Over the past few years, as ride sharing has become more and more prevalent, government regulation has sought to make it safer for the riders. . . but what about the Uber and Lyft drivers? What about their safety? What happens to ride share drivers when they get in an accident or are injured while driving?

Ride Share drivers have long been left in the lurch for auto insurance coverage that covers themselves when they do not have a passenger in the vehicle or are en-route to a passenger. The ride sharing companies do not cover the drivers unless they are with a passenger or are on their way to pick one up. To add to this complication, most traditional auto insurers limit their coverage to “non-commercial” use- and driving for a ride sharing company constitutes commercial use, at least so far as the insurance industry is concerned.

Starting last year, many carriers started offering a hybrid type policy that covers ride share drivers for when they are not en-route or with a passenger, but still driving with their ride share apps engaged, or with the purpose of engaging in ride sharing.

While it has been a common complaint from ride share drivers that they are personally at risk for their own well-being when driving, hopefully with the entry of these new hybrid policies for ride share drivers, this will cease to be a problem as more insurance companies are offering policies to cover these drivers.

If you are a ride share driver, you should check your personal insurance policy ASAP to ensure that you are covered. If your policy has a “non-commercial use” clause, you should consider searching for a policy that may suit your needs better.

Current ride share drivers, feel free to comment below and tell us about your  experiences.