Does Uber’s policy include uninsured motorist coverage when I’m a passenger?

· 3 min read

Yes. While a passenger is in an Uber during a prearranged ride, Georgia requires uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to be part of the rideshare policy, so a passenger hurt by a driver who has no insurance or too little is not left without a source of recovery. This protection is mandated by statute, not left to the company’s discretion.

What the statute requires

O.C.G.A. § 33-1-24 obligates the transportation network company to maintain coverage during the prearranged ride period, and that coverage includes uninsured and underinsured motorist protection. Georgia set those limits at $300,000 for bodily injury or death of all persons injured in one accident, with a ceiling of $100,000 for any single person. That layer exists specifically for the situation where the at-fault party cannot cover the harm they caused.

Uninsured motorist coverage answers when the at-fault driver has no liability insurance at all, including hit-and-run scenarios where the responsible driver is never found. Underinsured motorist coverage answers when the at-fault driver has some insurance, but not enough to pay for the injuries. Both can matter to a passenger, who has no control over which vehicle’s driver turns out to be uninsured.

How it works for a passenger

For an injured passenger, the practical sequence usually runs in this order:

  • Pursue the at-fault driver’s liability insurance first, if any exists.
  • Apply Uber’s UM/UIM coverage to the remaining shortfall, up to the statutory limits.

A passenger generally does not need to own a car or carry personal coverage to access the rideshare policy’s UM/UIM protection, because that protection attaches to the ride itself during the prearranged period.

The higher UM/UIM limits described here apply specifically while a ride is engaged and a passenger is on board, which is the only window in which someone is riding as a passenger. Georgia sets lower coverage figures for the separate period when a driver is logged into the app but has not yet accepted a trip, a phase that does not involve a passenger. Because the injury here happens during the ride, the passenger looks to the engaged-ride limits rather than the app-on-only figures.

The bottom line

Uber’s required coverage in Georgia includes uninsured and underinsured motorist protection during a prearranged ride, set at $300,000 per accident with a $100,000 per-person maximum under O.C.G.A. § 33-1-24. For a passenger struck by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver, that coverage is often the difference between a partial recovery and a full one, and it operates on top of any liability insurance the at-fault driver actually carries.

This article is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship, and Georgia law may change. For advice about a specific situation, consult a licensed Georgia personal injury attorney.

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