Georgia Lawyers for Uber and Lyft Driver Accidents

With thousands of people across Georgia turning to rideshare driving to earn income, there has been a drastic increase in the number of Uber and Lyft drivers involved in car accidents. Uber and Lyft are required in the State of Georgia to carry $1,000,000 in liability coverage during “Period 2”, which is from the time that a ride has connected via the app until the time the ride is dropped off. State law also provides that Uber provide $100,000 in liability insurance for “Period 1”, which is when the rideshare driver has the app activated and is driving around waiting for a fare.

That is all well and good for people who are hit by Uber drivers or passengers in a Lyft ride when the accident occurs, but what insurance can protect the rideshare driver?

There are a number of solid insurance products that the driver has access too:

1. Most major insurance companies now offer rideshare coverage as a modification of basic personal lines car insurance coverage. It stretches to fill any gaps left in state law. Make sure to tell your car insurance company if you are doing rideshare work and get a rideshare policy!
2. You may not know it but Uber and Lyft provide underinsured motorist insurance that protects the driver if they are hit and injured through the fault of a John Doe unknown driver or an uninsured or underinsured driver. The coverages are $100,000 in Period 1 and $1,000,000 in Period 2. Our firm is representing the family of an Uber driver who was run over and killed while helping to load a passenger into his vehicle. This qualifies as Period 1 so our firm is going to pursue the $1,000,000 policy on behalf of the widow because the driver who hit him was speeding.
3. Uber is now offering drivers the option of buying inexpensive disability insurance that acts like workers compensation. It pays up to $1,000,000 in medical bills and offers a death benefit of $150,000 to survivors.

If you are going to be a rideshare driver, take some time and make sure your insurance situation is sorted out before you hit the roads.

What about Uninsured Motorist Insurance coverage when you are in a Ride Share vehicle? It’s different. The standard rule about uninsured motorist insurance is that the coverage follows the injured person. What that means is if you are riding in your friend Larry’s car and he is hit by a driver with no insurance, low insurance or a driver who flees the scene and is never found, then you will need uninsured motorist insurance. In the example with Larry, Larry himself would make his claim against his own UM policy. While you are covered under Larry’s insurance while riding in his car, it is not primary unless you don’t have uninsured motorist insurance of your own. If you have UM coverage, then your own policy comes first, followed by backup insurance through his. The is known as the order of stacking.

The exception to this rule is with Ride Share UM. It appears from the law that mandated the insurance coverages for Ride Share that their own UM insurance is primary to your personal policy when you are a passenger in their Ride Share vehicle. Be aware of this if you are hurt in an accident that will require you to access that coverage.