Rideshare Crashes and Layered Insurance
Uber and Lyft are everywhere in Connecticut's cities and suburbs, and crashes involving rideshare vehicles raise insurance questions that ordinary collisions do not. Whether you were a rideshare passenger, the driver of another vehicle, a pedestrian, or the rideshare driver yourself, the coverage that applies depends on what the app was doing at the moment of the crash. Sorting this out is essential to recovering full compensation.
How Rideshare Coverage Works
Rideshare insurance generally works in phases. When the app is off, only the driver's personal auto insurance applies. When the driver is logged in and waiting for a ride request, a limited contingent policy applies. When the driver is on the way to pick up a passenger or has a passenger in the car, Uber and Lyft provide a much larger commercial liability policy, often up to one million dollars. Determining which phase was active is the key to identifying available coverage.
Who Can Recover After a Rideshare Crash
Passengers injured in a rideshare vehicle are almost always entitled to compensation, since they are rarely at fault. Drivers and passengers in other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists struck by a rideshare driver may also recover. Even rideshare drivers injured by another negligent motorist may have claims. Each situation requires identifying the right policy and the right defendant.
Why These Cases Need an Attorney
Uber and Lyft are large companies with sophisticated insurers who work to minimize payouts and dispute which coverage applies. An attorney who understands rideshare insurance can establish which phase was active, identify every available policy, and pursue the full compensation you are owed for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Injured in Connecticut? Get a free, confidential case review today. There's no obligation, and you pay no fee unless you win. Call 973-566-5599.
Frequently Asked Questions
Almost always. Passengers are rarely at fault, and when a ride is in progress, Uber and Lyft carry large commercial liability policies that typically cover passenger injuries.
It depends on whether the app was active and whether the driver had accepted a ride. We can determine which phase was in effect and identify the applicable coverage.
Generally two years from the date of injury under Connecticut law, the same as other motor vehicle claims.