A rideshare crash can involve several layers of insurance, and which one applies depends on what the driver was doing when the collision happened. Georgia’s transportation network company statute sets the structure. These are the questions people ask after a crash in Marietta.
Does Georgia Require Insurance for Rideshare Drivers?
Georgia does, and O.C.G.A. 33-1-24 requires a transportation network company, such as Uber or Lyft, to maintain or cause to be maintained a primary motor vehicle insurance policy. The coverage applies while a driver is using the company’s digital network. Because the statute sets that requirement, the first step in any claim is learning which policy sits behind the car.
Why Does the Driver’s App Status Matter?
The statute divides a driver’s time into periods. One covers the time the driver is logged on to the digital network. Another begins when the driver accepts a ride request and runs until the transaction or ride is complete, whichever is later.
Each period carries its own minimum coverage. A driver waiting for a request is treated differently from a driver heading to pick someone up. That distinction is why the app’s time records matter, since they show which period a crash fell into.
What Extra Coverage Applies After a Ride Is Accepted?
Once a driver accepts a request, the statute also requires uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, tied to the Georgia provision for those policies. That protection exists for cases where the at-fault driver has little or no insurance. It matters for passengers, and it can matter for the rideshare driver too.
Anyone facing an at-fault driver without enough insurance should understand how uninsured motorist coverage works. The rules can change what a claim is worth.
Can the Driver’s Personal Policy Be Used?
Under the statute, the insurance requirement can be met by a commercial policy or by coverage from the driver’s personal policy. That means the source of payment may differ from claim to claim.
An injured person shouldn’t assume the app company’s policy is the only one. Several policies may be in play, and each insurer may point to another. In that situation, a Marietta rideshare accident lawyer can ask each insurer to confirm its position in writing.
Disputes like these can stall a claim. How each insurer’s duties are defined starts with liability insurance rules.
What Information Can Someone Ask For?
The statute includes disclosure duties. Rideshare companies must tell drivers about coverage, and they must provide coverage information to an insurer within 15 days of a request. Notice of a coverage dispute also has to be given.
Those provisions make it possible to learn which policy applies. That question is one reason complicated rideshare claims differ from ordinary crash cases.
Ask early, since the answer decides which insurer to pursue. Records worth saving right away include:
- The date and time of the crash and the time of the ride request
- Screenshots of the app showing the trip status
- The driver’s name, vehicle details, and insurance information
- Photos of the scene and any police report number
Do the Coverage Amounts Change?
Yes, the amounts can change. The Georgia statute was amended in 2023, and the amendment applies to causes of action that accrued on or after July 1, 2023. The limits in effect on the date of your crash control, so check the current text and don’t rely on an old summary. That’s also why we don’t quote dollar figures here; the right number depends on the date.
How Do We Help Marietta Riders and Drivers?
At Johnson & Alday, LLC, we represent people hurt in rideshare crashes, and we handle them on a contingency fee. Our attorneys bring about 40 years of combined experience, and our office is in Marietta. Attorney Bobby Johnson, a certified Georgia mediator, was named a Super Lawyer each year from 2023 to 2026.
We handle claims involving both Uber and Lyft. Passengers hurt in an Uber can look at a Marietta Uber accident lawyer for the details that apply to that company.
Rides booked through Lyft involve that company’s own policies. When that applies, a Marietta Lyft accident lawyer works with the coverage tied to the app.
Where Should You Start With Your Coverage?
The right policy to claim against isn’t obvious on the day of a crash. If you were hurt in a rideshare vehicle in Marietta, you can get in touch with us to find out which period applies, and a Marietta rideshare accident lawyer can help trace the coverage that fits your claim.