In most cases, accidents are inevitable. Whether driving in the rain or perfect condition, you have no idea when a collision can happen. As an Uber driver, be always prepared for any accidents since you spend a lot of time on the road. Therefore, handling accidents happening while at work can be complex compared to the ones in personal driving. In ridesharing, you have passengers in consideration, a company to report to, and questions about your coverage. In case of an Uber accident, you’ll find all the information you need in this guide.
What you need to do in an Uber accident
When you experience an accident while driving an Uber, you need to take extra steps to limit your liability and make reports to the concerned parties.
Safety measures
Just after an accident, move your car to the roadside if it’s possible. Check your passengers for bodily harm as well as yourself. You need to help everyone get out of the vehicle safely and check if pedestrians and other road users are involved.
To avoid liability limitation and more harm, please don’t move the injured passengers, especially when it’s serious. Please take note of their injury condition, call 91, report the incident, and ask for medical assistance. Even when you don’t experience property or body damage, you should still report it to law enforcement.
Always make sure you turn emergency lights on your car. If you have reflective triangles or cones, set them in a manner that you can give the other road users a heads up.
Evidence recording
In an accident, always take as many pictures as possible for documentation. These include the accident site, license plates of cars involved, and the damages. Uber must request this evidence for all four sides of the vehicle.
Additionally, get the names of the other drivers involved and the bystanders and their contact information as it may be requested. Suppose you were open for trips or during a trip. In that case, you need to take screenshots, and this is to determine the eligibility of Uber car insurance or personal insurance.
Have yourself, the witnesses, and other drivers record a statement when officers arrive and write their badge number. You will need them for claims.
Contact Uber
Next step:
- Report the incident to the company.
- Submit the evidence you have in the form of pictures and details and head to the “trip and fare review” section of the Uber website to indicate “I was involved in an accident.”
- Cancel any pending trips.
An Uber staff member may call you immediately after the details, and they provide a guide on how to help the passengers from the scene. You will also need to fill an incident report form.
As Uber carries out inspections ad investigations, they will suspend your account for some time, usually until you can get repairs or another car.
Contact the insurance company
Most personal insurance companies need you to call and report any accident, even when the policy does not cover Uber accidents. Give them any details they may need and answer questions they may have adequately.
In case you need legal advice on the matter, you will need to contact the Uber accident attorney. Never admit that you were the one at fault but don’t lie either.
Does Uber provide accident coverage?
Your payment by Uber highly depends on the driving stage you are in. if you were waiting for requests when the accident happened, you get minimal coverage. The following third party liability coverage applies;
– $50,000 per individual
– $100,000 per accident
– $25,000 for property damage
This coverage is applicable when the auto insurance policy does not take care of Uber accidents. If your property is damaged or hurt, third-party liability coverage does not cover that.
Suppose you were already under request to pick up a passenger or dropping them off. In that case, the rideshare company commercial insurance is liable for providing a significant insurance amount. Uber insurance provides;
– $1,000,000 as third party liability coverage
– Underinsured or uninsured motorists with bodily harm are insured
– Collision coverage and comprehensive contingent coverage up to the value of the car.
Will my insurance policy cover Uber accidents?
Most of the traditional insurance policies can’t cover you when you are on rideshare applications. They only cover driving for personal use and not commercial services.
It’s why you need to purchase dedicated rideshare insurance on your own. Even though Uber insurance provides good coverage when working, rideshare coverage can provide much more coverage between trips. Instead of reliance on third-party insurance, you can choose a plan to ensure safety from high accident costs.
Frequently asked questions
Does Uber have a number for reporting accidents?
Uber has an emergency hotline (800-353-8237) that can assist in case of accidents. However, if you have a good internet connection, you can use the official reporting option. This way, the Uber staff can pull up your information, check your trips, and they still call you immediately when you report through the application.
If I’m at fault, will Uber help me with legal fees?
Uber does not provide legal fees whether the fault was yours or not. Uber takes you as a contractor and might not offer any financial assistance for cases not directly affecting them.
Does Lyft provide rideshare drivers with insurance cover?
Yes. Lyft insurance is usually valid while you are driving for the application. However, just like Uber, Lyft provides less coverage between requests. It’s why you need rideshare insurance.
