Insurance is your first line of defense when facing the sometimes life-altering financial consequences related to a motor vehicle collision. Even a low-speed crash will probably mean thousands of dollars in property damage, and if you get hurt, there will be medical bills and lost wages to consider.
When you are at the wheel of your own vehicle, you likely feel confident in the moments after a crash because you know you have excellent insurance coverage and that the driver who hit you was to blame for the wreck. However, there are some situations in which those hurt in a car crash will feel unclear about what rights they have.
A collision that involves a rideshare vehicle seemingly creates a gray area when it comes to liability and insurance. What kind of insurance applies after a rideshare collision?
When you are not in the rideshare vehicle
If you are a pedestrian or driving your own vehicle, a collision caused by a rideshare driver will likely mean that you make a claim against their policy. For the most part, such collisions will lead to straightforward insurance claims.
In many cases, it will be the other driver’s personal policy that applies. However, if they are on the job, that can change your options. In addition to standard liability insurance coverage, someone making a living providing rides to others in their personal vehicle will also require rideshare coverage.
If a driver does not disclose to their insurance company that they use their vehicle for rideshare purposes and they had a passenger at the time of the crash, there could be a claim denial.
When you are a rideshare passenger
If you are a passenger in a rideshare vehicle, you can typically make an insurance claim against the rideshare company’s insurance policy. Both of the major players in the rideshare industry carry such coverage. That coverage takes effect as soon as you are in the vehicle with the rideshare driver.
Sometimes, you may also be able to make a claim against another driver’s policy if the rideshare driver was not to blame for the crash. In rare cases, there could be an option for a civil lawsuit as well.
Learning more about the rules that apply to unique car crash scenarios will help you access the coverage available to pay for property damage and injury expenses.