Uber's and Lyft's coverage for damage to your own vehicle is contingent - it only applies on top of comprehensive and collision coverage you already carry on your personal policy.
If you carry liability only, there's nothing for that coverage to sit on top of. It doesn't kick in at a lower amount or with a bigger deductible - it doesn't exist at all.
What "contingent" means here
In the rideshare context, contingent means Uber's or Lyft's coverage for damage to your own car only applies on top of, and only if, you already carry comprehensive and collision coverage on your personal policy.
What this costs you if you skip it
This is the single gap that catches the most drivers on this topic. Liability-only drivers who total or badly damage their own car on a covered trip often assume the platform's insurance will step in. It won't - not partially, not at a reduced amount. There is no coverage for your own vehicle to fall back on.
Separately, most personal auto policies exclude driving with a rideshare app on at all - so this isn't only a rideshare-coverage question. It can also affect whether your personal insurer honors your policy in the first place.
Even with the coverage, there's a deductible
$2,500 comes out of any payout for damage to your own car, before Uber's or Lyft's coverage picks up the rest. That figure is set by the platforms, not by any state, and it's well above the $250-$1,000 most personal policies use.
Can my own insurance deny me for driving rideshare? →What happens if my car is totaled? →
This gap applies nationally, but how your own policy's rideshare exclusion is worded can vary. Open your state and jump straight to what we have verified.
Still have questions?
Tell us what happened. If we do not already have an answer, your question may help us build one.
Ask ClaimedUp →