Georgia’s rideshare accident insurance laws have changed in recent years, and the familiar idea that every Uber or Lyft accident comes with $1 million in available coverage is misleading. The amount and type of insurance available depend on who caused the crash and what the rideshare driver was doing in the app at the time.
This article explains how Georgia’s rideshare insurance requirements have changed, how coverage works during different stages of a trip, and how those rules affect your Atlanta rideshare accident claim.
The Old Standard
Georgia establishes specific insurance requirements for transportation network companies (TNCs), such as Uber and Lyft. Under O.C.G.A. § 33-1-24, different insurance requirements apply depending on whether a driver is simply logged into the rideshare app or has already accepted a ride. Before 2023, once a driver accepted a ride request, Georgia law required at least $1 million in liability coverage per occurrence and $1 million in uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage per incident.
How HB 529 Changed Rideshare Insurance Coverage
Georgia House Bill 529 changed one important part of that insurance structure for accidents occurring on or after July 1, 2023 by reducing the minimum UM/UIM coverage required during an accepted rideshare trip.
Under the current version of O.C.G.A. § 33-1-24(b)(3), the required limits are:
- $100,000 for bodily injury or death of one person
- $300,000 for bodily injury or death of all people in one accident
- $25,000 for property damage
However, HB 529 did not eliminate the separate $1 million liability requirement for death, personal injury, and property damage during an accepted trip. If the rideshare driver causes a covered crash after accepting a trip, the $1 million liability requirement applies. But if another driver causes the accident and has little or no insurance, the lower UM/UIM limits apply instead.
In other words, seeing “$1 million” associated with Uber or Lyft insurance does not mean $1 million is available for every rideshare accident claim.
Which Rideshare Insurance Coverage Applies?
Rideshare accident insurance laws are often categorized into three periods. Georgia’s statute technically divides TNC services into two periods, but the three-period model makes it easier to understand what the driver was doing when a crash happened.
Period 1: The Driver Is Logged In and Waiting
During this period, the driver is available in the app but has not accepted a ride. Required minimum coverage in Period 1 includes:
- $50,000 for bodily injury or death of one person
- $100,000 for bodily injury or death of multiple people in one accident
- $50,000 for property damage
Georgia law expressly states that TNC coverage cannot be conditioned on the driver’s personal insurer first denying the claim. A driver’s personal auto policy may exclude losses that occur while the driver is providing rideshare services. For that reason, determining which policy applies requires reviewing the driver’s coverage and the TNC policy.
Period 2: The Driver Has Accepted a Ride
Once a rideshare driver accepts a trip, the higher insurance requirement begins. This includes the time the driver spends traveling to pick up the passenger.
Georgia law requires at least $1 million in liability coverage per occurrence during this period. The reduced UM/UIM limits established under HB 529 also apply if another uninsured or underinsured driver causes the crash.
For example: a driver could accept an Uber request and then be hit by another vehicle while traveling to the pickup location. Even though the passenger is not yet in the Uber, the accepted trip can affect which rideshare coverage applies.
Period 3: The Passenger Is in the Vehicle
The accepted-trip period continues while the passenger is being transported and ends when the ride is completed or terminated.
The same $1 million liability requirement applies during this period. However, if an uninsured or underinsured third-party driver causes the accident, the lower UM/UIM limits established by HB 529 apply instead. Because app status can affect coverage, records showing when a ride was accepted, when the passenger was picked up, and when the trip ended serve as important evidence in a coverage dispute.
How HB 339 Changed Rideshare Company Liability
Insurance coverage is not the only part of Georgia rideshare law that recently changed. Georgia House Bill 339 took effect on July 1, 2025. Among other changes, the law excludes rideshare drivers and rideshare network services from Georgia’s definition of a “motor carrier.”
HB 339 also limits when a rideshare company can be held liable for a driver’s conduct. This protection applies when:
- The rideshare company was not independently negligent or engaged in criminal misconduct.
- The company complied with applicable Georgia rideshare requirements.
- The company conducted the legally required criminal background checks, including the required recurring background check.
This does not mean rideshare companies are immune to liability. A claim alleging the company’s negligence simply requires a different analysis.
Speak With an Atlanta Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Taken together, HB 529 and HB 339 made two significant changes within a two-year period: Georgia reduced required rideshare UM/UIM coverage, and it changed when a rideshare company can be held responsible for a driver’s conduct.
Before assuming a policy or coverage limit applies, speak with an Atlanta rideshare accident lawyer to review the circumstances of your crash. Leveraging their knowledge and experience with Georgia’s rideshare accident insurance laws, they will help you collect and preserve evidence to establish who caused the crash and manage communication with the insurance companies.
Contact Weatherby Law Firm Today
If you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident, determining which insurance applies depends on who caused the crash, the driver’s app status, whether a ride had been accepted, and whether the rideshare company complied with its legal obligations. Protect your passenger rights.
Contact Weatherby Law Firm today to discuss the circumstances of your case. We will listen to your story, clarify the coverage and rideshare accident laws that apply to your case, and provide you with a path to recovery.