In December of last year, an Uber driver was killed in a collision with a police officer. The car accident, which also resulted in the serious injury of both the other driver and the Uber passenger, has raised a number of questions regarding the safety and insurance coverage involved in Uber car accidents and other ride-share accidents.
How Does Insurance Work for Ride-Share Companies?
Ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft are becoming the biggest names in transportation and are likely to be around for a long time, since they prove to be convenient and often more cost effective than owning a car. However, many are starting to wonder how cost-effective it would be after being hit while driving or riding in a ride-share vehicle.
In the state of Florida, as with most other states, auto insurance providers are required to include personal injury protection (PIP) on all of their policies, which drivers can use to pay up to $10,000 in medical expenses in the first 14 days following an accident.
Unfortunately, neither taxis nor ride-share companies are required to carry PIP. If you have personal auto insurance, then that policy will likely help you pay medical bills after an Uber accident, but those that do not have personal auto coverage will not have the same benefit.
Unlike PIP, Florida does not require drivers to carry Bodily Harm Insurance (BHI) in case they cause an accident that leads to another person’s injury, but Uber, Lyft and other ride-sharing companies do. Uber’s policy reportedly carries $1,000,000 in liability.
In the event that you are riding in an Uber or Lyft and are hit by an uninsured driver, then ride-share companies also carry uninsured motorist coverage up to $1,000,000 as well.
As a passenger, you should be covered by either the ride-share company or other driver’s insurance. Call 911, get medical treatment, and talk to a personal injury attorney following a car accident so that you know how to best proceed.