Commuters Beware: Lawmakers and Rideshare Companies Jeopardize Passengers

32 Pages Posted: 19 Jun 2024

See all articles by Jacob Guariglia

Jacob Guariglia

University of Florida, Levin College of Law

Date Written: May 23, 2024

Abstract

Rideshare passengers reasonably expect that the companies soliciting their business will take care of them in the event of a crash. But the reality is that in many states, including Florida, passengers that are injured by an uninsured motorist, by an underinsured motorist, or in a hit-and-run crash may be liable for the subsequent medical costs with no avenue for adequate reimbursement. Only twenty-six states require rideshare companies to provide their passengers with uninsured motorist coverage to mitigate the financial fallout of a car crash. This Note examines the current insurance regulations that Florida and other states impose upon rideshare companies, explores how specific aspects of Florida law expose rideshare passengers to additional risk, advocates for the legislature to mandate uninsured motorist coverage, and discusses the potential increase in costs consumers may experience. If private companies do not take it upon themselves to protect their passengers, it falls upon the government to shift financial risks to those who are best suited to bear them.

Keywords: florida, insurance, rideshare, uber, lyft, uninsured, law, legal

Suggested Citation

Guariglia, Jacob, Commuters Beware: Lawmakers and Rideshare Companies Jeopardize Passengers (May 23, 2024). Florida Law Review, Vol. 76, No. 437, 2024, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4839419

Jacob Guariglia (Contact Author)

University of Florida, Levin College of Law ( email )

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