This guide applies to NYC TLC-licensed for-hire vehicles under New York State law.
For an Uber or Lyft trip that begins in New York City, the car is a TLC-licensed for-hire vehicle, and the coverage comes from that vehicle's own commercial policy rather than from a rideshare company policy.
- TLC floor, vehicle seating fewer than eight passengers: $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash for bodily injury, $10,000 for property damage, and $100,000 per person for no-fault medical and lost-earnings benefits (35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(1))
- That coverage must apply 24 hours a day, with no restriction on how or where the vehicle is being used (35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(5)), so there is no coverage gap by app phase in New York City
- New York's $1,250,000 rideshare minimum does not apply to trips that start in New York City (VTL § 1693, read with VTL § 1700(2), which bars prearranged rideshare pickups in a city of one million or more)
- Larger vehicles carry more: $1,500,000 for 8 to 15 passengers and $5,000,000 for 16 or more (35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(2), (c)(4))
New York's no-fault rules still apply. Written notice must reach the insurer within 30 days of the accident; Form NF-2 is the standard way to give it. To sue for pain and suffering, your injuries must meet the serious injury threshold under Insurance Law § 5102(d).
Quick Answer · Source Index7§ 4 LAW# 2 DATA◎ 1 GOVclaim-level sources
35 RCNY § 59A-12: TLC For-Hire Vehicle Insurance Requirements35 RCNY § 59A-12: TLC For-Hire Vehicle Insurance Requirements✓ Official (source-only)
NY VTL § 1700: Article 44-B does not authorize a TNC prearranged pickup in a city of one million or more, except under an existing reciprocity agreement
NY VTL § 1693: Statewide TNC insurance minimumsNY VTL § 1693: Statewide TNC insurance minimums✓ Official (source-only)
NY Insurance Law § 5102: Serious Injury ThresholdNY Insurance Law § 5102: Serious Injury Threshold✓ Official (source-only)
Uber: New York driver insurance (NYC exclusion footnote)
Lyft: Insurance coverage while driving with Lyft (TLC/NYC)
NYPD Collision Data 2024NYPD Collision Data 2024✓ Official (source-only)
Accidents move fast. This guide doesn't. Every step below is specific to New York City, New York law, and written in plain language instead of legal jargon, with each answer linked to its source, so you don't miss what matters.
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Right now · first hours
At the scene
Medical first. Concussion/TBI and internal injuries can surface hours later. A worsening headache, confusion, repeated vomiting, or numbness means emergency care now (CDC head-injury danger signs).
- 1
Screenshot the app immediately, both yours (showing the active trip) and, if possible, the driver's. In NYC this does not change which coverage applies, but it is the cleanest evidence that a trip was active and that you were a passenger.
- 2
Photograph the TLC plate number (separate from the standard license plate). It identifies the vehicle's TLC license and confirms which coverage rules apply.
- 3
Call 911. The NYPD report will list the vehicle's TLC number and the responding insurer's information.
Do not
- ✕Close the rideshare app before screenshotting the trip status.
- ✕Give a recorded statement to a rideshare company's insurer at the scene.
First 72 hours
Report & preserve evidence
For a trip that begins in New York City, the coverage comes from the TLC-licensed vehicle's own commercial policy, not from an Uber or Lyft company policy. What is still contested is who was at fault, how badly you were hurt, and whether you were a passenger on an active trip. The documentation you create in the first 72 hours decides those questions.
- Report the trip in-app. Both Uber and Lyft have built-in accident flows that create an official record and preserve trip data before it can be disputed.
- Give written no-fault notice within 30 days of the accident, regardless of fault. Form NF-2 is the standard way to do it. New York no-fault applies to rideshare crashes the same as standard collisions.
- See a doctor the same day. For-hire vehicle insurers run specialized claims teams; same-day medical documentation is essential.
Why a rideshare crash is different
A trip that begins in the five boroughs is not covered the way rideshare is covered elsewhere. The car is a TLC-licensed for-hire vehicle, and its own commercial policy responds:
- The rideshare companies do not carry the policy here, and say so themselves. Lyft: it "does not procure insurance for rides with (i) Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) drivers originating in the five boroughs of New York City." Uber lists its New York certificate of insurance as "New York (excluding NYC)" and footnotes that its rideshare insurance "does not apply to commercially insured livery drivers."
- The TLC floor applies instead: for a vehicle seating fewer than eight passengers, $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash for bodily injury, $10,000 property damage, and $100,000 per person in no-fault benefits (35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(1)).
