Quick Answer
What happens if your Uber gets in an accident? The liability status of Uber accident claims depends on multiple factors. If you were involved in an accident in an Uber vehicle, your claim for compensation depends on insurance coverage. There are a number of rules to follow:
- If the at-fault driver was an Uber driver waiting for a ride request, Uber offers coverage of up to $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident and an additional $25,000 for property damage
- Liability insurance increases to $1,000,000 if an at-fault Uber driver had a passenger
- If the accident was caused by another driver, you can file a claim against the at-fault driver, which in some cases can be fairly low, as little as $25,000 for bodily injury in Indiana
What To Do After an Uber Car Accident
Car accidents are an unfortunate yet all-too-common part of driving. In 2020 alone, there were nearly 4.7 million accidents involving passenger cars.1 When on the road, it’s important to know how to handle the aftermath of a crash—even if you’re not the driver.
In the age of ride-sharing apps, it’s possible to get involved in a car crash without touching the wheel. However, your backseat position is far from passive. Every step you take after an Uber accident can have a massive impact.
If your Uber trip went slightly off track, take control of the aftermath with our guide on what to do after an Uber car accident.
1. Address Any Medical or Safety Needs
No matter what, safety comes first. Before checking for damages, ensure that you and everyone involved in the rideshare accident receives the medical care they need. If you’re physically able, take these crucial steps after an accident to protect all parties:
- Check your own body for any possible injuries or medical needs.
- Check all other parties for any possible injuries or medical needs.
- Assess your area’s safety for risks like oncoming traffic.
- Call an ambulance if any party needs medical assistance. All 50 states have a Good Samaritan law that will protect you from any legal action when providing care after an accident.2
2. Report the Incident
When driving your own car, the accident clearly involves you. But what if you’re not the one driving the car? Are you responsible for any follow-up?
The safe answer is yes. Your Uber driver should file professional and legal reports of their own, but it’s always smart to file your own reports as well. That way, you can have proof to make any possible claims or receive damages (like financial losses from the accident).
Police Reports
You might wonder, what do the police have to do with a car crash? As it turns out, quite a lot.
Police reports are the legal proof behind all car accident investigations. In fact, some states even require a police report following a car accident. By filing a report, you can build a case for any damages, insurance claims, or court settlements—which may be useful to you as a passenger.
Most police reports for car accidents require the following information:3
- All details of the incident, including:
- Date and time
- Location
- Vehicle models
- License plate numbers
- Weather status
- Road signage
- Property involved - ID information of all involved parties (names, addresses, and phone numbers)
- Insurance policies held by all parties
- Descriptions of any vehicle damage or injuries
- Visual evidence of the accident (photos or camera footage)
- A diagram or drawing of the car accident
- Statements from drivers, passengers and witnesses
- Any law violations or citations
- Any official conclusions for the accident’s cause
While knowing how to get a police report for a car accident is important, you should also try to keep notes of the important information in case you’ll need it later on.
Uber Reports
In an Uber car accident, there’s one party that may not be present but is always involved: The corporation of Uber.
Both you and your Uber driver should immediately report the rideshare accident to Uber. This will improve your case for receiving any possible damages from their company. According to Uber, you can report any accident under the “Help” section on their app or by contacting Customer Support.4
3. Document All Uber Accident Details
While Uber passengers are rarely liable for a crash, it never hurts to stay involved. Every detail of a crash can support any future accident claims.
To file a possible Uber accident claim or just to have the information, you'll want to do the following. First, gather as much information as possible for the police report, including everything from insurance policies to the time of the crash. After collecting all information, you’ll need to provide one more crucial detail: The timeline of the Uber accident.
Uber requires all claims to report if your accident took place before a request (for drivers or pedestrians only) or during your pickup or trip. Why? The timing directly affects Uber’s liability coverage for any damages. Currently, Uber holds these liability coverage limits for third parties (passengers or pedestrians):
- Before ride request – $75,000 in bodily injury per person OR $150,000 in bodily injury per accident, PLUS $25,000 in property damage per accident
- During pickup or trip – Up to $1,250,000 in damages PLUS $50,000 for personal injury protection
4. Open Your Claim with Mighty
Since Uber holds a high-coverage corporate insurance policy, you have a strong chance of receiving compensation directly from Uber's insurance (not just the driver). Mighty's AI handles the claim work for rideshare accidents — building your case file, opening the claim with Uber's insurance and any other involved parties, capturing every category of damage, and negotiating a settlement on your behalf. For free.
Mighty's AI captures every category of damage in your case file:
- Missed work time
- Lost items or damaged goods
- Medical expenses and care or hospital bills
- Damaged property
- Resulting conditions from the accident (PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain, etc.
Read more: Lyft Car Accident - 5 Steps to Take
5. Don't Accept Early Settlement Offers
If you've been involved in a serious accident, you might be distraught and not in the best position to evaluate a settlement offer. Insurance companies know this — and may push an early lowball settlement when you're least equipped to push back. Once a settlement is accepted, it's very hard to undo.
Mighty's AI handles communications with insurance adjusters on your behalf, comparing offers to your case file and pushing back on lowball offers with documented requests. You don't have to take the calls or evaluate offers in the moment — your case file does the work.
Should You Hire a Lawyer for Your Uber Accident?
Open the claim — but use Mighty to do it. Mighty's AI builds your case file, opens your claim with the insurance company, negotiates a settlement for you to approve, and routes you your payment if the offer is fair. For most accident claims, that's all you need — and you keep 100% of your settlement.
Only hire a lawyer when you need one, which is rarely in the first month or two after an accident. Waiting has two big advantages. First, you may not need one at all, in which case avoiding their fees leaves you with 33% to 40% more of your settlement. Even if you do need one, waiting until you have more information about your case — including an offer from insurance — gives you leverage to negotiate the lawyer's fee down from the standard rate.
A lawyer is genuinely necessary when injuries are serious, liability is disputed, multiple parties are involved, or the insurance company refuses to engage. For those cases, Mighty's marketplace helps to match you with a vetted lawyer who only gets paid on the increase to your existing offer.
Sources
- Statista. Number of vehicles involved in traffic crashes in the United States in 2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/192097/number-of-vehicles-involved-in-traffic-crashes-in-the-us/
- NIH. Good Samaritan Laws. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542176/
- Forbes. Car Accident Police Report: When & How To Get A Report. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/auto-accident/car-accident-police-report/
- Uber. Help—Driving and Delivery. https://help.uber.com/driving-and-delivering/article/what-to-do-if-youre-in-a-crash?nodeId=ab1a5837-85ea-4680-9d63-df98e8036804
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About the author
Maly is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in the insurance sector, specializing in multi-line claims and customer service for personal injury cases. As the leader of Mighty’s Client Experience team, she leverages her extensive background to ensure clients involved in auto accidents receive the highest level of care and support. Maly’s expertise plays a crucial role in delivering exceptional service and fostering long-lasting client relationships.
