Commuters Beware: Lawmakers and Rideshare Companies Jeopardize Passengers

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