If you were hurt in a crash involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle in Illinois, more than one insurance policy may be involved. The Illinois Transportation Network Providers Act sets insurance rules that depend on the driver's app status: lower required liability coverage while the driver is logged in and waiting, and higher primary coverage from the moment the driver accepts a ride request until the ride is complete (625 ILCS 57/10). Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Call Stavros Law Offices at (847) 520-4810 for a free consultation.

General information, not legal advice. Last reviewed: October 2026.

Why Rideshare Crashes Are Different

In an ordinary two-car crash, you usually deal with the other driver and that driver's insurer. A rideshare crash can add a driver who works through an app, the app company (which the Act calls a transportation network company, or TNC), and several layers of insurance. The coverage that applies can change depending on whether the driver was logged off, logged in and waiting for a request, on the way to pick someone up, or carrying a passenger. Which of those applied at the moment of the crash is often the first question to answer, and records from the app can help answer it.

Insurance Layers by App Status

The Transportation Network Providers Act (625 ILCS 57/10) sets minimum insurance requirements that follow the driver's status in the app:

• App off. The Act's rideshare coverage requirements are tied to the app, so when the driver is logged off the driver's own personal auto policy is the usual source of coverage. Policy terms vary.
• Logged in and waiting for a request. The Act requires automobile liability insurance at a lower required level. If the driver's own policy excludes coverage under its terms, or does not meet that level, the TNC must maintain contingent liability coverage at the required level.
• Request accepted until the ride is complete. The Act requires primary automobile liability coverage at a higher required level. That coverage may come from the driver's insurance, from insurance the TNC maintains, or a combination of both, and it does not depend on the driver's personal policy denying the claim first.
• Passenger in the vehicle. From the time a passenger enters until the passenger exits, the coverage must also include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
• Lapsed driver coverage. If the driver's required insurance has lapsed or ceased to exist, the TNC must provide the required coverage from the first dollar of a claim.

The Act also says its insurance requirements do not limit a TNC's liability for an amount above the required coverage in an action for damages after a crash involving a participating driver. The actual limits and exclusions in the policies involved matter, so we ask for them early. State law on this topic is also subject to change.

Who May Be Responsible

Depending on the facts, more than one person or company may be responsible for a rideshare crash: the rideshare driver, another driver, a vehicle owner, or a government body that maintained a road. Whether a rideshare company can be held responsible for what a driver did depends on the facts and the legal relationship, and we review that case by case rather than assume an answer. Illinois comparative fault rules apply as in other crashes: a person more than 50% at fault is barred, and otherwise damages are reduced by that person's share (735 ILCS 5/2-1116).

If You Were a Passenger, Another Driver or a Pedestrian

• Passenger. You may have claims against the rideshare driver, another driver who caused the crash, or both. The uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage that applies while a passenger is in the vehicle can matter if the at-fault driver has little or no insurance. A passenger's account with the app company is governed by its terms of use, which may include dispute provisions; we read them.
• Driver of another car. Your claim is usually against the at-fault driver and whatever insurance applies to that driver at the time. Your own policy may also be involved. See dealing with insurance after a crash and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
• Pedestrian or bicyclist. See our pages on pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents, which also explain the rules drivers must follow.

Evidence From the App and the Scene

Rideshare crashes create evidence that ordinary crashes do not. If you can, preserve:

• Screenshots of your ride request, trip status, the driver's name and photo, the vehicle make, model and license plate, and the trip receipt or email
• In-app messages, call logs and the time you requested and were picked up
• Photos of the vehicles, the scene, your injuries, and any rideshare sticker or trip display in the windshield
• Names and numbers of the driver, other drivers and witnesses, plus the police report number
• Your medical records and bills, and a short journal of symptoms and missed work

The app company keeps its own trip and driver-status records. An attorney can request that records be preserved. Please do not delete the app or your account history until you have talked to a lawyer. Our car accident checklist covers the standard first steps.

Dealing With Rideshare Insurers

After a rideshare crash you may hear from the driver's personal insurer, the company's insurer or a claims administrator. Be careful with recorded statements and with releases or medical authorizations that are broader than necessary, and do not sign anything before you understand your injuries. The questions in our Car Accident Resource Center apply here as well. For who pays bills while a claim is pending, see who pays medical bills after a car accident.

Deadlines for Rideshare Injury Claims

The general rule is two years from the date of injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Claims by people who were under 18 when the claim arose can have extra time (735 ILCS 5/13-211), and a claim against a local public entity, for example over a road defect, generally must be brought within one year (745 ILCS 10/8-101). If a rideshare crash caused a death, a wrongful death claim has its own rules; see wrongful death in Illinois. Our guide to Illinois personal injury deadlines explains the exceptions.

Related Pages

See also car accidents, hit-and-run accidents, comparative fault in Illinois and our personal injury overview.

Our county pages explain where injury cases are filed: Cook County, Lake County, DuPage County, Kane County and McHenry County.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is liable in an Uber or Lyft accident in Illinois?

It depends on the facts. The rideshare driver, another driver, a vehicle owner or a public body may be responsible, and the insurance that applies depends on the driver's app status at the time of the crash. Whether the app company can be held responsible depends on the facts and the legal relationship. We review each case individually.

What insurance covers a rideshare accident in Illinois?

Under the Transportation Network Providers Act (625 ILCS 57/10), required coverage depends on app status: a lower required level while the driver is logged in and waiting, and higher primary coverage from acceptance of a ride request until the ride is complete. While a passenger is in the vehicle, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage must also be provided. Actual limits depend on the policies.

What if the rideshare driver's own insurance denies the claim?

For the period from acceptance of a ride request through the end of the ride, the Act says the required coverage cannot depend on a personal auto policy first denying a claim. If the driver's required coverage has lapsed, the app company must provide the required coverage from the first dollar of the claim.

Do I need to keep the app and my ride history?

Yes. Screenshots of the trip, the driver and vehicle details, the receipt and in-app messages can help show the driver's status. Do not delete your account or the app until you have talked to a lawyer.

How long do I have to file a rideshare accident lawsuit?

Generally two years from the date of injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Claims against local government bodies can have a one-year deadline (745 ILCS 10/8-101), and minors may have extra time (735 ILCS 5/13-211). Confirm your deadline as soon as possible.

Does it cost anything to talk to a lawyer?

No. Stavros Law Offices offers a free consultation. Call (847) 520-4810 to schedule one.

Talk to Our Team

Stavros Law Offices is one team handling criminal defense and DUI, personal injury and civil litigation. We review rideshare injury claims for clients in our service area from our Wheeling office. Call (847) 520-4810 or request a free consultation online. Our bilingual staff can assist. Se habla español.

Stavros Law Offices
433 N. Milwaukee Ave, Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 520-4810
Monday–Friday 9–5; closed Saturday
Free consultation. Serving clients in Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane and DuPage Counties.

General information, not legal advice; no attorney-client relationship until engaged. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Laws, deadlines and court procedures change and every case is different. Last reviewed: October 2026.