Uber, Lyft &
Taxi Accident Lawyers

FAQs

• Who Pays My Medical Bills If I Am Injured As An Uber Or Lyft Passenger In Michigan?

  Because Michigan is a No-Fault state, your medical coverage is governed by a strict “Order of Priority” under MCL 500.3114. Many rideshare passengers mistakenly assume that Uber or Lyft’s corporate insurance will automatically step in to cover their medical bills from day one. In reality, the law mandates that you must climb a specific insurance ladder to secure your No-Fault Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits:

  1. Your own personal auto insurance policy (if you are the named insured).
  2. The auto insurance policy of your spouse.
  3. The auto insurance policy of a resident relative who lives in your household.
  4. The corporate insurance policy provided by the rideshare company (Uber or Lyft).

  Under MCL 500.3114(2)(g), Uber or Lyft’s corporate PIP insurance is only responsible for your medical bills and lost wages if you have absolutely no other auto insurance available within your household. Sorting out which multi-layered insurance carrier is legally obligated to pay your bills requires deep technical navigation. At Mike Morse Law Firm, we map out this priority ladder immediately to prevent insurers from passing the buck and delaying your necessary medical care.

• Can I Sue Uber Or Lyft Directly If Their Driver Caused My Accident?

  Yes, but you must overcome a heavily guarded corporate defense strategy. Uber and Lyft explicitly classify their drivers as “independent contractors” rather than traditional corporate employees. They do this intentionally to escape vicarious liability and prevent accident victims from suing the tech giants directly.

  However, Michigan law (MCL 257.2123) bypasses this defense by legally forcing rideshare corporations to provide a mandatory $1,000,000 commercial liability policy whenever a driver has accepted a ride request or is actively transporting a passenger. If you are a third-party motorist, pedestrian, or cyclist struck by a reckless rideshare driver, or if you were a passenger injured by your own driver’s negligence, we bring a third-party lawsuit against the driver’s commercial policy. We aggressively handle the complex digital tracking, subpoenaing app telematics and ride logs directly from the rideshare tech platforms to prove the app was active, locking down the $1,000,000 corporate insurance layer you need to cover your long-term pain, suffering, and excess financial losses.

• Do Uber and Lyft Have Insurance? If so, How Much?

  Uber and Lyft, or its driver MUST maintain primary automobile insurance on a vehicle being used to transport passengers WHILE the driver is logged on to accept passengers or while transporting passengers. The State of Michigan has guidelines for the type and amount of minimum coverage that is required for Uber and Lyft. The required coverage depends on the status of the vehicle.

  • Driver is logged on to the network and available to accept rides: The minimum liability coverage if the driver causes injury to a passenger, another motorist or pedestrian is $50,000.00 for each injured person and $100,000.00 total for the incident. As for No-Fault PIP coverage only the state minimum is required.
  • Driver is actively transporting a passenger through the network: The minimum liability coverage if the driver causes injury to a passenger, another motorist or pedestrian is $1,000,000.00 for each injured person and $1,000,000.00 total for the accident. As for No-Fault PIP coverage only the state minimum is required.
  • Driver is driving the vehicle for his or her own personal use: The minimum coverage required by the State of Michigan.

  As you can see, there is no requirement that Uber, Lyft or the driver carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.

• I Was Driving For Uber Or Lyft When I Was Hit. Will My Personal Auto Insurance Cover My Injuries?

  If you were operating your vehicle as a rideshare driver without a specific “rideshare endorsement” attached to your personal auto policy, your personal insurance carrier will likely deny your entire claim. Virtually every standard, personal auto policy in Michigan contains a strict commercial exclusion clause that completely voids your coverage the exact second you log into a digital network to transport passengers for profit.

  If you are involved in a crash while your personal policy is voided, your legal protection depends entirely on your digital app phase under Michigan’s Transportation Network Company Act:

  • Logged On, Waiting for a Match: If your personal policy denies coverage, Uber and Lyft are legally required to provide secondary liability protection of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
  • Ride Accepted or In-Progress: The tech platform’s full $1,000,000 commercial liability policy and mandatory No-Fault PIP medical layers are activated.

  Insurance adjusters routinely attempt to look for gaps between these app phases to deny claims and drop injured drivers. The moment you are involved in a crash while driving for an app, call Mike Morse Law Firm at 855-MIKE-WINS. We will audit your policies, preserve your app history, and secure the corporate benefits you are legally entitled to receive.

• Who covers your No-Fault PIP benefits (medical bills, lost wages, etcc) if you are injured while in an Uber or Lyft?

  While Uber and Lyft vehicles are required by Michigan law to carry No-Fault PIP coverage, this does not mean that that insurance is the one responsible for your No-Fault benefits. If you are injured in an Uber or Lyft here is the order of priority for which insurance company pays:

  1. Your own insurance;
  2. Your spouse’s insurance;
  3. A resident relative’s insurance;
  4. The Uber or Lyft insurance.

  The Uber and Lyft insurance are only responsible for paying your No-Fault benefits if there is no other insurance available to you.