Legal Help For Survivors Nationwide
Legal Help For Survivors Nationwide
Usually not, at least not the car insurance. Uber and Lyft carry at least $1 million in insurance during every trip, but that coverage is built for crashes. Courts have often found that a driver’s sexual assault falls outside the scope of traditional automobile liability coverage. That doesn’t leave survivors without options: people bring claims against Uber and Lyft themselves, and juries have held the companies responsible.
Not sure who would pay in your case? Survivor’s Justice connects survivors with lawyers who handle claims against Uber and Lyft. A free, confidential case review tells you whether you may have a case, with no pressure and no cost. If you decide to move forward, a firm focused on rideshare assault cases takes it from there.
We can help answer your questions and connect you with an attorney if you may have a case.
Rideshare insurance depends on what the driver was doing when you were hurt. These are the amounts that cover injuries to riders and other people.
| When | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Driver logged in, waiting for a request | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident at Uber and Lyft [1][2]. New York State requires $75,000 and $150,000 [3]. |
| Driver on the way to you, and during your trip | At least $1,000,000 at Uber and Lyft in most states [1][2]. New York State requires $1,250,000 [3]. |
| A TLC-licensed ride in New York City | The driver’s own commercial policy. Uber and Lyft say they don’t insure TLC drivers [2][4]. The TLC minimum is $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident [5]. |
New York’s $1.25 million rule doesn’t apply in New York City, which sets its own rules through the Taxi and Limousine Commission [6].
It covers harm from using the car. New York’s law, for example, requires coverage for injuries “arising out of the ownership, maintenance, use, or operation” of the vehicle [3]. Several courts have held that an assault inside a vehicle doesn’t meet that test. In a case about a medical-transport van driver who assaulted a passenger, an Illinois appeals court said “the mere fact that a vehicle is the site of an injury or incident is insufficient” [7]. A Wisconsin appeals court called sexual assault “completely foreign to” the nature of a vehicle [8].
It doesn’t cover deliberate wrongdoing. D CEO reported in 2019 that commercial and personal auto policies “generally exclude coverage for the use of a vehicle for illegal acts.” When a Dallas rideshare startup tried to insure against sexual assault, more than 60 insurers either priced the coverage out of reach or called it too risky [9].
Every policy and every state is different, so a lawyer should read the actual policy in your case.
Survivors bring claims against the companies themselves. These claims say Uber or Lyft failed to screen drivers properly, failed to act on complaints, or chose not to adopt safety measures that could have prevented the assault [10].
Some courts have treated rideshare companies as “common carriers,” similar to bus lines and airlines. A federal judge applying North Carolina law said Uber has “a non-delegable duty to transport passengers safely” [11].
Here is how the first trials have gone:
As of October 1, 2026, 4,916 cases were pending against Uber in federal court and 134 against Lyft [15]. No Lyft case has reached a verdict yet; our Lyft lawsuit guide tracks where those cases stand.
State victim compensation programs can pay some costs while a case is pending. They only pay for what no other source covers. In New York, the Office of Victim Services (OVS) helps with medical and counseling costs and lost wages [16]. Since December 31, 2025, survivors have 3 years to file. Instead of a police report, you can report to a victim service provider or a medical or mental health professional [17].
Survivor’s Justice connects survivors with experienced, compassionate lawyers who handle claims against Uber and Lyft. The consultation is free and confidential, and you decide what happens next.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Reading it doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship.
Being assaulted by a Lyft or Uber driver is not your fault. You deserve answers. You deserve advocacy. And most of all—you deserve justice.
Let us help you move forward.
Contact Survivors Justice now for your free, private consultation.
