How Much Insurance is Available if You Are Hit by an Uber?

Getting hit by an Uber causes more than a headache. Many motorists struggle with substantial bodily injuries, including broken bones, whiplash, and concussions. Helpfully, Uber requires that its motorists be insured, and this insurance will come into play in your accident case. But how much insurance must they carry? Our rideshare accident lawyer investigates.

Minimum Commercial Insurance & When it Applies

There is no set amount of insurance that applies in all cases. Instead, we need to know where the Uber or Lyft driver was in the ride cycle:

• Not even logged into the app. Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors, so they only get paid when they accept rides. These drivers use their own vehicles. If you are struck by an Uber driver, it’s critical to know if they are even logged into the app. If not, then they are ordinary drivers, like anyone else on the road. In that case, the driver’s personal liability insurance covers the accident. South Carolina only requires drivers have a minimum $25,000 in bodily injury benefits available, up to $50,000 if multiple people are hurt.
• Logged in and looking for a ride. Once the driver logs in, their commercial insurance kicks in and covers an accident. Currently, at least $50,000 in damages for bodily injuries is available. If two or more people are injured, then $100,000 max is available to pay medical bills, compensate for pain, and replace lost income. That is double the typical insurance compared to a personal policy.
• Accepted a ride. Once the driver accepts a ride, then the insurance policy minimum $1 million kicks in. This will cover all damages if you are struck by a driver who has a passenger in their vehicle.

As you can see, the amount of insurance depends heavily on whether the driver is logged in and if they have accepted a ride.

Let our legal team investigate. After a collision, you might be in so much pain you do nothing at all but wait for an ambulance. We can investigate the crash to determine if the driver was at fault.

Comparative negligence rules also apply to rideshare accidents. If you were negligent, then you would probably receive less compensation than if you were 100% blameless. The law requires a reduction in damages equal to your share of fault. Someone who is mostly to blame will not receive anything from the rideshare driver.

Contact us so we can get started.

Schedule Your Free Consultation With Our Office Today

Snyder Heitman LLC is an established personal injury firm serving Upstate South Carolina. We realized early that rideshare companies would disrupt the transportation industry, and we have been at the forefront of holding these drivers accountable when they negligently crash into other people on the road. Call our office to speak with a Greenville rideshare accident lawyer.

Source:

doi.sc.gov/588/Automobile-Insurance