If you are a passenger being driven by an Uber driver in Colorado and are hurt in a car accident, you have the right to be compensated for your injuries.
However, Colorado state law lays out some key differences in the insurance and claims process if your injuries are due to the actions of an Uber driver. This might lead accident victims to be confused about whose insurance is actually responsible for the compensation: yours; the driver’s, or Uber?
Transportation Network Companies and liability
Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) is the formal name for ride-sharing companies such as Uber.
A TNC is defined in most states – including Colorado – as a company that provides ride-sharing services by contracting with drivers who are using their personal auto to take passengers to their destinations.
TNC drivers do not have a livery driver’s license, nor are their cars registered or insured as regular taxis must be, which could have an impact on how an accident claim is processed.
What happens after an Uber accident
Much of the details will remain the same as for any car accident in Colorado in terms of getting medical attention, reporting the accident, etc.
However, there are some necessary differences because you are simply a passenger in a rideshare.
Colorado recently signed Senate Bill 25 into law, also known as the Transportation Network Company Act. This act states that ride-sharing companies must provide primary insurance coverage when the driver’s Uber App is turned on. The App is the technology provided by the company that allows drivers to find riders.
So, if you are hurt in an accident by an Uber driver who is working at the time of the crash, your auto insurance company could deny your claim since the vehicle that caused the injuries was driven by a ride share driver.
Colorado Uber/TNC insurance requirements
TNCs in Colorado must provide primary liability coverage of $50,000 per injured person, and $100,000 for all injuries arising from one accident.
If you are injured by an Uber driver, you will probably need to work with Uber’s insurance provider for injury compensation instead of your own insurance.
You may want to talk to a Colorado lawyer about it first.
Have you been involved in an accident while riding in an Uber car? Was the insurance process confusing? Please share your experience below.
I have yet to try Uber, but I know people who drive and also people who use it for rides. Honestly, I think it’s a great idea for where I live (Gainesville, FL) because it’s nearly impossible to find a taxi and the buses don’t cover much of the city apart from the university. I never thought about what would happen if you’re in an accident in a Uber car!