The Importance of Insurance When Using Uber
The Importance of Insurance Coverage When Using Uber
Hi, this is Mike Ashworth with Wirth Law Office. I’m the head of the Personal Injury Division for this group and I want to talk to you about something that’s very close to my own experience. I have a disability from time to time where I have to use a walker. Lately my doctors have discovered I’ve got some neuropathy issues where I don’t feel my legs so well, so I’ve started using Uber quite a bit. As a matter of fact, right now almost exclusively.
So what happens if I’m in an Uber, the Uber driver is taking me from the pickup point that you put in the application to the destination point you put in the application, and if along the way we have a wreck, somebody blows a light, boom, they hit us. What happens? Whether it’s Uber, Lyft, taxi service, if it’s someone for hire and that happens, what happens?
Well, in the case of Uber, for example, and I would imagine Lyft, they have a commercial general liability automobile policy. That means that your injuries would be covered by Uber’s insurance as a fare because they are what’s called a common carrier. They are held to the highest standard of any group that provides services to people. Common carrier. Aircraft are the same way, railroads are the same way, buses are the same way. They’re held to that higher standard because they’re entrusted with your care and safety. So Uber would pay for that.
Insurance Coverage for Independent Arrangements
Now, here’s where it gets a little bit trickier. A lot of times when you use Uber, depending on where you are, you may start getting a routine of the same driver, or you may find a driver you really, really like. I mean, when I have drivers, I always give them my business card and say, hey, if you’ve got a question, let me know, and this is my schedule, this is where I’ll be, and this is when I usually get pickups. I’m now getting the same drivers over and over, and it works great, but after a while, what may happen is somebody says, okay, I’m going to Moonlight.
Mr. Ashworth, would you be willing, if I was not working for Uber, I was doing it on my own, and you wouldn’t have to pay the booking charge to go through Uber, that I just go ahead and we work it out separately? Well, there’s nothing illegal about that, nothing improper about that, but what happens if we’re in a wreck then? Somebody blows the light, T-bones, boom, I’m hurt. I’ve got back injuries, neck injuries, whatever, driver’s hurt. Who pays for that?
Well, it’s not going to be Uber, because he was not on the Uber clock. It’s going to be their automobile policy, and possibly my automobile policy, so if you do that, it’s okay. It’s nice to have routine and a regular driver that you develop trust with, but understand, if it’s not through the booking process, the application for the company, you need to make sure that there is insurance. So clear that up, double-check it, because it could be very, very important, as frequently as people are using Uber these days.
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Call me, Mike Ashworth, Tulsa Personal Injury Lawyer.Pro, 918-924-5528. We’ll help you out.
