Uber and Lyft Crashes in Riverside County: Insurance

How much insurance covers a rideshare trip

California sets the insurance for transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft by the stage of the trip (Pub. Util. Code § 5433). The CPUC's summary and the statute are below.

App on, no ride accepted	App on, waiting for a ride request: primary insurance of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for death and injury, $30,000 for property damage, plus at least $200,000 of excess coverage. [source]
Ride accepted and during the ride	Ride accepted and on the way, and while the passenger is in the car: primary commercial insurance of $1,000,000. [source]

Uninsured/underinsured motorist	While a passenger is in the vehicle, the TNC must provide uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage of $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident, primary over other such coverage. [source]
Personal policy denial	TNC coverage does not depend on the driver's personal auto insurer first denying the claim. [source]
Current version	Section 5433 was last amended by SB 371 (Stats. 2025, ch. 314), effective January 1, 2026. [source]

If you see older summaries with different uninsured-motorist amounts, rely on the statute as amended effective January 1, 2026.

If you were a passenger

A passenger is covered from the moment the driver accepted the ride. If the rideshare driver caused the crash, the TNC coverage of $1,000,000 is the main source. If another driver caused it, that driver's insurer is responsible first; when that driver has no insurance or too little, the TNC's uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage applies while you were in the car, and your own uninsured motorist coverage may also apply.

If you were another driver, a cyclist or a pedestrian

What matters is what the rideshare driver was doing. With a passenger on board or a ride accepted, the $1,000,000 coverage applies. With the app on but no ride accepted, the lower limits apply. With the app off, it is an ordinary crash under the driver's personal policy. Screenshots, the driver's statements at the scene and the crash report help establish which stage applied.

What to collect after a rideshare crash

The driver's name, license plate, and proof of both personal and TNC insurance; the CPUC requires drivers to have both.
Screenshots of the trip in your app: pick-up time, route, driver and receipt.
Photos of the vehicles, the scene and your injuries, and names of witnesses.
The report number from the agency that responded (see our crash report guide).
Your own report through the app. Keep copies of everything you send.

Drivers involved in an injury crash must make a written report to the CHP or city police within 24 hours (Vehicle Code § 20008) and, in many cases, to the DMV within 10 days (Vehicle Code § 16000).

Impaired drivers, complaints and permits

Impaired driver	If you suspect your driver is impaired, the CPUC says to have the driver stop, get out when it is safe, call 911, and file a zero-tolerance complaint with the company. TNCs must suspend the driver promptly after a zero-tolerance complaint. [source]
Complaints	CPUC Consumer Intake Unit (passenger carrier complaints): consumer-affairs@cpuc.ca.gov or 800-894-9444. [source]
CPUC permits	The CPUC lists Uber Technologies Inc (Uber) as TCP 38150 and Lyft, Inc (Lyft) as TCP 32513 on its page of TNC permits issued. [source]
Proof of insurance	After a crash, TNC drivers must be able to show proof of both their personal insurance and the commercial (TNC) insurance. [source]
Insurer cooperation	In a claims coverage investigation, the TNC or its insurer must cooperate with the other insurers involved and share information (Public Utilities Code Section 5435). [source]

Deadlines

Most injury lawsuits in California must be filed within two years (CCP § 335.1). If a city, the County, the State or another public agency may share responsibility, a written claim is generally due within six months (Gov. Code § 911.2); our claims guide lists where to file.

Every fact on this page links to the official source it came from. We checked each one in September 2026. Agencies change fees and procedures, so confirm with the agency before you go. How we research.

Common questions

Does Uber or Lyft insurance cover me as a passenger?

Yes. From the moment the driver accepts your ride until it ends, California requires $1,000,000 of primary coverage for death, personal injury and property damage (Pub. Util. Code § 5433).

What if another driver hit the Uber I was riding in?

The at-fault driver's insurance comes first. If that driver is uninsured or underinsured, the TNC must provide uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage of $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident while you were in the vehicle.

Does the rideshare insurer have to wait for the driver's personal insurer to deny the claim?

No. The statute says TNC coverage does not depend on a personal auto policy first denying the claim.

I was hit by a rideshare driver who had the app on but no passenger. Which coverage applies?

Before a ride is accepted, the minimums are $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident and $30,000 for property damage, plus at least $200,000 of excess coverage.

Uber and Lyft crashes: insurance for passengers and other drivers