From when the driver accepts a ride until the ride ends, there must be $1,000,000 in rideshare coverage. It can come from the driver’s or the company’s rideshare policy. It is primary, which means it pays first.

Source: California Public Utilities Code § 5433 · as of Oct 5, 2026

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage while a rider is in the car is $60,000 per person and $300,000 per crash. Only the company must carry it.

Source: California Public Utilities Code § 5433 · as of Oct 5, 2026

This amount comes from a 2025 law, SB 371. The state code shows it in effect on January 1, 2026.

The state utilities commission’s web page still lists $1,000,000 for this coverage. We use the amount in the law.

Source: California Public Utilities Commission: Insurance requirements for TNCs · as of Oct 5, 2026

The company’s coverage does not wait for the driver’s own insurer to deny a claim. If the driver’s rideshare coverage has lapsed, the company must pay from the first dollar.

After a crash, drivers must show proof of both their personal and their commercial insurance.

What rideshare insurance does Texas require?

Texas law sets two levels. Lower limits apply while the driver waits for a ride. A higher limit applies from when the driver accepts a ride until the last rider gets out.

While the driver waits, the minimum is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash for injury or death, and $25,000 for property damage.

Source: Texas Insurance Code ch. 1954 · as of Oct 5, 2026

During a ride, the minimum is $1 million per crash for death, injury and property damage.

Source: Texas Insurance Code ch. 1954 · as of Oct 5, 2026

The law calls for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage only where the state’s general auto law requires it. Uber says it carries this coverage only where the law requires it. We could not confirm whether Uber or Lyft carry it in Texas.

The company’s coverage does not depend on the driver’s own insurer first denying a claim. If the driver’s coverage has lapsed or falls short, the company’s policy pays from the first dollar.

If you ask, the driver must tell you, the insurers and the police whether they were logged on or giving a ride when the crash happened.

What rideshare insurance does Florida require?

Florida law sets two levels. While the driver waits, the policy must have PIP, short for personal injury protection. It must also have the uninsured motorist coverage that state law calls for. The limit is much higher during a ride.

While the driver waits, the minimum is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash for death and injury, and $25,000 for property damage.

Source: Florida Statutes § 627.748 (2026) · as of Oct 5, 2026

During a ride, the minimum is $1 million for death, injury and property damage. The policy must also have PIP, and uninsured and underinsured coverage as Florida’s UM law requires. That law lets a policyholder turn this coverage down in writing.

Source: Florida Statutes § 627.748 (2026) · as of Oct 5, 2026

If the driver’s coverage has lapsed or falls short, the company’s policy must pay from the first dollar. It does not wait for the driver’s own insurer to deny the claim.

If you were in the crash and you ask, the driver must tell you, the insurers and the police whether they were logged on to the app at the time.

What rideshare insurance does New York require?

New York’s rideshare law does not apply to a trip that starts in New York City. In the rest of the state, its limits for injuries are higher than in the other states on this page.

While the driver is logged on and waiting, the policy must have at least $75,000 for injury or death of one person, $150,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage. It must also include uninsured motorist and No-Fault coverage.

Source: New York DFS: Ride sharing (TNC) FAQs · as of Oct 5, 2026

During a trip, the policy must have at least $1,250,000 in coverage. It must also have $1,250,000 in extra uninsured and underinsured coverage, called SUM, plus No-Fault coverage.

Source: New York DFS: Ride sharing (TNC) FAQs · as of Oct 5, 2026

Source: New York DFS: Ride sharing (TNC) FAQs · as of Oct 5, 2026

A trip starts when the driver accepts a request. It ends when the last rider gets out.

The policy a driver used to register the car may leave out coverage, including No-Fault, while the driver is logged on. If there is a dispute about whether the car was being used for rideshare, the company’s group policy must pay the No-Fault benefits.

I was a rider, another driver or on foot. What should I do?

Get help for anyone who is hurt. Ask the driver for their name, insurance and plate number, and whether their app was on. Then tell your own insurer about the crash.

State laws require drivers in a crash to share their name and plate or license details. Texas and New York law also require the name of their insurer.

Uber says its coverage during a trip pays for harm to riders and others when the Uber driver is at fault. For a crash caused by a driver with no insurance or too little, Uber says it carries coverage only in states where the law requires it. It says riders may also have coverage through their own policy.

Uber’s insurance page has separate links for riders and for other people to report a crash.

Texas’s insurance department suggests photos of the cars, plates and damage.

We also suggest keeping your trip receipt and the names of any witnesses.

Where can I get help if an insurer will not pay?

Your state’s insurance department takes complaints about insurers. You can call or file online.

Texas: call 800-252-3439. California: call 1-800-927-4357. Florida: call 1-877-693-5236. New York: file a complaint online with the Department of Financial Services. In another state, the NAIC lists each insurance department.

What if I want to talk with a law firm about a rideshare crash?

You can report the crash and file claims on your own. The rules above show which policy to ask about.

Some people also want to ask a law firm about an injury from a rideshare crash. People’s Justice is not a law firm. We do not review your crash or recommend a lawyer. If you want, you can use the form on this page to ask to be connected with a law firm that pays us to advertise.