Getting hurt in an Uber or Lyft crash raises a key question: whose insurance pays? In Minnesota, the answer depends on what the driver’s app showed at the moment of the crash (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2).
Our Minneapolis-area office handles rideshare accident claims for passengers, drivers and other people hurt in crashes with Uber and Lyft vehicles. We work on a contingency fee, so you pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you.
How Minnesota Rideshare Insurance Works
Minnesota law divides a rideshare driver’s time into three periods. Period 1 (P1) is when the driver is logged into the app but has not accepted a ride offer. Period 2 (P2) is when the driver has accepted a ride and is on the way to pick up the rider. Period 3 (P3) is when the driver is carrying the rider from pickup to drop-off (Minn. Stat. § 181C.01, subd. 4).
Coverage During a Ride
During P2 and P3, the driver or the rideshare company must carry at least $1,500,000 in liability coverage, plus no-fault benefits and primary uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2).
Coverage While Waiting for a Ride Request
During P1, the minimum liability coverage is $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 for injuries to two or more people and $30,000 for property damage, plus no-fault benefits and primary uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2).
Who Provides the Coverage
The coverage can come from the driver’s insurance, the rideshare company’s insurance or a combination (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2). If the driver’s insurance has lapsed or does not provide the required coverage, the rideshare company’s insurance must provide it from the first dollar of the claim (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2). The company’s coverage cannot depend on a personal auto insurer first denying the claim (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2).
Personal auto policies may exclude coverage for crashes that happen while the driver is logged into the app (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 4). That is one reason the app status matters so much.
No-Fault Benefits, Pain and Suffering, and Driver Injuries
No-Fault Benefits for Passengers
For passengers, Minnesota treats the rideshare driver and company as being in the business of transporting people, so no-fault benefits generally come from the coverage on the rideshare vehicle (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2; § 65B.47, subd. 1). The minimum no-fault coverage is $40,000 per person: $20,000 for medical expenses and $20,000 for income loss and other economic losses (Minn. Stat. § 65B.44, subd. 1).
Pain and Suffering Claims
Minnesota’s no-fault law limits pain and suffering claims after car crashes unless medical expenses are more than $4,000 or the injury causes permanent injury, permanent disfigurement, death, or a disability of 60 days or more (Minn. Stat. § 65B.51, subd. 3).
Rideshare Drivers Hurt on the Job
During P2 and P3, the rideshare company must carry insurance, at no cost to the driver, that reimburses the driver’s losses from personal injury arising from work for the company, with at least $1,000,000 per incident (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2). Wage and replacement benefits under that coverage can run for up to 130 weeks (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 1).
Fault and Deadlines
Being partly at fault does not automatically end a Minnesota claim. You can recover if your share of fault is not greater than the share of the person you are claiming against, and your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault (Minn. Stat. § 604.01, subd. 1). That means a person found 50 percent at fault can still recover.
A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to file a lawsuit. For most injuries caused by someone’s negligence, Minnesota applies a 6-year deadline (Minn. Stat. § 541.05, subd. 1(5)). The right deadline depends on the type of claim, and some notice deadlines are much shorter, so do not wait to call.
If a crash takes someone’s life, a wrongful death claim generally must be started within 3 years after the death, and no more than 6 years after the act that caused it (Minn. Stat. § 573.02, subd. 1).
Proving What the App Showed
Minnesota requires rideshare drivers to disclose whether they were logged into the company’s network or on a prearranged ride at the time of a crash (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2). In a coverage investigation, the company and insurers must share the exact times the driver logged on and off in the 12 hours before and the 12 hours after the crash (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 4).
Save your ride receipts, trip history, messages with the driver and screenshots of the app.
How Rideshare Crashes Happen
Distraction From the App
NHTSA counts talking to people in the vehicle and using a phone or navigation system as distractions that divert attention from driving.
Other Drivers
Sometimes another driver hits the rideshare vehicle. In those cases, more than one insurance policy may be in play.
Injuries and the Losses We Document
When we build a claim, we document what the crash has cost you, including:
- Medical bills, from emergency care to future treatment and therapy
- Income lost while you recover
- Reduced earning ability if you cannot return to the same work
- Effects on your daily life, family and the activities you enjoyed
- Damage to your vehicle and other property
If you were hurt in a regular crash rather than a rideshare, see our page on car accident claims. For serious head injuries, see brain injury claims.
What to Do After an Uber or Lyft Accident in Minneapolis
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt, and get medical care right away
- Take screenshots of the ride in the app, including the trip details and driver information
- Photograph the vehicles, the scene and your injuries
- Get the names, plate numbers and insurance details of every driver involved
- Get names and phone numbers from witnesses
- Report the crash through the app and save every message you receive
- Avoid recorded statements to any insurer before you talk with us
- Call 844-SEE-MIKE before you sign anything or accept a settlement
How 844-SEE-MIKE Helps After a Minneapolis Uber or Lyft Accident
When you call 844-SEE-MIKE, you talk with our team about what happened, and there is no cost to find out where you stand. If we take your case, we negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf and gather the records and evidence for your claim.
- Free consultation, available 24/7
- No fee unless we recover money for you
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I was in another car hit by an Uber or Lyft driver?
The rideshare liability coverage protects other people hurt by the driver, so during a ride the $1,500,000 minimum can apply to your claim (Minn. Stat. § 65B.472, subd. 2). Which limit applies still depends on the driver’s app status.
What if my rideshare driver did not cause the crash?
Your claim for losses beyond no-fault benefits may run against the driver who did cause it. When more than one driver shares the blame, Minnesota generally makes each pay its own share (Minn. Stat. § 604.02, subd. 1).
Should I accept the insurance company’s first offer?
Be cautious. Talk with us before you accept an offer or sign a release.
How long does a rideshare accident case take?
Many injury cases settle without a trial.
Return to our Minneapolis personal injury overview to see the other cases we handle.
If you or someone you love was hurt in Minneapolis, contact 844-SEE-MIKE anytime for a free, no-pressure consultation. You pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
This information is general and is not legal advice. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
