Ride- sharing is a fairly new, savvy, cutting edge, and popular mode of transportation that has broken out in the last decade, and has gained recent steam and the go-to choice of transportation for many young adults and millennials. According to the Oxford Dictionary, ride-sharing can be defined as an agreement to “participate in an arrangement in which a passenger travels in a private vehicle driven by its owner, for free or for a fee, especially as arranged by means of a website or app”. Ride-sharing is becoming more and more prevalent. It is used in busy cities, suburbs, long distance travel, short distance travel, and everything in between. As the popularity of ride-sharing increases and companies like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar continue to grab a larger market share of the travel industry, it is important that ride-sharers and their drivers are properly insured so in the event of an injury, sufficient coverage is available. Ride-sharing passengers and ride-sharing drivers should be properly apprised of their rights if anything ever happens while traveling in a ride-sharing scenario.
Auto insurance and ride sharing
Insurance companies have had a difficult time adjusting to the new trend of ride sharing. Most traditional auto insurance policies exclude coverage for drivers who are using their vehicle for commercial use, such as using their vehicle to transport passengers (ride sharers) for a fee. Due to ride sharing’s increase in popularity, insurance companies have been forced to create new policies that sufficiently cover the driver’s they insure, and the passengers that those drivers are transporting. Many of these auto policies that do cover ride sharing are larger, similar to policies written for commercial fleets. These larger policies, often times at least one million dollars in coverage or more, make sure that there is enough coverage in the event of an injury. It is important to remember to take standard safety precautions when traveling as a passenger in a ride sharing vehicle, such as firmly fastening your seatbelt, and not distracting the ride sharing driver as he transports you to your destination.
It is important to be properly represented if you are ever injured by another party’s negligence. It is important to speak to an attorney about your legal rights and make sure you are fully apprised of those rights. The attorneys at Herrman & Herrman PLLC are always on standby to help! Contact Herrman & Herrman PLLC, located at 1201 Third St., Corpus Christi, Texas 78404 or 801 E. Fern Ave., McAllen, Texas 78501. If you have any questions about a potential claim or would like to sit down for a consultation and discuss your issue, please contact us immediately. At Herrman & Herrman PLLC, we always strive to put our clients, first!
*This blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to, and should not be construed as legal advice.
