What makes a ride-share crash different
Uber and Lyft are known in the law as transportation network companies, or TNCs. Their drivers use their own cars. A personal auto policy often excludes driving for pay, so the companies carry commercial insurance that applies at certain times. That company coverage generally applies only while the driver is logged into the app, and how much applies depends on what the driver was doing at that moment.
Nearly every state and Washington, D.C. has a law setting insurance requirements for these companies, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the organization of state insurance regulators.
Who may be affected
Claims can come from riders, people in other cars, pedestrians, cyclists and the ride-share driver. Each may look to a different policy: the driver's own insurance, the company's commercial policy, or the insurance of another driver who caused the crash. If another driver was at fault but has too little insurance, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage can matter, which is one reason the required amounts are important.
Injuries and the insurance periods
Ride-share crashes cause the same injuries as other crashes, from whiplash and broken bones to head and spinal injuries. What differs is coverage. Liability insurance pays for harm a driver causes to others, and regulators divide ride-share coverage into periods:
- App off: the company's coverage generally does not apply, and the driver's personal policy is usually what matters.
- Period 1, app on and waiting for a request: coverage is more limited. Some states require at least $50,000 per person, $100,000 per crash and $25,000 for property damage.
- Period 2, ride accepted and driver heading to the pickup, and Period 3, passenger in the car: the companies carry $1 million in primary commercial liability insurance, according to the NAIC.
Where things stand (as of October 2026)
Coverage rules are set state by state and keep changing. In California, for example, a law signed in October 2025 lowered the required uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for ride-share trips from $1 million to $60,000 per person and $300,000 per accident. That coverage matters when the driver who caused the crash has little or no insurance.
Separately, thousands of lawsuits claim Uber did not do enough to protect riders from sexual assault by drivers. About 4,900 were pending in federal court in California on October 1, 2026. In the first test trial, in February 2026, a federal jury in Phoenix awarded one rider $8.5 million; Uber disputes the claims and said it would appeal.
Deadlines and what to gather
Statutes of limitations, the legal deadlines for filing an injury lawsuit, are set by each state and differ from state to state. Insurance policies also require prompt notice of a crash, and some states require drivers to tell insurers whether they were logged into an app.
- Screenshots of the trip in the app, including the receipt, route and driver name
- The police or crash report number
- Photos of the vehicles, the scene and your injuries
- Names and contact details of witnesses and other drivers, plus their insurance information
- Medical records, bills and proof of missed work
Talking to a lawyer
A licensed attorney who handles vehicle injury cases can work out which policy applies, deal with the insurers and explain your state's deadlines. Your state bar's lawyer referral service can suggest one if you do not know a lawyer.
Many injury lawyers charge a contingency fee: a percentage of any recovery, agreed in writing, usually with no fee for their time if nothing is recovered. Ask what percentage applies, how costs are handled and whether the percentage changes if the case goes to trial.
