Coverage
Coverage by period
CaliforniaUber & LyftDriving to pick up a passenger
Once a request is accepted and you are driving to the pickup, California requires $1,000,000 in coverage that pays first for harm you cause to others for death, personal injury, and property damage. The platform policy is the coverage that pays first for harm you cause to others for this period.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: This covers harm you cause to other people. Damage to your own vehicle is a separate question with different requirements.
What could change: SB 371 amended Pub. Util. Code 5433 effective January 1, 2026.
Coverage by period
CaliforniaUber & LyftPassenger in the car
While a passenger is in the vehicle and until they exit, California requires $1,000,000 in coverage that pays first for harm you cause to others. The platform policy is the coverage that pays first for harm you cause to others for this period.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: This covers harm you cause to other people. Damage to your own vehicle is a separate question.
What could change: SB 371 amended Pub. Util. Code 5433 effective January 1, 2026.
Coverage by period
NationwideDoorDashDriving to pick up the order · Order in the car
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
DoorDash covers you once you have accepted an order, through delivery. While you are online waiting, DoorDash says your own insurance is primary. DoorDash does not publish a coverage amount for the states we cover, so we are not showing one.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: DoorDash's 'All Other US States' section gives no coverage amount. A widely repeated $1,000,000 figure comes from DoorDash's marketing page rather than the state-specific terms.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Coverage by period
Instacart
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
Instacart accepts auto-liability claims and carries insurance for certain auto-liability exposures. Its public materials do not establish a general benefit that repairs a shopper’s own vehicle.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: The public materials reviewed do not establish a general shopper vehicle-damage benefit or publish policy limits, deductibles, trigger periods or guaranteed benefits. A submitted auto-liability claim does not guarantee payment.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Coverage by period
Nationwide except New YorkAmazon FlexActively delivering during a delivery block
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
Amazon provides free commercial car insurance to delivery partners in every state except New York, covering harm to others, uninsured drivers, and damage to your own car. Amazon does not publish the amounts or the deductible, so we are not showing any.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Amazon names the kinds of coverage but publishes no dollar limits, no deductible, and no insurer. A $1,000,000 liability figure, a $50,000 vehicle-damage figure, a $1,000 deductible and a named carrier all circulate without support from anything Amazon publishes.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Coverage by period
Nationwide except New YorkAmazon FlexActively delivering during a delivery block
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
Amazon says its coverage applies only while you are 'actively delivering during the delivery block.' Amazon does not define what that includes, so we cannot tell you whether the drive to the station or the time between stops is covered.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Amazon does not define the phrase. Whether it begins at block start, station check-in, first package scan, or departure is unknown, as is whether it ends at last delivery, block end, or return of undelivered packages.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Coverage by period
Uber & LyftApp off
When the app is off, you are an ordinary private driver.
Uber says your personal auto insurance applies while you are offline. Lyft says it has no policy that applies when the app is off, and directs you to your personal insurer.
That does not mean your insurer will pay. Your own policy's terms and exclusions still decide the claim.
This is about a car you own. If you drive a Lyft Express Drive rental, that is separate: the standard insurance in your rental agreement applies.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether your personal insurer pays depends on your policy's terms and exclusions. We have not reviewed individual personal policies.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Deductible
Deductible
NationwideUber & LyftDriving to pick up a passenger · Passenger in the car
Both Uber and Lyft apply a $2,500 deductible to coverage for damage to your own car.
So if your car takes $4,000 of damage on a covered trip, you pay $2,500 and the platform covers the rest.
