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Uber Insurance: Required Coverages and Who Pays When

Uber Insurance: Required Coverages and Who Pays When

Uber must maintain a commercial insurance policy to ensure that passengers, drivers, and other involved parties are able to receive compensation after an accident. The degree of Uber insurance coverage depends on which “period” the driver was in at the time of the accident.

If you or your loved one were injured in an Uber accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, emotional harm, etc. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today for help after your Uber accident: (484) 351-0350.

What coverage must Uber provide?

If an Uber driver is not actively waiting for or picking up riders, or is using his vehicle for personal purposes, the driver’s personal insurance plan will cover an accident.

In Period 1 (when the driver is “on the app” and is available to take riders but has not matched with a rider), the driver’s personal insurance company will cover him and any other parties injured in a wreck the driver caused. If the insurer denies the claim, Uber’s contingency policy kicks in; it offers $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per person ($100,000 total) and $25,000 in property damage liability.

If the Uber driver has matched with and is driving to pick up a rider (Period 2), Uber’s insurance policy covers the Uber driver, passengers, and other parties involved in the wreck if the Uber driver caused the wreck. The policy offers:

  • $1 million in liability coverage for passengers and other, non-Uber drivers ($1.5 million for rides originating in Philadelphia)
  • $1 million uninsured/underinsured motorist policy for the Uber driver and passengers if the at-fault driver has no coverage, insufficient coverage, or flees the scene ($1.5 million for rides originating in Philadelphia)

Period 3 covers an accident that occurs when an Uber driver is actually carrying a passenger. The same coverage that is applicable to Period 2 applies.

Getting the Coverage You Need after an Uber Accident

Even though Uber has this $1 million insurance policy, it can be difficult to recover adequate compensation. This may not be a surprise to you because, after all, Uber and its insurance provider are businesses. As with other businesses, they do not want to pay you a penny more than they have to.

The reason this is so difficult is that Uber does not employ its drivers. Instead, Uber connects the driver to passengers in need of rides. Uber drivers are “independent contractors,” not employees.

If you or a loved one sustained an injury in an accident with an Uber vehicle, contact Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers. We can identify the Uber insurance coverage (and/or other coverage) available to you. Our Uber accident lawyers have the experience needed to get you the compensation you deserve.

Contact us today to set up a consultation: (484) 351-0350.