Ridesharing: How Much is Covered by Lyft and Uber?

You know, in the old days, we were warned not to get into the car with a stranger. Now we do it all the time. But it’s actually the drivers that are taking on more of a risk. As a driver, you’re using your personal car, on your personal time. And that can get a little tricky when it comes to insurance coverage.

Your Auto Insurance Probably Doesn’t Cover You

You’re working commercially. That’s a lot more risk. You’re driving more, you’ve got strange people in your car, and you’re probably driving to unfamiliar places. If you want your auto insurance to cover you, you need to contact an independent insurance agent and ask specifically for rideshare insurance. Rideshare insurance is sort of a mix between personal and commercial coverage, giving you limited protection for events that occur during your rideshare work.

Your Rideshare Insurance Only Covers You So Far

Okay, but there’s rideshare insurance right?

Well, sort of.

The problem is there’s this specific gap.

Your personal insurance covers you when you’re driving around for yourself, and rideshare insurance covers you when you have a passenger in the car. That much is true.

But when you’re driving to pick up a passenger, neither insurance policy is likely to cover you. Your personal insurance won’t cover you because you’re engaged in rideshare work. The rideshare insurance won’t cover you because you don’t have a passenger yet. That also counts if you’re just waiting around for a passenger, and something happens to your vehicle.

That’s the problem. You’re still looking at an app and navigating to an unfamiliar place, but you’re not covered at all. Plus, it might not even be your fault: someone else could hit you.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

You need an additional insurance rider, and your insurance company has to be aware that you’re working rideshare. It’s popular now. A lot of people do it either in their off time or as a full-time job, and insurance companies understand that.

But you can’t rely on the rideshare service’s insurance alone. For one, they’re more interested in protecting themselves than you (it’s capitalism). Connect with an independent insurance agent today to review your auto insurance coverage and avoid becoming a cautionary tale about late stage capitalism.