That figure is set by the platforms themselves, not by any state.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Lyft publishes a different liability-limit structure in Arizona (a $250,000 combined single-limit figure while en route to pickup) - see Arizona's own liability rows for that. Its contingent comprehensive/collision deductible in Arizona is the same $2,500 described here. Lyft also publishes different liability limits in Nebraska (while waiting for a request) and Maryland (while en route to pickup - see Maryland's own rows); those are liability limits, not changes to the $2,500 deductible described here.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Deductible
Uber & LyftDriving to pick up a passenger · Passenger in the car
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
A deductible is the portion of a covered loss the insured bears before benefits become payable. Uber and Lyft list a $2,500 deductible for ordinary qualifying contingent comprehensive and collision coverage. Personal comprehensive and collision, a qualifying app period, and other policy terms remain necessary. Uber lists a Vehicle Marketplace exception to its ordinary deductible. If the final covered damage is no greater than the applicable deductible, that physical-damage coverage ordinarily pays nothing. An initial estimate may change after supplements, hidden damage or total-loss valuation. This does not decide fault, a separate liability claim, whether to repair or whether to submit a claim.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: The applicable deductible and final covered-loss amount depend on policy and claim facts. Uber’s Vehicle Marketplace exception means $2,500 is not universal.
What could change: Platform terms and individual policy coverage may change.
Personal policy exclusions
Personal policy exclusions
NationwideUber & Lyft
This catches more drivers than anything else on this site.
The platforms' coverage for damage to your own car sits on top of your personal policy. It only exists if you already carry comprehensive and collision yourself. If you carry liability only, there is nothing to sit on top of - the platform's coverage never starts.
Separately, most personal policies exclude driving with the app on at all. Some insurers sell an add-on that covers it, and it has to be bought before a loss.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether your own policy excludes app-on driving depends on your policy. Several states write that permission directly into law.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Personal policy exclusions
DoorDash
Verified in part. One element of this answer has not been re-checked. See the notes.
If you bought a rideshare add-on for your personal policy, do not assume it covers delivery.
DoorDash warns on its own site that such an add-on may not provide complete coverage while you deliver. Its example: the add-on might cover damage to your vehicle before you accept an order, but not during an active delivery.
When you call your insurer, ask about delivery specifically. Asking about rideshare may get you an answer that does not apply.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether DoorDash's coverage sits before or after your own policy is not stated for the states we cover, and we have not resolved it.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Personal policy exclusions
Nationwide except New YorkAmazon FlexActively delivering during a delivery block
Worth knowing before it matters rather than after.
Amazon's FAQ says that if anyone other than the Amazon Flex delivery partner is driving when an accident occurs, the claim for any losses will be denied.
If you are renting or borrowing a car to deliver, Amazon says you need to make sure you have the required coverage yourself.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Amazon does not say what happens if a second registered delivery partner is driving, or how it verifies who was driving. It also does not say whether your own policy would respond in that situation.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Personal policy exclusions
Uber
Uber requires drivers to carry personal auto insurance at their state's mandatory minimum limits.
Uber says additional rideshare insurance is not required to sign up to drive. It also says rideshare-specific endorsements may be available from insurers for additional protection.
Not required to sign up is not the same as covered: your personal policy may still exclude driving with the app on.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether your own insurer sells a rideshare endorsement, and what it covers, depends on the insurer and your state.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Personal policy exclusions
Lyft
Lyft requires drivers to carry personal auto insurance that meets their state's minimum coverage requirements.
Lyft also warns that most personal policies will not cover rideshare activity, and tells drivers to consider a rideshare policy or endorsement for more complete coverage.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether your own insurer sells a rideshare policy or endorsement, and what it covers, depends on the insurer and your state.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Personal policy exclusions
DoorDash
DoorDash requires vehicle Dashers to keep valid personal auto insurance meeting applicable state minimums. It says it does not require a separate special or commercial policy just to dash. Many personal policies may exclude delivery activity; a policy covering delivery or a commercial auto policy may protect the Dasher’s own vehicle, depending on its terms. A rideshare endorsement may not cover active delivery. DoorDash-maintained auto coverage is primarily third-party liability and does not repair the Dasher’s own car. In its All Other US States category, DoorDash liability begins after an order is accepted; while online and waiting, personal auto insurance is primary. Separate terms apply in Boston, North Dakota, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: The individual personal policy may exclude delivery. State insurance rules and DoorDash’s separate Boston, ND, IN, KY and WV terms are not replaced by this national answer.