- No gap by app phase. That coverage must be in force 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no restriction on how or where the vehicle is used (35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(5)). App status is evidence a trip was active; it does not switch coverage tiers.
- New York's $1,250,000 rideshare minimum does not reach NYC trips. VTL § 1693 sets it statewide, but VTL § 1700(2) bars prearranged rideshare pickups in a city of one million or more.
- Black cars and livery vehicles carry different policies than Uber/Lyft and raise different coverage arguments. The TLC plate establishes which ecosystem you are in.
NYC has over 80,000 TLC-licensed for-hire vehicles, the highest concentration in the US.
TLC-licensed vehicles include Uber, Lyft, Via, yellow taxis, black cars, and livery vehicles. For a vehicle seating fewer than eight passengers, TLC rules set the floor at $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash for bodily injury, plus $100,000 per person in no-fault benefits, and that coverage must be in force at all times (35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(1), (c)(5)).
Source: NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) 2024 Annual Report
Legal detailsKey numbers for this case typeThe TLC coverage floor, the 30-day no-fault notice deadline, and New York filing deadlines, with sources.▼
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| NYC TLC minimum bodily injury liability (vehicle seating fewer than 8, in force at all times) | $100,000 / $300,000 | statute35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(1), (c)(5) |
| NYC TLC minimum no-fault benefits (Ins. Law § 5102(a)(1)-(3) expenses) | $100,000 per person | statute35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(1)(i) |
| NYC TLC minimum property damage liability | $10,000 | statute35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(1) |
| New York's $1,250,000 rideshare on-trip minimum: does NOT apply to trips beginning in NYC | Not applicable in NYC | statuteVTL § 1693, read with VTL § 1700(2) |
| NYC TLC minimum, vehicle seating 8 to 15 passengers | $1,500,000 | statute35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(2) |
| NY personal-auto liability minimum (non-TLC vehicles) | $25,000 / $50,000 | statuteNY Insurance Law § 3420 |
| NYC TLC-licensed vehicles | 80,000+ | .gov ✓NYC TLC 2024 Annual Report(as of 2024) |
| NY statutory no-fault PIP minimum (a TLC vehicle must carry more, see above) | $50,000 per person | statuteNY Insurance Law § 5102(a) |
| NY statute of limitations | 3 years (CPLR § 214) | statuteCPLR § 214 |
First 2 weeks · before you sign
Protect the claim before you sign anything
- Keep the trip receipt, app screenshots, and all medical records in one folder. This is the documentation that establishes you were a passenger on an active trip.
- A for-hire vehicle crash can involve more than one carrier (the TLC vehicle's commercial policy, the driver's own policy, and any at-fault third party). Filing against the wrong one first can delay your claim by months.
A quick settlement offer is information to weigh against your full and future costs, not something this page can tell you to accept or reject. When the stakes are unclear, that is a good moment for a licensed attorney.
Local resources (New York City)
Get your crash report
NYPD responds to injury crashes and files an MV-104P report. Download it at collisionreport.nypdonline.org after about 7 business days, or request older reports from the NY DMV with form MV-198C.
Checked as of Jun 2026Tow & impound
If NYPD ordered the tow, call 311 or check nyc.gov to locate the borough tow pound holding your vehicle. Bring ID, proof of ownership, and insurance. Daily storage fees add up.
Checked as of Jun 2026Body shop
You choose your own repair shop. Under NY Insurance Law § 2610, the insurer cannot require a specific shop. Ask for an itemized estimate and OEM parts.
Checked as of Jun 2026Medical records
Request copies from each provider; you have a right to them. Keep one folder with every bill, scan, and visit summary.
Checked as of Jun 2026Hospitals & emergency contacts
Level I trauma centers (NYC)
Bellevue (Manhattan) · Elmhurst (Queens) · Kings County (Brooklyn) · Lincoln (Bronx). For severe injuries call 911; EMS routes to the nearest trauma center.
Checked as of Jun 2026Police & crash reports
Call 911 for any injury crash; NYPD must respond and file the MV-104P. Non-emergency questions: 311. Always get the report or incident number before leaving the scene.
Checked as of Jun 2026Common mistakes to avoid
- 1
Assuming the coverage depends on the driver's app status.
- 2
Filing against the wrong insurer first.
- 3
Missing the 30-day no-fault notice window because you assumed a rideshare company policy pays.
Can you handle this yourself?
Do you need a lawyer for this?
