Lyft drivers in California are required to carry a minimum of $50,000 in liability insurance per person and $100,000 per occurrence. On top of that, there’s another $25,000 in property damage coverage that they must have. If a driver is on the way to pick up a customer or in the process of transporting that customer, that driver is required to have $1 million in liability insurance. That $1 million of coverage is almost always provided by Lyft.
If you were involved in an accident involving a Lyft vehicle and injuries were sustained, contact our Los Angeles Lyft Accident Lawyer for a free consultation.
There can be quite a bit of confusion about liability and insurance in accidents involving Lyft vehicles. If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a negligent Lyft driver, determining who must compensate you for your injuries can get complicated quickly. That’s because there are multiple scenarios that can affect who is responsible for compensating you for your injuries. You don’t want to get caught in the middle.Becoming a Customer
Arranging to become a Lyft customer is simple. You provide some basic personal information and a credit card number. You then have access to Lyft rides. When you need a ride, you provide your location and destination, and a Lyft driver will accept you as a customer. You’ll recognize the Lyft vehicle when it arrives to pick you up. It’s going to have a large pink mustache on the front grille.Phases Lyft Driver Insurance Coverage
Lyft vehicles are private vehicles that are almost always owned by the drivers. When a driver wants to provide transportation services, he or she logs into the Lyft app. Here’s how insurance coverage works after that:
- As soon as the driver logs into the Lyft app, the $50,000, $100,000 and $25,000 insurance is applicable.
- When a driver accepts a customer, Lyft’s $1 million insurance coverage applies from the moment that the driver agrees to pick the customer up.
- When the customer enters the vehicle, the $1 million coverage continues until he or she exits the vehicle.
- Upon the customer exiting the vehicle, the insurance reverts back to the $50,000, $100,000 and $25,000 coverage until the next ride is accepted.
Possible Gaps
This insurance coverage isn’t seamless though. There are several areas of uncertainty, and when those arise, coverage issues can get complex. The biggest gray area might be when a driver is logged into the Lyft app, but is awaiting a customer’s ride request.
The relatively new industry rideshare industry has legal wrinkles that require examination, analysis and advocacy by experienced and effective attorneys. If you were injured in an accident involving a Lyft vehicle in or around Los Angeles, we can review your case at no cost and determine whether we can build a strong case on your behalf. Your Lyft driver might not be the only person liable for your damages. We’ll pursue every viable source of recovery for you in our efforts to help you obtain the compensation that you deserve. After being injured in any Lyft accident in or around Los Angeles, contact us right away to arrange for that free consultation and case review.
