Car Insurance for Lyft Drivers
Lyft car insurance: A guide to requirements and policies
Given the growing number of Lyft drivers on the road, more and more car insurance companies are adapting their policies to fit the rideshare business model. Because Lyft drivers are technically using their vehicles for business purposes, driving for Lyft isn't covered under a typical personal auto insurance policy. If you’re a Lyft driver, you need to purchase an additional policy feature called “rideshare endorsement.” Read on to learn more about this added policy and how to get it from some of the top companies.
How does Lyft car insurance work?
Rideshare endorsement insurance for Lyft extends your personal car insurance policy while you’re working but haven’t accepted a ride request yet. Once you have accepted a ride, the coverage you carry through Lyft takes over. We break it down below:
| Period | Insurance Coverage |
|---|---|
| Period 0 | Offline: Your personal policy |
| Period 1 | Online WITHOUT ride request: Rideshare insurance + Lyft coverage |
| Period 2 | Online WITH ride request but NO rider: Lyft coverage |
| Period 3 | Online WITH rider in vehicle: Lyft coverage |
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Period 0: Period 0 is what it sounds like: it's your personal policy when you aren't driving for Lyft.
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Period 1: This period is when you're driving with the app active but have not yet received a pick-up request. At this point, your Lyft coverage and rideshare endorsement through your personal policy work together to provide full coverage for your vehicle. While you’re using the app but haven’t received a ride request, you only have liability coverage. If you were to get into an at-fault accident (collision) or have your vehicle vandalized (comprehensive), you wouldn’t have any coverage. With your rideshare endorsement, the physical coverage you normally carry is extended to the period when you’re waiting for a ride request.
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Period 2: Period 2 begins when you have the Lyft app active, have received a request, and are on the way to pick up your passenger. This is when Lyft-specific coverage — broken down below — kicks in.
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Period 3: This period begins when you have the Lyft app open and are currently driving your passenger to their destination. During period 3, you carry the same coverage as in period 2 — but the coverage now extends to the passenger, too.
Lyft’s car insurance policy:
| Policy Coverage | What it Covers |
|---|---|
| Liability | This covers damage you do other vehicles or pedestrians while en route to pick up a rider. Limit: at least $1,000,000 in damage protection. |
| Uninsured/underinsured bodily injury coverage | This provides coverage to anyone in your vehicle if another party is at fault but either does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover the expense. Hit and runs are covered by this insurance. Limit: $1,000,000 total bodily injury coverage. |
| Contingent collision and comprehensive | This coverage provides collision and comprehensive to your vehicle if and only if you have the coverage already. With this coverage, your deductible is set at $1,000, regardless of your personal policy's deductible. |
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Do you need Lyft insurance?
By Lyft car insurance coverage, we’re talking about your rideshare endorsement. Because of the collision-comprehensive coverage gap left when you’re on your way to pick up a fare, you wouldn't have any property damage coverage in the event of an at-fault accident.
By carrying this coverage, you avoid your personal auto insurance company canceling your policy because you are a rideshare driver. Without rideshare endorsement, using your personal vehicle for Lyft might constitute a policy violation. While the consequence could vary based on your car insurance company, you would risk having your auto insurance policy canceled or a claim denied.
How to get the best Lyft car insurance
Although many insurance companies offer rideshare coverage, availability may vary based on your state. Pricing may also vary based on your individual insurance rating factors and your car insurance company's policies. Below is a list of popular insurance companies offering rideshare endorsement coverage.
| Insurance Company | Available States |
|---|---|
| GEICO | Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Maine, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, Maryland, Indiana, New Mexico, Texas, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Nebraska |
| Allstate | Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Wisconsin, DC, Virginia, Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Minnosota, California, Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Arkansas, Maryland |
| Farmers | Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, Maryland, Arkansas, Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Minnesota |
| State Farm | California, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon, West Virginia, Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Washington |
| Liberty Mutual | Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, Texas, California, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Washington DC |
| Foremost | Florida |
| USAA | Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Indiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, North Dakota |
| Erie | Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland |
| Mercury | Arizona, California, Illinois, Nevada, Oklahoma |
| MetLife | California, Illinois, Texas, Washington |
Zebra tip:
*Please note that it is your responsibility to inform your insurance company that you drive for a ride-sharing service. Because this is considered a business activity, a standard insurance policy does not provide sufficient coverage. Driving for a rideshare company without a proper insurance policy could leave you at risk for any potential damages and could lead to your coverage being dropped altogether. Please contact a representative at your company to discuss such coverage options.
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About The Zebra
The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.
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- The Zebra’s insurance editorial content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
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