After an Uber or Lyft crash in San Diego, you may expect the rideshare company’s insurance to handle your injuries. The answer can depend on what happened in the app just before the collision. California law sets different insurance requirements for each stage of a rideshare trip.
Here are four things that can help you understand these insurance gaps.
What the driver does before the crash can affect coverage
The coverage available after your crash can depend on the driver’s actions in the rideshare app. California recognizes three periods:
- App is open, with or without a request
- Ride accepted but passenger not yet picked up
- Passenger in the vehicle
When the driver remains offline, personal auto insurance generally comes into play. Once a ride request gets accepted, California requires $1 million in primary commercial liability coverage through the ride’s completion.
The pre-ride period carries lower liability limits
Before the driver accepts a trip, the required protection can fall below the amount available once the ride begins. During this period, the required coverage includes:
- $50,000 for one person’s bodily injuries
- $100,000 for bodily injuries from one accident
- $30,000 for property damage
- $200,000 in additional excess coverage
Going online alone does not bring the $1 million liability requirement into play. The timing of the driver’s acceptance can affect which limits apply to your crash.
Liability coverage and UM/UIM coverage serve different purposes
The $1 million liability requirement does not tell you how much uninsured or underinsured motorist protection may apply. Liability coverage generally addresses injuries or property damage that the driver causes. UM/UIM coverage can help when another driver causes the crash but lacks enough insurance to cover your losses.
A California law passed in 2026 now sets coverage at $60,000 per passenger and $300,000 per crash. The separate $1 million liability requirement for an accepted ride remains in place.
More than one insurance policy may matter
The rideshare company’s policy may not be the only insurance worth examining after a crash. Depending on what happened, relevant coverage could include:
- The rideshare driver’s personal insurance
- The rideshare company’s applicable coverage
- The at-fault driver’s liability or UM/UIM coverage
Looking at all potentially applicable policies can matter when one does not fully cover your injuries or losses.
Review the coverage before accepting an insurance answer
If you suffered injuries in a rideshare crash, do not assume the first insurance answer you receive tells the whole story. Reviewing trip records, accident details and available policies with an attorney can help you determine which coverage may apply to your losses and whether another source of insurance could matter.