What could change: Platform terms and individual policy coverage may change.
Uninsured motorist
Uninsured and underinsured motorist
CaliforniaUber & LyftPassenger in the car
From the moment a passenger enters the vehicle until they exit, California requires uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage of $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident.
This coverage is primary over any other applicable coverage for uninsured and underinsured drivers and is solely the platform's obligation, not the driver's.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: The CPUC's own public page still shows the pre-2026 figure of $1,000,000. The statute controls, but a regulator page, law firm article, or platform summary written before 2026 may quote the old number. If someone tells you $1,000,000 in coverage for uninsured and underinsured drivers for a California ride today, check the date on what they are reading.
What could change: SB 371 took effect January 1, 2026 and lowered this from $1,000,000. Re-check whether CPUC has updated its published page.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist
CaliforniaUber & LyftOnline, waiting for a request
We found no state rule on this point. That is not the same as no rule applying. Your policy or other laws may still matter.
California's rideshare insurance statute does not require uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage while you are logged on without an accepted ride, in the sources we checked. That is not the same as confirming you have none - your own policy or the platform's own terms may provide it. Ask your insurer what you carry.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether you personally have coverage for uninsured and underinsured drivers during this period is UNRESOLVED. It depends on your own policy and on what the platform chooses to carry beyond the least the law allows. We have not researched either.
What could change: SB 371 amended Pub. Util. Code 5433 effective January 1, 2026.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist
CaliforniaUber & LyftDriving to pick up a passenger
We found no state rule on this point. That is not the same as no rule applying. Your policy or other laws may still matter.
California's rideshare insurance statute does not require uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage while you are driving to a pickup, in the sources we checked. That is not the same as confirming you have none - your own policy or the platform's own terms may provide it. Ask your insurer what you carry.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether you personally have coverage for uninsured and underinsured drivers during this period is UNRESOLVED. It depends on your own policy and on what the platform chooses to carry beyond the least the law allows. We have not researched either.
What could change: SB 371 amended Pub. Util. Code 5433 effective January 1, 2026.
Damage to your car
Damage to your car
NationwideDoorDash
DoorDash's insurance does not cover damage to your own vehicle. DoorDash's own page says those damages are your responsibility and should go to your own insurer, subject to what your policy covers.
This is different from Uber and Lyft, which do offer something for your own car - though only if you already carry comprehensive and collision, and with a $2,500 deductible.
DoorDash also warns on the same page that a personal policy may not cover you while you are delivering. So this is not a case where the platform declines and your own insurer picks it up. Whether you are covered depends on your policy.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether your own policy covers delivery driving depends on your policy. Ask your insurer about delivery specifically - not just rideshare.
What could change: Platform policy - can change without any law changing.
Damage to your car
Uber EatsOnline, waiting for an offer · Driving to pick up the order · Order in the car
Uber maintains separate insurance policies for rideshare trips and delivery trips. On the delivery side, Uber's own insurance page states that the coverage Uber maintains does not pay for repairs to your car at any period of a delivery.
Liability coverage is different. If you are at fault and someone else is hurt or their vehicle is damaged, Uber's third-party liability insurance may cover that, depending on your state and whether you were online, en route or on-trip.
If your own car is damaged, Uber points you to your personal policy - and only if that policy covers delivery activity. A standard personal auto policy usually does not.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Uber states that coverages and limits vary by state, and some states require protection beyond Uber's general delivery rules. We have not verified how the delivery rules apply in each state we cover, or what a state may require in addition.
What could change: Uber has changed its delivery vehicle-damage coverage before. Re-read the delivery insurance page rather than assuming this holds.
Injury coverage
Injury coverage
NationwideDoorDashDriving to pick up the order · Order in the car
DoorDash's Dasher Central says occupational accident coverage is automatic for US Dashers: no sign-up, no premiums, no deductible.
