Reviewed by Larry Peters, Attorney licensed in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, and Georgia · Last reviewed: June 2026.
4.8/5 · 96 Google reviews
Rideshare looks simple until a crash — then the question of who pays gets complicated fast. Whether you were a passenger in an Uber, a driver hit by a Lyft, or a pedestrian struck on Poplar Avenue, the coverage available depends on what the rideshare driver’s app was doing at the exact moment of the collision. Tennessee requires up to $1,000,000 in coverage during rides, but rideshare companies and their insurers work hard to limit what they pay. Southern Injury Attorneys help injured Germantown rideshare victims pin down the right coverage and recover full value, with no fee unless we win.
Sources: Tennessee Transportation Network Company insurance requirements; Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104.
The three coverage periods that decide your claim
Rideshare insurance is not one policy — it is a set of coverages that switch on and off with the driver’s app. Tennessee law and the Uber/Lyft policies break a trip into phases:
- App off. The driver is not working. Only their personal auto policy applies — the rideshare company’s coverage does not.
- App on, waiting for a request. The driver is logged in but has not accepted a ride. Limited contingent liability coverage applies, typically far below the in-trip amount, and only if the driver’s personal policy does not respond.
- Ride accepted and passenger aboard. From the moment the driver accepts a request, through pickup, until the passenger is dropped off, Tennessee requires $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage — and Uber and Lyft also provide $1,000,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
That single fact — the app status at the moment of impact — can swing a claim from a small personal policy to a million-dollar commercial policy. Establishing it with trip records, app data, and the driver’s account history is one of the first and most important things we do.
Who can be held liable in a Germantown rideshare crash
More than one party may owe you compensation. The rideshare driver may be at fault for the crash. Uber or Lyft’s insurer provides the coverage that applies during the trip phases. Another motorist who caused the crash has their own liability policy — and if that driver is uninsured or underinsured, the rideshare company’s $1,000,000 UM/UIM coverage may step in when you were a passenger. Because the companies classify their drivers as independent contractors, they often try to distance themselves from the driver’s conduct, which makes it essential to identify every policy and force the right one to respond.
Your role in the crash changes the analysis
If you were a passenger, you are almost never at fault, and the focus is simply on which coverage applies — usually the in-trip $1,000,000 policy, plus UM/UIM if another driver was uninsured. If you were a driver or motorcyclist hit by a rideshare vehicle, your recovery depends on the rideshare driver’s app status and fault. If you were a pedestrian or cyclist struck on Poplar, Germantown Parkway, or in a parking lot, the same period-based coverage applies based on what the driver was doing. In every scenario, the early question is the same: which of the three coverage layers was in force?
The coverage gap while a driver is waiting
The weakest point in rideshare coverage is the “app on, waiting” phase. During that window, the large in-trip policy has not yet activated, and only limited contingent coverage applies — often just enough to meet state minimums and only if the driver’s personal insurer denies the claim (many personal policies exclude driving for hire). Victims hurt during this phase can find themselves caught between insurers that each point at the other. This is exactly where your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can become critical, and where having a lawyer untangle the policies makes the difference.
Fault, the 50% bar, and the one-year deadline
Tennessee’s modified comparative fault rule applies to rideshare crashes: your recovery is reduced by your share of fault and barred at 50% or more. As a passenger you will rarely bear any fault, but as another driver the rideshare insurer may try to shift blame to you. You also have just one year from the crash to file suit under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104, and rideshare trip data can be lost over time, so prompt action protects both your evidence and your rights.
What your Germantown rideshare claim is worth
Because the in-trip policy is so large, a serious rideshare injury can reach compensation that an ordinary auto policy never could — but only if the correct coverage is established and the full harm is documented. Tennessee lets you recover economic damages (medical bills, future care, and lost income), non-economic damages (pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life), and punitive damages where a driver’s conduct was especially reckless. The presence of a $1,000,000 layer makes it all the more important that the insurer not be allowed to minimize your injuries or dispute which period applied.
| App status at impact | Coverage that typically applies |
|---|---|
| App off (not working) | Driver’s personal auto policy only |
| App on, waiting for a ride | Limited contingent liability coverage |
| Ride accepted / passenger aboard | $1,000,000 liability + $1,000,000 UM/UIM |
| Another driver at fault & uninsured | Rideshare UM/UIM (for passengers) or your own UM coverage |
What to do after a Germantown rideshare crash
- Call 911 and get a police report and medical care.
