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As more New Orleans and Louisiana residents use Uber and Lyft for transportation, Louisiana residents should consider who is liable and what insurance protections are in place for an Uber or Lyft ride. This blog focuses on what insurance is available if you are a passenger in an Uber or Lyft to cover your injuries and property damages. Whether the driver of the other vehicle in the crash or the driver of the Uber or Lyft is at fault, Louisiana law has mandatory insurance coverage provisions which apply to Uber and Lyft vehicles.
Louisana Law SB 172
The Louisiana Legislature passed SB 172 in 2015. SB 172 was enacted to require mandatory insurance coverage limits on all Uber and Lyft vehicles. The insurance coverages vary depending upon the stage of the ride. Obviously, as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, the only coverages which would concern you would be those while you are actually riding in the Uber or Lyft. This period is called the “trip acceptance period.”
If the driver of the other vehicle is at fault, their insurance on their vehicle would be primarily responsible to compensate you for personal injuries and property damage. However, you have secondary protections during the trip acceptance period which are found in the required uninsured/underinsured insurance coverages Uber and Lyft must provide under Louisiana law.
Million-Dollar Insurance Requirement
During the trip acceptance period, Uber and Lyft are further required to provide $1 million in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This means that irrespective of the liability coverage of the other “at fault” vehicle, you would have an additional $1 million in insurance protecting you in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage from the Uber or Lyft’s insurance.
If the driver of the Uber or Lyft is at fault, you would have the same insurance protections against the liability coverage of the Uber or Lyft as found in the uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Uber and Lyft are required to provide the same $1 million insurance liability coverage during the trip acceptance period as well. This $1 million in liability coverage on the Uber or Lyft would be primary to your personal uninsured/underinsured insurance policy to protect you for personal injuries and property damage.
This requirement does not have to be borne by the driver themselves. The driver’s vehicle insurance coverage may exclude periods when that driver is working for Uber and Lyft. It must be covered by Uber and Lyft, irrespective of the coverage or insurance that the individual driver has in place.
Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys Today
If you are in a vehicle crash and suffer personal injuries while a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, you should immediately contact an experienced personal injury attorney to help you with your claim, medical treatment, and ensuring you are protected in being appropriately compensated. The attorneys at Scott Viknair, LLC are experienced in personal injury claims with Uber and Lyft.
Call one of our attorneys today at (504) 500-1111 to assist you with your claim.