It may include medical expense coverage up to $1,000,000, disability payments equal to 50% of your average weekly earnings capped at $500 per week, and survivor's benefits. DoorDash says California Dashers' benefits may differ, and points you to your schedule of benefits.
The window matters: this applies during an active delivery, from accepting the offer through drop-off. Logged on and waiting for an offer is not the same thing.
This is injury coverage. It does not pay for damage to your own vehicle, and it is not workers' compensation.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: DoorDash says California benefits may differ but does not say how. We have not read the schedule of benefits itself, so waiting periods, exclusions and how long disability payments run are unverified. DoorDash's own help centre directs occupational accident claims to Blue Star Claims; that is DoorDash's administrator and we have found no evidence it administers Uber or Lyft programmes.
What could change: Benefit amounts and administrators change. Check your schedule of benefits.
Injury coverage
NationwideInstacart
Instacart provides occupational accident insurance for shoppers. Its 2026 annual filing confirms the company procures this coverage, so the programme is current.
The published benefit figures are older. Instacart's 2019 and 2021 announcements describe coverage for all US full-service shoppers, free of charge, including up to $1 million for medical expenses plus disability payments and survivor's benefits for eligible dependents. We have not found a current benefit document restating those amounts, so treat them as what Instacart published then rather than a verified current schedule.
Instacart's older announcement said in-store shoppers had workers' compensation coverage. Its 2026 filing says in-store shoppers were used only through Q3 2024; that historical statement does not establish current coverage for in-store shoppers.
This is injury coverage for you. It is not auto liability coverage and does not pay for damage to your own vehicle.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Two different things are sourced differently here. That Instacart procures occupational accident insurance for shoppers is corroborated by its 2026 annual filing. The specific schedule - $1,000,000 medical, disability payments, survivor's benefits - comes from Instacart's own announcements in 2019 and 2021, and we have NOT found a newer primary benefit document restating those amounts. Treat the figures as historically published rather than currently verified. We have also not verified the disability rate, what counts as a covered injury, when cover starts and stops within a batch, or how to file.
What could change: The benefit schedule is sourced to announcements several years old. The programme is current; the amounts may not be. Re-check before relying on the figures.
Injury coverage
CaliforniaUberOnline, waiting for a request · Driving to pick up a passenger · Passenger in the car
Uber provides California drivers with insurance that covers injuries to you while you are working. It is automatic - no signup, no per-mile charge, nothing to enrol in.
It applies while you are online and waiting for a trip in California, on your way to a pickup, or on a trip that started in California.
Two things worth knowing. It covers delivery drivers as well as rideshare drivers. And it covers the waiting period, which most coverage does not.
This pays for injuries to you. It is not the same as the insurance that pays other people, and it does not fix your car.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: We have not verified the benefit amounts, what counts as a covered injury, or how to file a claim. Ask Uber's claims team for the policy details.
What could change: Platform or state programme - can change.
Injury coverage
CaliforniaLyftOnline, waiting for a request · Driving to pick up a passenger · Passenger in the car
Lyft provides occupational accident insurance automatically and at no cost for trips originating in California from 16 December 2020. Approved drivers do not pay for it.
Lyft publishes the benefits: accident medical expense up to a maximum of $1,000,000, temporary total disability payments equal to 66% of your average weekly earnings from all network companies subject to minimum and maximum limits, and accidental death benefits plus burial expenses for a spouse, children or other dependents.
California drivers may also be covered while logged on and available to accept a request — but only if you have not accepted a ride from another network company.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: The disability percentage is subject to minimum and maximum limits Lyft does not publish on this page. Whether you are covered while waiting depends on whether you had accepted a request on another app — tell the claims team exactly what you were doing.
What could change: Platform or state programme - can change.
Deductible recovery
Deductible recovery
Uber & Lyft
Your insurer may pay your covered vehicle damage first. If another driver was responsible, the insurer can then try to recover what it paid from that driver or their insurance company. That process is called subrogation, and your deductible may be part of what it recovers.
