Does Lyft Check Your Insurance?

Lyft requires that all its drivers have insurance. The company verifies coverage prior to offering a driver position.

Lyft also provides supplemental coverage designed to protect its passengers. This coverage comes with a $1 million cap per accident.

What Lyft expects of its drivers

Lyft is one of the largest and most geographically diverse companies on earth. It relies on independent contractors rather than regular employees to provide services. In fact, the availability of independent contractor status is what makes Lyft’s business model possible.

Of course, Lyft doesn’t offer contractor positions to just anyone. It requires all of its drivers to meet the following standards:

Ownership of a suitable vehicle: This means a comfortable car built since 2005. The vehicle should have no visible damage, be in good mechanical condition, and have seatbelts, airbags, and other standard safety devices.
Be at least 21 years old.
Having a clean driving record: Specifically, Lyft expects its drivers to have no more than three moving violations in the past three years and no serious violations in the past seven years.
A clean criminal record: Lyft drivers must have no history of felonies in the past seven years. Registered sex offenders are barred from working for Lyft.
Vehicle insurance: All Lyft drivers must meet their state’s minimum insurance requirements for operating an automobile.

Lyft drivers carry supplemental company insurance

Lyft supplements a contractor’s individual insurance with its own coverage, which includes uninsured and underinsured motorist protection.

This means that passengers are protected even if a non-Lyft driver was at fault and has little or no coverage of their own.

What to do if you’re in an accident involving a Lyft vehicle

The first thing you should do is to make sure you’re okay. If you’ve been injured or feel unwell, then call emergency medical responders immediately. You may need to go to the local hospital.

Call law enforcement to the scene at your earliest possible opportunity. Having a police report on file is essential for getting the compensation you deserve. Your Lyft driver or another party may have already made this call.

Take pictures or make videos of the accident scene. This information can prove crucial later on. Remember to back these records up to the cloud, if you have an online storage account.

You should also make notes about the wreck and try to talk to witnesses (if any). Get their contact information, in case their testimony is needed later.

Which insurance company extends compensation for your injuries will depend on who was at fault. This determination will be made by the police and/or the adjuster who investigates the incident.

Why talking to an attorney is a good idea

Discussing your accident with a lawyer is always a good idea after an accident. Here’s why:

The insurance company may try to get by with a token settlement: You’ll never know if their offer is too low unless you have an attorney to guide you.
The case may end up in court: If so, then skilled legal representation is essential for achieving a positive outcome.
The other side will do everything possible to protect its interests: This may put you at a disadvantage unless you have an attorney in your corner.
A skilled law firm can uncover facts that might otherwise escape notice: Sometimes the outcome of a case may all depend on a tiny bit of evidence that takes a professional investigator to uncover.

The Los Angeles Lyft accident lawyers here at Ellis Injury Law have years of experience representing people just like you in auto accident cases. During that time they have recovered more than $350 million for their clients.

Get in touch with us today to set up your free consultation. We’re available 24/7 for your convenience.