- Screenshot the trip in the app — the driver, the ride status, and the receipt — before the record changes.
- Photograph the scene and all vehicles, and get the rideshare driver’s and any other driver’s information.
- Get witness contact details and note nearby cameras.
- Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer before talking to a lawyer.
- Call Southern Injury Attorneys so we can preserve the trip data and identify every policy.
In short: In a Germantown Uber or Lyft crash, the driver’s app status at impact decides whether you are looking at a small personal policy or a $1,000,000 commercial policy — and the companies will not volunteer the larger coverage. Document the trip and act within Tennessee’s one-year deadline. Call 800-224-5546.
Why rideshare cases are harder than ordinary car crashes
On paper, a $1,000,000 policy sounds like a guarantee of fair compensation. In practice, rideshare companies make these claims unusually difficult. They classify their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees, which they use to argue the company is not responsible for the driver’s conduct. Their insurers dispute which coverage period applied, knowing that pushing a crash from the in-trip phase into the lower “waiting” phase can slash the available coverage. The driver’s personal insurer, meanwhile, may deny the claim outright under a livery exclusion that bars coverage while driving for hire. The result is a tangle of policies, each insurer hoping another one pays. Cutting through it requires the trip and app data, the driver’s account records, and a clear timeline of the driver’s status — evidence that is largely in the companies’ hands and that we know how to demand. Without that pressure, victims are routinely steered toward the smallest policy that can plausibly be blamed.
What our Germantown-area clients say
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Frequently asked questions
I was hurt as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft in Germantown. Who pays?
When a ride is in progress, Tennessee requires the rideshare company to carry $1,000,000 in liability coverage, plus $1,000,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. As a passenger you are almost never at fault, so the focus is on making the correct policy respond to your injuries.
How much insurance does a rideshare carry?
It depends on the app status. Once a driver accepts a ride or has a passenger, Tennessee requires $1,000,000 in liability coverage. While the app is on but waiting for a request, only limited contingent coverage applies. With the app off, only the driver’s personal policy applies.
A rideshare driver hit me while I was driving. What coverage applies?
It depends on what the rideshare driver’s app was doing at the moment of the crash and who was at fault. If a ride was accepted or a passenger was aboard, the $1,000,000 policy may apply. Establishing the app status with trip data is essential.
What is the coverage gap while a driver is waiting for a ride?
When the app is on but no ride has been accepted, only limited contingent coverage applies, and only if the driver’s personal policy does not respond. Victims hurt in this phase can be caught between insurers, which is where your own uninsured-motorist coverage and a lawyer’s help become important.
What if I was partly at fault?
You can still recover as long as you are less than 50 percent at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage of fault under Tennessee’s modified comparative fault rule. Passengers are rarely assigned any fault.
How long do I have to file a rideshare accident claim in Tennessee?
Generally one year from the date of the crash under Tenn. Code Ann. 28-3-104. Because trip and app data can be lost over time, it is important to act quickly so the evidence is preserved.
How much is my rideshare accident case worth?
Because the in-trip policy can be as high as $1,000,000, a serious rideshare injury can reach compensation an ordinary auto policy could not, but it depends on the injuries, the fault, and which coverage period applied. We give an honest assessment after reviewing your records.
What does it cost to hire your firm?
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee and are paid only if we win. The consultation is free.
About the author: Larry “Jimmy” Peters
Founder & Personal Injury Attorney, Southern Injury Attorneys
Licensed in Tennessee (BPR #37889), Mississippi, Arkansas (#2020103), Texas (#24113438), Kentucky, and Georgia (#936535).
Jimmy Peters founded Southern Injury Attorneys with one mission: maximizing compensation for people injured in car, truck, and premises-liability accidents across the Mid-South. He and his team handle auto and 18-wheeler crashes, slip-and-fall and other injury claims on a contingency fee — no fee unless the firm wins — and he personally reviews the firm’s legal content for accuracy. ★ 4.8/5 from 96 verified Google reviews. If you were hurt in Germantown or anywhere in Shelby County, the consultation is free.
This page provides general legal information about Tennessee personal injury law and is not legal advice. Reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.
