If you’ve just crawled out of a smashed vehicle, you are likely realizing that “reporting the accident” in an app is not the same thing as a legal filing. Rideshare companies often hide behind “independent contractor” labels to avoid responsibility. Filing a claim against Uber or Lyft after a crash is a multi-layered fight because you are dealing with a commercial insurance structure that shifts based on the driver’s app status at the exact second of impact. At Pyramid Legal, we treat these as commercial litigation cases, not just simple fender benders.

Understanding Insurance Periods When Filing a Claim

In California, the “Period System” dictates the level of coverage available. If the driver was cruising with the app on but no passenger, the coverage is often limited to $50,000. However, if you were a passenger or the driver was en route to a pickup, a much larger policy—often up to $1 million—is triggered. According to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), proving which period the driver was in is essential. Filing a claim against Uber or Lyft after a crash requires immediate access to digital trip logs to verify this status before the data is lost.