Rideshare crashes are more complicated than ordinary car accidents because coverage depends entirely on what the driver was doing in the app at the moment of impact. Both Uber and Lyft structure their insurance in three periods, and the period active at the time of your crash determines which policy — and how much — applies to your injuries.
Period 0: App off
When the driver isn't logged into the app, they're a private individual. Only their personal auto insurance applies. Neither Uber nor Lyft provides any coverage. Most personal auto policies exclude commercial driving, so this scenario can leave victims with limited recourse against the driver's coverage alone.
Period 1: App on, no ride accepted
The driver is logged in and waiting for a match. Both Uber and Lyft maintain contingent liability coverage here — $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident, $25,000 for property damage — but only if the driver's personal insurance denies the claim. Arizona's TNC statutes (A.R.S. §§ 28-9551 through 28-9566) establish these minimum requirements.
Periods 2 and 3: Ride accepted through trip completion
Once a driver accepts a ride request (Period 2) or a passenger is in the vehicle (Period 3), Uber and Lyft's $1 million per-occurrence commercial liability policy is active. This is the period with the most coverage — and where most serious injury claims find meaningful recovery. The $1 million limit applies to injuries to passengers, other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
What this means for your claim
Establishing which period was active requires obtaining the driver's app data — trip records, dispatch logs, GPS data. Rideshare companies maintain this, but you typically need legal process to obtain it. An attorney can also determine whether the driver's personal insurer is attempting to deny coverage inappropriately, and whether the rideshare company's policy should be triggered earlier than the company claims.
The filing deadline
Arizona gives most personal injury victims two years from the accident date (A.R.S. § 12-542). See our post on the Arizona personal injury statute of limitations for exceptions.
Our rideshare accident attorneys handle Uber and Lyft crash claims throughout Phoenix and Scottsdale on a contingency fee basis. No fee unless we win. Call (480) 418-SHER (7437) or reach out online.