Injured in an Uber or Lyft in Florida? Insurance Steps and Your Rights

Rideshare crashes raise unique insurance questions in Florida. Whether you were a passenger, the rideshare driver, or another motorist, your next steps depend on the driver’s app status and how no‑fault (PIP) benefits apply.

This guide explains what PIP pays, when the rideshare company’s policy steps in, and how to protect your claim from the start.

1. Get Medical Care Within 14 Days

See a doctor as soon as possible, even if your pain feels minor. Florida’s PIP benefits require initial treatment within 14 days. Keep every visit summary, referral, and receipt—they become key proof of your injuries and your timeline.

2. Report the Crash and Preserve Key Evidence

• Call 911 so there is an official report and, if needed, emergency care.
• Take photos or video of the vehicles, intersection, signage, and any visible injuries.
• In the app, screenshot the trip details: driver name and plate, timestamps, and route.
• Exchange contact information with drivers, passengers, and witnesses.
• Report the crash in the Uber or Lyft app, but avoid detailed recorded statements to insurers until you’ve talked with a lawyer.

3. How PIP Works After a Rideshare Crash

Personal Injury Protection generally pays first for your medical care if you carry Florida PIP—sometimes even if you were a rideshare passenger. PIP typically covers 80% of reasonable medical expenses and 60% of lost income, up to $10,000 in combined benefits. If a provider does not diagnose an Emergency Medical Condition (EMC), medical benefits may be limited to $2,500.

If you don’t have your own PIP (for example, you don’t own a vehicle), coverage may come from a policy on the vehicle you occupied or from coverage required under Florida’s Transportation Network Company (TNC) law during the trip.

4. Rideshare Insurance by App Status: Waiting, En Route, and With Passenger

Florida law ties minimum coverage to the driver’s status in the app:

• App on and waiting for a request: at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage. PIP and UM/UIM also apply under Florida requirements.
• En route to a pickup or carrying a passenger: at least $1,000,000 in primary liability coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage. PIP and UM/UIM must comply with Florida requirements.
• Most personal auto policies exclude coverage while a driver is logged in or carrying a passenger, so the TNC policy usually governs during these periods.

5. When You Can Step Outside No Fault

You may pursue pain and suffering and other non‑economic damages when your injuries meet Florida’s serious injury threshold. That typically involves permanent injury, significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, significant and permanent scarring, or death.

6. Deadlines and Fault Rules in Florida

Most negligence claims now have a two‑year filing deadline. Florida also follows a modified comparative negligence rule: if you are more than 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover. At 50 percent or less, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault.

Contact The Nation Law Firm for a free case evaluation.

7. Why UM or UIM Often Matters in Rideshare Claims

If the at‑fault driver carries low limits—or there are multiple injured people drawing from the same policy—Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage can make the difference. Check your own UM/UIM and the TNC policy language for the trip.

8. Who You Can Pursue: Driver, Insurer, and When the TNC Policy Applies

Drivers are generally treated as independent contractors when they meet Florida’s TNC requirements. In practice, claims typically proceed against the at‑fault driver and the applicable insurer(s), including the rideshare company’s policy for the period in effect. Every case is fact‑specific; early legal guidance helps protect the right evidence.