In this guide
The four moments that decide whose insurance pays
| What the driver was doing | What the law requires | California, for example |
|---|---|---|
| App off | Nothing extra — the driver’s personal auto policy applies | — |
| App on, waiting for a request | Lower limits, from the driver’s policy, the company’s or both | $50,000 / $100,000 injury, $30,000 property, plus $200,000 excess |
| Ride accepted, driving to the pickup | The higher “ride” coverage | $1,000,000 from the moment the ride is accepted |
| Rider in the car | The same higher coverage; some states add uninsured motorist coverage for passengers | $1,000,000, plus $60,000 / $300,000 uninsured motorist coverage |
In the states whose definitions we read — all of these except Pennsylvania — the higher coverage starts when the driver accepts the ride request, not when the passenger gets in.
Rideshare insurance minimums in 10 states
| State | App on, no ride | Ride accepted through drop-off | Uninsured motorist coverage in the rideshare law |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for injury or death, $30,000 property damage, plus $200,000 excess coverage Pub. Util. Code § 5433(c) | $1,000,000, primary Pub. Util. Code § 5433(b)(1) | $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident while a passenger is in the car (§ 5433(b)(2)) |
| Texas | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for injury or death, $25,000 property damage Ins. Code § 1954.052 | $1,000,000 total per incident Ins. Code § 1954.053 | Where Texas’s uninsured motorist law requires it (Ins. Code § 1952.101) |
| Florida | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for injury or death, $25,000 property damage, plus PIP Stat. § 627.748(7)(b) | $1,000,000 combined, plus PIP Stat. § 627.748(7)(c) | As required by Florida’s uninsured motorist law (§ 627.727) |
| New York | $75,000 per person and $150,000 per accident for injury or death, $25,000 property damage Veh. & Traf. Law § 1693(2)(a) | $1,250,000 per occurrence Veh. & Traf. Law § 1693(3)(a) | Supplementary uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of $1,250,000 during a trip (§ 1693(3)(a)) |
| Pennsylvania | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for injury or death, $25,000 property damage; first-party medical benefits of $25,000 for pedestrians and $5,000 for the driver 66 Pa.C.S. § 2603.1(a)(2) | $500,000, plus first-party medical benefits including $25,000 for passengers and pedestrians 66 Pa.C.S. § 2603.1(a)(3) | Not required by this section |
| Illinois | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for injury or death, $25,000 property damage 625 ILCS 57/10(b) | $1,000,000 625 ILCS 57/10(c)(1) | $50,000 while a passenger is in the car (57/10(c)(2)) |
| Ohio | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injury or death, $25,000 property damage R.C. 3942.02(A)(2)(a) | $1,000,000 per accident R.C. 3942.02(A)(2)(b) | Not required by this section |
| Georgia | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injury or death, $50,000 property damage O.C.G.A. § 33-1-24(b)(2) | $1,000,000 per occurrence O.C.G.A. § 33-1-24(b)(3) | As provided under Georgia’s uninsured motorist law (§ 33-7-11) |
| North Carolina | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injury or death, $25,000 property damage, plus UM/UIM G.S. 20-280.4(a)(2) | $1,000,000 per accident, plus UM/UIM G.S. 20-280.4(a)(3) | Combined uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage under G.S. 20-279.21 |
| Michigan | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for injury or death, $25,000 property damage, plus no-fault PIP MCL 257.2123(2) | $1,000,000 combined, plus no-fault PIP MCL 257.2123(3) | No-fault PIP applies in both periods (MCL 257.2123) |
- Florida: If the driver’s own insurance has lapsed or doesn’t provide the required coverage, the company’s insurance must cover the claim from the first dollar (§ 627.748(7)(d)).
- Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania’s ride-period minimum is $500,000, half the $1,000,000 most other states here require.
- Ohio: If the driver’s policy doesn’t provide the required amounts, the company’s policy must cover the claim from the first dollar (R.C. 3942.02(B)(1)).
- Michigan: If the required insurance lapses or doesn’t provide the coverage, the company’s insurance must cover the claim from the first $1 (MCL 257.2123(5)).
If you were the passenger
- The rideshare driver caused the crash: you claim against the ride-period coverage — at least $1 million in most of these states.
- Another driver caused it: that driver’s insurance comes first. If they had too little or none, uninsured motorist coverage can fill the gap where the rideshare law requires it — for example $60,000 per person in California, $50,000 in Illinois and $1,250,000 in New York.
- No-fault states: personal injury protection pays medical bills first. Florida’s and Michigan’s rideshare laws require PIP, and Pennsylvania’s requires first-party medical benefits, including $25,000 for passengers.
