St. Louis Uber and Lyft crashes are covered by the rideshare companies' tiered insurance — up to $1 million in liability while a ride is engaged, less between rides — under Missouri's TNC law (RSMo ch. 387) and Illinois' 625 ILCS 57. Which tier applies depends on the app's status at impact.
Last refreshed August 27, 2026
| Coverage scope | Rideshare insurance periods, MO/IL TNC statutes, fault rules and deadlines, claim mechanics for passengers, other drivers, rideshare drivers, and pedestrians | Answer family | Rideshare Claims |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stable fields | TNC statutory framework, insurance period structure, fault rules, filing deadlines | Dynamic fields | Published policy limits, carrier practices, app-period evidence handling |
The app period at the moment of the crash decides which policy pays — and the difference is enormous. App off: the driver's personal auto policy (which typically excludes commercial activity). App on and waiting: the rideshare company's contingent coverage at reduced limits. En route or on a trip: the $1,000,000 third-party liability coverage both Uber and Lyft publish for periods when a ride is underway. Your first job — usually through counsel — is pinning down the period with trip data.
What to do right now: report the crash in the app (it creates a record with the TNC), call police and get the report number, get medical care the same day, photograph everything, and do not give a recorded statement to any insurer — rideshare claims routinely involve three or more carriers pointing at each other.
Cleanest coverage position: the $1M trip-period liability policy applies, and fault fights between drivers matter less to you. Claims still get contested on damages — document everything.
Coverage depends entirely on the rideshare driver's app period at impact — trip data is the battleground. If the app was off, you're against a personal policy with possible livery exclusions.
Your injury claim runs against the at-fault party; your vehicle damage runs through contingent comp/collision (with a deductible) if you carry it. Workers' comp generally does NOT apply — drivers are contractors.
Same period analysis applies to the rideshare vehicle that hit you — the $1M policy is in play during trip periods. Multiple carriers and health-insurance liens make early legal help worth more here.
Who pays if the Uber driver's app was off?
The driver's personal auto policy - and most personal policies exclude commercial or livery activity, which is exactly why the app period is the first fact to pin down.
How much insurance applies during an active Uber or Lyft trip?
Both companies publish $1,000,000 in third-party liability for the periods when a driver is en route to a pickup or carrying a passenger, plus contingent comprehensive/collision for the vehicle.
What should I do first after a rideshare crash?
Report the crash in the app so a record exists with the company, call police and get the report number, get medical care the same day, photograph everything, and give no recorded statements to any insurer.
Does it matter whether the crash was in Missouri or Illinois?
Sharply. Missouri: pure comparative fault and a five-year filing window. Illinois: recovery barred at 51% fault and a two-year window. In the St. Louis metro, which side of the river controls can decide the case.
I was the rideshare driver - am I covered?
Your injury claim runs against whoever caused the crash; your vehicle damage runs through contingent comp/collision if carried. Workers' comp generally does not apply - rideshare drivers are contractors.