Nowadays, more and more people across Illinois and around the nation rely on ride-share companies to transport them around. As these services increase in popularity, so, too, do the number of questions users have about who bears liability for ride-share car wrecks. While, in a standard car crash, you can typically rely on your own insurance company to cover any damages, dealing with ride-share wrecks is a bit different and typically more complicated.
Unfortunately, there is no all-encompassing, one-size-fits-all answer to the question of who bears responsibility for ride-share crashes. Instead, it depends on several different factors.
Insurance requirements for drivers
The state of Illinois mandates that all its ride-share drivers have liability insurance. More specifically, Insured ASAP Insurance Agency reports that the state requires ride-share drivers to have insurance coverage of at least $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per car wreck and $20,000 to cover property damage. Any ride-share driver who fails to maintain these coverage levels runs afoul of the law.
A standard automotive insurance policy, however, may not cover ride-share crashes. Many standard auto insurance providers do not cover ride-share wrecks, so in many cases, ride-share drivers have to purchase separate ride-share insurance policies.
Insurance-related complications
While some ride-share services offer some degree of insurance coverage for their drivers, there are often stipulations involved. For example, ride-share companies may insure drivers while they actively drive for the service and have their ride-sharing apps turned on, but they may not cover their drivers in the absence of these conditions.
Ultimately, when you suffer injuries in a ride-share car crash, the ride-share company may be responsible for compensating you for your injuries. Conversely, the driver’s own auto insurance may apply, depending on circumstances. Because there is so much confusion over who, exactly, is responsible for ride-share wrecks, such crashes can prove complicated and difficult to resolve on your own.
