Rideshare crashes are more complicated than ordinary car accidents because the insurance coverage that applies depends entirely on what the driver was doing in the app at the moment of impact. Uber and Lyft carry large policies, but those policies only kick in during specific phases of a trip.
Whether Uber's $1 million policy pays you turns less on how badly you were hurt than on a timestamp. Arizona claims follow the driver's app status at impact, and coverage steps up sharply at each stage: personal insurance only when the app is off, $50,000 per person in contingent coverage while the driver waits for a request, and $1 million once a ride is accepted. In practice several insurers are involved at once, the rideshare company's, the driver's personal carrier, and often another motorist's, and each has a reason to argue the crash belongs to someone else. The screenshot of the trip in your app is what settles that argument, so take it before you do anything else. Passengers are covered in every period from acceptance through drop-off, and pedestrians and other drivers are covered by the same policy when the rideshare driver is at fault.
Period 0: app is off
If the driver wasn't logged into the app at the time of the crash, they were operating as a private driver. Only their personal auto insurance applies. The rideshare company's coverage has no involvement.
Period 1: app on, waiting for a request
Once a driver logs in and is waiting for a ride, Uber and Lyft provide limited contingent liability coverage, typically $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries, plus $25,000 for property damage. This coverage sits behind the driver's personal policy; if the personal insurer denies the claim, the TNC coverage steps in.
Periods 2 and 3: en route to pickup or carrying a passenger
From the moment a driver accepts a ride until the passenger is dropped off, both Uber and Lyft carry a $1 million third-party liability policy. Arizona's TNC statutes (A.R.S. §§ 28-9551 through 28-9558) require this coverage to be primary during Periods 2 and 3, meaning the rideshare company's insurer steps up first, not the driver's personal carrier. UM/UIM coverage is also included. This policy covers passengers, other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians hurt by the rideshare driver during an active trip.
Why these claims get complicated
Multiple insurers are often involved, the TNC's, the driver's personal insurer, and possibly a third driver's policy. Each has an incentive to point at the others. Disputes arise over which period the driver was actually in, whether the personal policy excludes commercial activity, and who was at fault. Uber app data, showing when the driver went online, when they accepted a ride, is often the key to resolving that dispute, and it's easier to preserve early.
What to do after a rideshare crash
Screenshot the trip details in your app immediately, that record establishes which period the driver was in. Photograph the scene and all vehicles, get the driver's information and any witnesses' contact details, and seek medical care the same day. Don't give a recorded statement to any insurer before speaking with an attorney.
Getting the app data that proves which period applied
Everything above turns on the driver's app status at impact, and the records that establish it sit with the rideshare company rather than with you: trip records, dispatch logs, GPS traces, and the driver's own app history. Uber and Lyft keep all of it and generally will not hand it over on request, so obtaining it usually takes legal process. That is also where a driver's personal insurer gets tested, because a carrier will sometimes deny coverage it actually owes, or the rideshare policy should have been triggered earlier than the company concedes. Your own screenshot of the trip is the one piece of that record you can secure yourself, which is why it is worth taking before you leave the scene.
The filing deadline
Most rideshare injury claims must be filed within two years of the accident date (A.R.S. § 12-542). Uber app data and dashcam footage don't last forever. See our post on the Arizona personal injury statute of limitations for exceptions.
Our rideshare accident attorneys handle claims throughout Phoenix and Scottsdale. If you are looking for a Phoenix rideshare accident lawyer, that page covers how these claims work locally on a contingency fee basis. No fee unless we win. Call (480) 418-SHER (7437) or reach out online.