Whether you get all of it, some of it, or none of it can depend on whether the other driver can be identified, whether they have valid coverage, whether fault is disputed, whether the insurer actually recovers anything, and your state's deductible-recovery rules.
Three questions worth asking your claim handler: are you pursuing subrogation, is my deductible included in the recovery, and have you recovered anything yet.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Some states have specific rules requiring an insurer to include the policyholder's deductible when pursuing recovery. We have not verified those rules state by state, and we cannot tell you whether any particular claim will recover anything.
What could change: State deductible-recovery rules can change. Check your state's regulator.
Subrogation
Uber & Lyft
There is no honest "you'll have your deductible back in 30 days" answer. Subrogation can stay open while insurers work out who was responsible, what was covered, and who repays whom.
It takes longer when fault is disputed, when the other driver's coverage is unclear, when the other insurer has not paid, when accident information is missing, or when only part of the loss can be recovered.
Some states set their own communication rules. Washington requires insurers pursuing auto subrogation to update the insured within 60 days after the process begins, and at least every 180 days while the insured's interest remains unresolved. That is a Washington communication requirement, not a nationwide deadline for finishing the recovery.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: We have verified Washington's communication rule. We have not checked whether the other states we cover set their own subrogation communication requirements, and no state rule we found sets a deadline for completing a recovery.
What could change: State communication rules can change.
Rental and lost income
Rental and lost income
NationwideUber & Lyft
Uber explicitly says its insurance does not cover a rental car after an accident and directs drivers to paid rental options through its Vehicle Marketplace. Lyft's published standard driver-insurance package does not include rental reimbursement or replacement transportation.
Lyft Express Drive and Uber's Vehicle Marketplace are separate paid rental programs, not first-party rental reimbursement under a driver's accident coverage.
If another party is responsible, rental or loss-of-use may be pursued through that party's liability claim, depending on state law and the claim facts. This is not a universal entitlement or a fixed coverage trigger.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Whether rental or loss-of-use can be recovered through another party’s liability claim depends on state law and the facts. We have not verified a state-specific entitlement or amount.
What could change: Platform insurance terms and paid rental programs may change; regional requirements and stated exceptions apply.
Rental and lost income
Uber & Lyft
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
Platform vehicle-damage coverage does not pay for income lost while your car is off the road. Uber sells Vehicle Interruption Coverage separately where available. Lost earnings from an at-fault driver depend on your state and circumstances.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: We have verified what the platforms say they sell. We have NOT verified whether you can recover lost earnings from an at-fault driver in your state, how such a claim would be measured, or what records would be required. That is a legal question that varies by state and by the facts of the crash, and we have not researched it. We name Uber's injury-side products only in general terms here, because this row's sources cover vehicle downtime and Lyft's first-party coverages; the injury products are described on Uber's main insurance page.
What could change: Optional products are added and withdrawn by state, and their pricing changes. We deliberately do not publish the per-mile price on the page: it is subject to change and this answer is about who pays a driver who cannot work, not what the product costs. Do not confuse the two Uber products - Vehicle Interruption Coverage covers a car off the road; Optional Injury Protection covers an injury. They are priced separately.
Rental and lost income
UberDriving to pick up a passenger · Passenger in the car
Vehicle Interruption Coverage is optional coverage Uber offers through Chubb to eligible drivers in the U.S., excluding U.S. territories, using four-wheeled vehicles.
If a covered accident or theft leaves your vehicle inoperable for at least 24 hours, it pays a $2,500 lump sum. The incident has to happen while you are en route to a pickup or on a trip. Incidents while you are offline or waiting for a request are not covered.
It does not pay for the damage to your car, and it does not cover downtime from routine maintenance, wear and tear, mechanical breakdown or similar causes.
