Uber is convenient, but an accident can leave an injured passenger wondering whose insurance is responsible—the Uber driver’s personal insurance, Uber’s insurance, or another driver’s policy.
Florida law specifically addresses insurance for transportation network companies such as Uber. And one of the most important facts after an Uber accident is what the driver was doing in the app when the crash occurred.
Florida Requires $1 Million in Liability Coverage During an Uber Ride
Florida Statute §627.748 requires specific automobile insurance while a transportation network company driver is engaged in a prearranged ride.
During that period, the required insurance must provide at least $1 million in primary automobile liability coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage. The statute also requires PIP benefits and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage as provided by Florida law.
For an injured Uber passenger, that can be an important distinction from an ordinary accident involving two privately driven vehicles.
When Does the $1 Million Coverage Period Begin?
Under Florida law, a “prearranged ride” begins when the Uber driver accepts a passenger’s ride request through the app.
It continues while the driver travels to and transports the passenger and ends when the last rider exits the vehicle.
So the applicable insurance may depend on precisely when the accident occurred.
For example, an accident that occurs while an Uber driver is simply logged into the app waiting for a request falls into a different statutory insurance period than an accident that occurs after the driver has accepted your ride.
That distinction is important enough that we’ll address it separately in another Resource Center article rather than confusing the two situations here.
What If Another Driver Caused the Uber Accident?
Being an Uber passenger does not necessarily mean the Uber driver caused the crash.
Another driver may run a red light, rear-end the Uber, make an unsafe turn, or otherwise cause the collision.
When that happens, the other driver’s liability coverage may become part of the claim. Depending on the circumstances, other available insurance—including uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage—may also need to be evaluated.
The important point is that an injured passenger should not assume there is only one insurance policy to investigate.
Why the Driver’s App Status Matters
Florida law requires a TNC driver involved in an accident to provide applicable insurance information and, upon request, disclose whether the driver was logged into the TNC’s digital network or engaged in a prearranged ride at the time of the accident.
That information can help determine which statutory insurance requirements applied when the crash occurred.
Injured While Riding in an Uber in Florida?
An Uber accident can involve different drivers, insurance policies, and coverage depending on exactly how the collision happened.
Kurzman Law Group represents people injured in Uber and other motor-vehicle accidents throughout Florida. We investigate the accident, determine potentially responsible parties and available insurance coverage, and pursue compensation for our clients’ injuries and losses.
Yana Kurzman is a Florida personal injury attorney and founder of Kurzman Law Group in Fort Lauderdale.
Free consultation.
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