If an Uber or Lyft hit you
Find out what the driver was doing: the period decides which coverage and limits apply. If the app was off, it’s an ordinary car accident claim against the driver’s own policy. Either way, your own coverage can help while the claim is sorted out — collision for your car, MedPay or PIP for medical bills, and uninsured motorist coverage if the driver’s insurance falls short.
Can you sue Uber or Lyft?
Most rideshare injury claims are made against the driver and paid from the coverage the state’s rideshare law requires, which may be a policy the company maintains. Whether the company itself can be held responsible depends on the facts and on your state’s law. That’s a question for a lawyer licensed in your state.
What an Uber or Lyft accident settlement is worth
There’s no reliable average. A $1 million policy is a limit, not a payout: what a claim is worth depends on your injuries, bills and lost income, and on who was at fault. For a benchmark, insurers paid an average of $28,278 per bodily injury liability claim in 2024, according to ISO/Verisk data — see what the average settlement includes. Whatever you recover, fees and liens come out first; the take-home calculator shows what’s left.
Frequently asked questions
Does Uber’s or Lyft’s insurance cover passengers?
During a trip, every state we checked requires coverage: $1,000,000 in 8 of the 10 states, $1,250,000 in New York and $500,000 in Pennsylvania. It pays when the rideshare driver is responsible for your injuries. Some states also require uninsured motorist coverage for passengers, such as California ($60,000 per person) and Illinois ($50,000).
What if the Uber or Lyft driver had the app off?
Then the driver wasn’t working for the rideshare company at that moment, and the state’s rideshare insurance rules don’t apply. The driver’s personal auto policy is the coverage to claim against.
What if the driver was waiting for a ride request?
Lower minimums apply while the app is on but no ride is accepted — typically $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries. California adds $200,000 of excess coverage, and New York requires $75,000 and $150,000.
Can you sue Uber or Lyft for an accident?
Most claims are made against the driver and paid from the coverage the rideshare law requires, which can be a policy the company maintains. Whether the company itself can be held responsible depends on the facts and your state’s law — a question for a lawyer in your state.
How long do I have to make an Uber or Lyft accident claim?
The same deadlines apply as for any car accident injury: 2 or 3 years to file a lawsuit in the largest states, and much earlier notice deadlines for no-fault insurance and claims against public bodies. The claim deadline calculator shows yours.
Reviewed by
Morgan Hale, Editor. Writes about the financial side of injury claims — fees, liens, timelines and state rules — and checks every page against its sources before it’s published. Not a lawyer; “Morgan Hale” is a pen name. Editorial policy · How we calculate
Sources
- California Public Utilities Code § 5433 — TNC insurance: logged on vs. from ride acceptance until the passenger exits (FindLaw (California Public Utilities Code))
- Texas Insurance Code § 1954.001 — Definitions (“prearranged ride” begins when the driver accepts the ride) (FindLaw (Texas Insurance Code))
- Texas Insurance Code § 1954.052 — Insurance requirements between prearranged rides (FindLaw (Texas Insurance Code))
- Texas Insurance Code § 1954.053 — Insurance requirements during prearranged rides (FindLaw (Texas Insurance Code))
- Florida Statutes § 627.748 (2025) — Transportation network companies (definitions and insurance) (The Florida Senate)
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1691 — Definitions (“TNC prearranged trip”) (New York State Senate)
- New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1693 — TNC insurance requirements (New York State Senate)
- 66 Pa.C.S. § 2603.1 — Financial responsibility requirements for transportation network companies (FindLaw (Pennsylvania Public Utility Code))
- 625 ILCS 57/10 — Transportation Network Providers Act: insurance (FindLaw (Illinois Vehicle Code))
- Ohio Revised Code § 3942.01 — Definitions (“transportation network company services”) (FindLaw (Ohio Revised Code))
- Ohio Revised Code § 3942.02 — Insurance required of TNC drivers (FindLaw (Ohio Revised Code))
- O.C.G.A. § 33-1-24 — Insurance requirements for ride share network services (FindLaw (Official Code of Georgia))
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-280.1 — Transportation network company definitions (FindLaw (North Carolina General Statutes))
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-280.4 — TNC insurance requirements (FindLaw (North Carolina General Statutes))
- Michigan Compiled Laws § 257.2102 — Definitions (“transportation network company prearranged ride”) (FindLaw (Michigan Vehicle Code))
- Michigan Compiled Laws § 257.2123 — TNC insurance requirements (FindLaw (Michigan Vehicle Code))
Not legal or financial advice. InjuryMath is not a law firm and does not sell or broker funding. This page gives general information based on the sources listed; your contracts and your state’s law control. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.