It pays up to two claims in a 12-month period, and coverage is cancelled after the second paid claim. After the second payable claim terminates coverage, the driver is eligible to re-enroll after 180 days.
Uber currently tells drivers to report an incident immediately and no later than 30 days afterwards. The current rate is $0.031 per mile on covered trips, and Uber says that can change.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: The 30-day reporting instruction is Uber's own claim instruction, not a legal deadline. Price is subject to change. Eligibility and policy terms still apply.
What could change: Platform product - price and terms can change.
Rental and lost income
Lyft
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
Flexdrive is part of Lyft Express Drive. Personal use with the app off, waiting for a request, and en route or on-trip have different insurance questions. Personal-use coverage and priority vary by state and rental agreement. Flexdrive vehicle-damage protection may apply up to actual cash value or repair cost, subject to terms; Lyft documents an ordinary $1,000 physical-damage deductible where applicable. Active rideshare liability retains Lyft state and period rules. Optional Flexdrive protection plans are not insurance; they may reduce accidental-damage charges, depending on plan and market. Outstanding charges may reduce or consume an Express Drive deposit, but a charge is not automatic and responsibility depends on the agreement, fault and damage determination and plan. Report collisions to Lyft. For Flexdrive damage, report a drivable vehicle to its pickup branch or use Flexdrive roadside assistance if disabled. An inspection or temporary removal is possible; no replacement or continued eligibility is promised.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Personal-use priority, partner terms, protection-plan availability and a particular charge depend on state, market and agreement. No replacement or continued eligibility is established.
What could change: Rental programs, partner terms and market availability may change.
Rental and lost income
Lyft
Lyft Express Drive offers approved rental vehicles through partners including Flexdrive and Hertz, with availability and terms varying by market. Express Drive rentals can also be used personally. Personal miles are miles driven with the Lyft app off. Flexdrive renters choose a personal-mileage plan, while Lyft currently says Hertz renters have unlimited personal miles. Vehicle activity can track miles outside Driver Mode. These mileage rules do not decide app-off insurance. A crash should be reported through Lyft’s accident-report process and the partner’s procedure. Drivable Flexdrive damage goes to the pickup branch; disabled vehicles use Flexdrive roadside assistance. Lyft instructs Avis Express Drive renters to complete the Avis Accident/Incident Report. One report may not satisfy all requirements.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Market eligibility, partner terms and insurance while using the vehicle personally depend on the current agreement and state. A replacement after damage is not promised.
What could change: Rental programs, partner terms and market availability may change.
Rental and lost income
Uber
Uber says an unapproved rental may cause permanent deactivation. The driver Vehicle Marketplace offers approved rental or leasing options in participating cities, including programs such as Hertz and Avis. An arbitrary rental from either brand does not qualify unless booked under the approved Uber program. Uber Rent is a separate consumer booking product. After a rental crash, follow the rental partner’s accident and roadside instructions along with Uber’s applicable crash-report process; one report does not necessarily replace the other. Damaged vehicles may need inspection or temporary removal, with no replacement or continued eligibility promised.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Approved partner inventory and local eligibility vary. Individual rental agreement, accident procedure, charges and continued eligibility depend on partner terms.
What could change: Rental programs, partner terms and market availability may change.
Rental and lost income
Uber
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
Uber’s Hertz Vehicle Marketplace program says auto insurance, basic maintenance and unlimited miles are included. Uber’s Avis program says eligible weekly rentals include liability insurance, basic maintenance and unlimited miles. These are partner-specific offers, not one identical insurance policy. Uber separately maintains applicable commercial rideshare insurance while on-app, subject to period and state terms. Qualifying Vehicle Marketplace rentals may have a $1,000 comprehensive/collision deductible; do not apply it to every rental or loss. The rental agreement controls partner insurance and damage responsibility. After a crash follow Uber reporting and partner-specific accident and roadside instructions. A damaged vehicle may be inspected or temporarily unavailable; no replacement or continued eligibility is promised. Uber’s insurance does not reimburse a paid rental after a driver’s personally owned car is damaged.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: The exact partner policy, personal-use coverage, deductible, protection plans, charges and replacement terms require the specific rental agreement and state context.
