Uber accidents and when your injuries outweigh the car policy

New York State is a no-fault insurance state. This means that if you drive or own a vehicle in New York State, then you are required to have at least $50,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. This insurance is designed to pay for any reasonable medical expenses you might incur from your injuries along with subsidizing lost earnings and other related financial losses regardless of who is at fault in the accident. Uber has its own liability insurance that is intended to compensate for injuries that their drivers caused. Compared to other conventional ride-sharing services, such as yellow taxis and limousines who offer less insurance coverage for passengers, Uber is typically more generous with how much compensation its insurance plan will offer for its riders injured in accidents. According to Uber’s insurance policy, Uber drivers must have a minimum of $25,000 of insurance coverage in addition to the coverage that Uber is required to carry which is $1.25 million. Because of this, Uber passengers usually do not have to worry about how much compensation they can receive from Uber for their injuries if their Uber driver is involved in an accident, but this does not mean that Uber passengers are always protected. In New York, if your injuries outweigh Uber’s insurance policy, then unfortunately you are usually out of luck and would be unable to pursue additional compensation that exceeds the policy limit. However, another option is for you is to submit a claim to your own uninsured/underinsured motorist policy, if you have one, to obtain compensation for your injuries that Uber’s insurance policy does not cover. If you or a loved one were injured in an Uber accident and want to learn more about your legal options, then the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Licatesi Law Group LLP are here to help. Call 516-227-2662 or email [email protected] to schedule a free consultation.