Who pays for the cost generated by an Uber or Lyft crash?

Rideshare services have made on-demand transportation more accessible. Potential passengers no longer need to know the reputations of different taxi services in every city they visit. People can use an app to call for a ride at almost any location.

When they are sick, intoxicated or unfamiliar with their surroundings, they can pay for someone sober who knows the area to drive them. Lyft and Uber have both become power players in the transportation sector by helping individuals connect with rides when they need them the most.

The vast majority of rideshare trips are uneventful. Passengers request a ride, secure the transportation they need and get on with their day. Unfortunately, a small percentage of rideshare trips result in a crash. The passenger who hired the rideshare service may sustain injuries and have property damage losses to address. How can rideshare passengers pay for the cost generated by a crash?

Insurance is typically available to rideshare passengers

The good news for rideshare passengers is that a crash often makes them eligible for an insurance claim. If the other vehicle, not the rideshare vehicle, was to blame for the collision, then the driver at fault for the crash may provide standard motor vehicle liability insurance.

If the crash occurred during the rideshare trip and the rideshare driver was at fault, then the corporate insurance policies carried by Uber and Lyft can compensate the injured passenger for their expenses. In cases where the crash occurs either before the driver technically begins the rideshare trip or after they end the ride in the app, the supplemental rideshare coverage drivers must add to their liability policies can reimburse their passengers.

In some cases, passengers may need to consider litigation in addition to insurance claims. If the driver does not have proper coverage or if the crash leads to catastrophic injuries, litigation may be the only viable means of obtaining full compensation for the expenses generated.

Those involved in rideshare collisions often need help when pursuing compensation afterward. They may be uncertain of what compensation options they have. Documenting what happened during the crash and reviewing the crash report are both necessary steps for those who need compensation after a rideshare wreck.