What could change: Rental programs, partner terms and market availability may change.
Rental and lost income
Uber & Lyft
Uber requires approved rental partnerships for its drivers and warns unapproved rentals can lead to permanent deactivation. Lyft has an approved Express Drive program; an unrelated personal rental is not automatically approved for Lyft trips. Uber Rent is different from the driver Vehicle Marketplace. Its terms state consumer reservations are for non-commercial, non-rideshare and non-delivery purposes, require users to warrant personal auto coverage for rented vehicles, and leave the rental or carsharing terms to the third-party provider agreement. Use a program that expressly permits the intended rideshare work and follow its agreement. After a crash, make both required platform and partner reports; damage may require inspection or roadside help. Neither replacement nor continued eligibility is guaranteed.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: The terms of an ordinary rental company may vary; no universal prohibition across all companies is established. Market/program terms and individual agreements control.
What could change: Rental programs, partner terms and market availability may change.
Claim process
Claim process
Uber & Lyft
Uber says it notifies the appropriate insurance carriers after receiving a Crash Report and the carriers investigate. Uber says the carrier will contact the driver by phone within 2–3 business days. That is initial contact, not a completion or settlement deadline. Personal-auto declarations may be relevant. Uber’s Crash Center provides claim-status information and access to its insurer. Lyft directs users to submit an accident report and offers Claims Customer Care guidance; post-collision inspections may be required. No Lyft response or settlement timeframe is established here. Claims may involve app-status and coverage review, statements or report information, vehicle inspection/estimates and insurer coordination. Delay alone does not establish wrongdoing or denial.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: No individual carrier assignment, outcome or claim-settlement deadline is established. Platform processes and assignments may change.
What could change: Platform processes and insurance partners may change.
Claim process
Uber & Lyft
Uber does not identify one universal carrier for every claim. The Crash Center provides access to Uber’s insurer, and Uber or partner insurance representatives may contact the claimant. Lyft currently lists Liberty Mutual, Mobilitas, State Farm, Progressive and Allstate as trusted auto-insurance partners. That list does not identify the handler for every state or individual claim; assignments can depend on market/policy and can change. Compare contact information with the platform claim details and use the official support channel if unsure. Do not disclose sensitive information solely because an unfamiliar caller claims to represent an insurer.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: No individual carrier assignment, outcome or claim-settlement deadline is established. Platform processes and assignments may change.
What could change: Platform processes and insurance partners may change.
Claim process
Uber & Lyft
Partly verified. What we confirmed is below. What we have not checked is named in the notes.
Uber tells drivers to contact police or paramedics if there are injuries or damage and to save a police-report number if one exists. The Uber Driver app separately accepts a crash report; Lyft has an accident-report process to start a claim of loss. Neither reviewed platform page says a police report is required for every claim. The absence of a report does not itself prove a claim cannot be submitted. Legal crash-reporting duties vary by state and facts, so the platform process does not waive them. Photos, contact and insurance information, and trip or app-status records may help document the event.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: No nationwide legal crash-reporting threshold or state-by-state prerequisite has been established. Requirements depend on the state and accident facts.
What could change: Platform terms and individual policy coverage may change.
Claim process
CaliforniaAll platforms
Under California's Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations, your insurer must acknowledge your claim and start investigating within 15 calendar days of notice, accept or deny it within 40 calendar days of receiving your proof of claim (a few policy types have different rules), and pay within 30 calendar days once you've accepted a settlement and signed the release.
If your claim is still undecided, California requires the insurer to send you a delay notice every 30 days, not just once.
Limits of this answer
What we have not checked: Certain claim/policy types (e.g. disability, mortgage guaranty, some auto repair-bill scenarios) have different sub-rules under S2695.7(b)(4) not detailed here.
What could change: Low near-term risk.