Who Handles Lyft's Accident Claims?
Lyft drivers are ordinary, average motorists that use their personal vehicles to shuttle riders where they need to go. They lack any special training outside of the normal requirements to obtain a driver’s license. It should be no surprise, then, that these drivers are frequently involved in vehicle collisions in and around Los Angeles.
When a Lyft driver is at fault for a crash, the rideshare company offers liability coverage in most cases. However, Lyft does not deal with these claims directly. Instead, their insurance companies handle the claims and deal directly with the injured party.
If you have suffered in an injury at the hands of a Lyft driver, you are entitled to seek monetary compensation. A Los Angeles Lyft accident attorney could work to ensure your rights are protected.
Reporting an accident to Lyft
Lyft provides a number of options for reporting accident claims. Their website offers a helpful form that anyone can use to submit an accident report. The accident report form can be found here. Their app not only allows users to report an accident to Lyft, but it also includes an in-app function for dialing 911.
The fact that you can report these accidents to Lyft does not mean they will be handling the claims directly, however. Lyft provides as much as $1 million in liability coverage in some collisions, and they leave these injury claims in the hands of their insurance company most of the time.
Lyft uses a patchwork of insurers across the country, and their providers change frequently. While it is impossible to maintain a list of the insurers used by Lyft, some of the companies include:
- Indian Harbor Insurance Company
- Greenwich Insurance Company
- State Farm Fire and Casualty
- Progressive Insurance
- Travelers Insurance
- Sedgwick Insurance
Lyft helpfully provides online copies of their certificates of insurance for each state. You can review the database of insurance certificates and identify the carrier or administrator in each state.
If you are involved in a crash with a Lyft driver and report the accident to the company, the insurance company will typically reach out and identify itself in short order.
How insurers typically handle Lyft claims
The fact that Lyft has an insurance policy in place does not guarantee their carrier will treat you fairly. Insurance companies make their profit by avoiding liability, and they will work tirelessly to deny your claim regardless of the circumstances.
In many cases, the insurance company will delay the resolution of your claim as long as possible. They could repeatedly ask for more documentation before ultimately rejecting your claim entirely. The good news is that these insurance companies are not the last word on whether or not your injuries are covered.
You are entitled to pursue a civil lawsuit in the case where an insurance company denies your injury claim. While they can provide their reasoning for refusing to pay, they cannot prevent you from filing suit and letting the courts decide.
Because of this right, insurance companies will often work to resolve claims where the Lyft driver was clearly at fault. Typically, this involves trying to settle the cases for far below their true value. In some cases, the insurance company will move quickly to resolve a claim before an injured party has the opportunity to discuss their case with legal counsel. Without the help of an attorney, an injured driver could expect an offer to settle for only a fraction of what the claim is worth.
Let your attorney deal with Lyft directly
At Ellis Injury Law, we are experienced in taking on these large insurance companies. The adjusters know that we will never settle a claim for less than its true value and that their bullying tactics will not work when we are on the case.
We approach every Lyft accident claim prepared to take the case to trial. This approach leaves no doubt in the insurance companies’ minds that we will not fold during the course of litigation. Our aggressive approach gives you the opportunity to maximize your compensation following a Lyft accident. To learn more about how we would pursue your case, set up a free consultation with Ellis Injury Law right away.