A crash involving a rideshare driver can raise questions that do not always come up after a typical car accident. One of the biggest questions is which insurance policy applies. The answer often depends on whether the driver was offline, waiting for a ride request, on the way to pick up a passenger or carrying one.
Immediate steps after a rideshare accident
Your first priority is safety. Check yourself and others for injuries, and call 911 if anyone needs emergency help. Reporting the crash also creates an official record of what happened.
If you can do so safely, exchange information with the rideshare driver. Get the driver’s name, contact information, license plate number, insurance details and the name of the rideshare company. If you were a passenger, save your trip receipt and take screenshots of the ride details in the app, including the driver’s name, route and pickup time.
Photos can also help document the scene. Take pictures of the vehicles, road conditions, traffic signs, visible injuries and property damage. You may also want to get the witness’s contact information. Seek medical attention, even if your symptoms seem minor, because some injury symptoms may just be delayed.
How rideshare insurance works in Connecticut
Connecticut law treats companies such as Uber and Lyft as transportation network companies. The insurance that applies depends on the driver’s status at the time of the accident.
If the driver was offline, their personal auto insurance usually applies. If the driver was logged in and waiting for a ride request, a lower coverage tier applies: $50,000 for one person’s injuries, $100,000 for all injury claims from the crash and $25,000 for property damage.
If the driver had accepted a ride request, was on the way to pick up a passenger or was transporting a passenger, Connecticut law requires at least $1 million in primary liability coverage per accident.
Why app status and records matter
A rideshare accident claim can involve the driver’s personal insurer, the rideshare company’s insurer or both. The driver’s app status helps determine which coverage may apply.
Keeping records after the crash can make the claim easier to understand. Medical records, photos, app screenshots, witness information and the police report can help show what happened, when it happened and which insurance coverage may be involved.
