How Rideshare Insurance Works
First, the bad news: your personal insurance coverage won’t always cover you as you drive for Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare services. The good news? Many major car insurance companies now offer rideshare insurance, a key bit of coverage that fills in the gaps between your personal policy and your company’s commercial policy.
While Uber or Lyft ’s commercial coverage will kick in when you’re driving a passenger around, rideshare coverage kicks in during those moments when you’re between trips.
In general, Uber and Lyft don’t offer robust car insurance while you’re on the road. To make their limited coverage options easier to understand, rideshare drivers can segment their time behind the wheel into four different periods. Here’s how they work:
Period 0: This period refers to moments when your rideshare app is turned off and you are considered offline. In this instance, your personal policy covers you, as you are driving for personal use rather than for business.
Period 1: This period is in effect when your app is turned on and you’re waiting for a ride request. This is a time when having rideshare insurance might come in handy, as your personal auto insurance policy may not be robust enough to cover you if an accident happens during period 1.
Period 2: After you’ve accepted a request and are on your way to pick up a passenger, you’ve entered period 2. Your rideshare company’s commercial insurance goes into effect during this time frame.
Period 3: This period refers to when you have a rider in the car and are driving them to their destination. Again, your rideshare commercial insurance is in effect during this segment.
So, as you can see, in the span of one afternoon driving for Uber, your level of coverage can fluctuate wildly. Luckily, rideshare insurance fills in those gaps so that you’re covered even during those times between trips.
Keep in mind that driving for a delivery app can be a slightly different story. For instance, only some delivery apps offer coverage in period 2, when you’re on your way to pick up food from a restaurant or grocery store for delivery. When you sign up to work for one of these apps, try to read their policy carefully so you know when you’re covered and when you aren’t.
How much does rideshare coverage cost?
Like any other car insurance policy, the price of rideshare coverage will vary. Some insurers claim your existing premiums will go up about 15 percent. This could be added on to your existing policy, or you might need to buy a new policy that is a bit more expensive. Nevada is a state that generally has affordable car insurance rates, so you may find a budget-friendly option.
That said, a visit to Insurify can help you find the best deal on rideshare insurance. With a wealth of proprietary data, Insurify is the best site for accurate car insurance quotes delivered in real time. No more hopping from site to site trying to keep track of the best deal. With Insurify, all the key information you need is in one place.
See More: Best Car Companies for Rideshare Drivers