When you want a New York attorney
NYC rideshare cases run on the for-hire vehicle's own commercial policy rather than a rideshare company policy, and the TLC ecosystem adds black-car and livery wrinkles most firms never see. The partner firm for New York City can take it from here. One firm, credential-checked. No lead auction.
See the partner firm & start a free evaluation →What runs out, and when
- 30 days from the crash for written no-fault notice, usually the Form NF-2 application (11 NYCRR § 65-1.1, Reg 68). A late notice is accepted only with written proof of a clear and reasonable justification, and a late claim can be denied, putting up to $50,000 in PIP benefits at risk. The most urgent New York deadline.
- 3 years from the crash for most New York injury lawsuits (CPLR § 214). Strict.
- 90 days to file a Notice of Claim if a municipal vehicle was involved (MTA bus, NYPD, sanitation truck) under Gen. Mun. Law § 50-e, then 1 year and 90 days to sue under Gen. Mun. Law § 50-i.
- 2 years from the date of death for wrongful death claims (EPTL § 5-4.1), shorter than the 3-year injury deadline.
- Exceptions: deadlines for minors can be tolled under CPLR § 208, and government-claim deadlines are almost never extended. Verify your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays if I'm hurt as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft in NYC?▼
For a trip that begins in New York City, the car is a TLC-licensed for-hire vehicle and the coverage comes from that vehicle's own commercial policy, not from an Uber or Lyft company policy. Lyft's help page states it "does not procure insurance for rides with (i) Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) drivers originating in the five boroughs of New York City." Uber lists its New York certificate of insurance as "New York (excluding NYC)" and footnotes that its rideshare insurance "does not apply to commercially insured livery drivers." For a vehicle seating fewer than eight passengers, the TLC floor is $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash for bodily injury, plus $100,000 per person in no-fault benefits (35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(1)). No-fault pays medical bills regardless of fault. If your injuries meet the serious injury threshold, you can pursue the liability coverage for pain and suffering damages.
What if the Uber driver was hit by another car, who is responsible?▼
If a third-party driver caused the collision, their liability policy is the primary defendant. The TLC-licensed vehicle's own commercial policy remains in play as well. Your no-fault benefits pay your immediate medical bills. The at-fault third-party driver and the for-hire vehicle's insurer may both be named in a personal injury suit.
How long do I have to sue after an NYC rideshare accident?▼
3 years from the accident date under CPLR § 214, same as standard auto accidents. If an NYC government vehicle (MTA bus, city vehicle) contributed to the crash, a Notice of Claim must be filed within 90 days, with a lawsuit within 1 year and 90 days (Gen. Mun. Law § 50-e and § 50-i for a City vehicle; Public Authorities Law § 1212 for an MTA bus).
Does New York's no-fault law apply to Uber and Lyft accidents?▼
Yes. New York's no-fault system applies to all motor vehicle accidents in New York State, including rideshare vehicles. Written notice must reach the insurer within 30 days of the accident; Form NF-2 is the standard way to give it. To sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering, your injuries must meet the serious injury threshold under § 5102(d).
Doesn't New York require $1,250,000 of rideshare coverage?▼
That minimum is real, but it does not reach trips that begin in New York City. VTL § 1693 sets a $1,250,000 on-trip minimum for transportation network companies, and VTL § 1700(2) bars those companies from making prearranged pickups in a city of one million or more, which excludes the five boroughs. Inside New York City the trip is carried by a TLC-licensed for-hire vehicle instead, and 35 RCNY § 59A-12(c)(1) sets the floor at $100,000 per person and $300,000 per crash for a vehicle seating fewer than eight passengers.
How this was sourced
Partner firm attorney: William K. Mattar, J.D. · NY Bar #2280535 · Data as of: Jul 2026 · Next review: 2026-Q3.
What this does not cover: the facts of your specific crash, or any outcome.
Sources & Citations
- statute[1] 35 RCNY § 59A-12: TLC For-Hire Vehicle Insurance Requirements ↗
- statute[2] NY VTL § 1700: Article 44-B does not authorize a TNC prearranged pickup in a city of one million or more, except under an existing reciprocity agreement ↗
- statute[3] NY VTL § 1693: Statewide TNC insurance minimums ↗
- statute[4] NY Insurance Law § 5102: Serious Injury Threshold ↗
- third-party[5] Uber: New York driver insurance (NYC exclusion footnote) ↗
- third-party[6] Lyft: Insurance coverage while driving with Lyft (TLC/NYC) ↗
- .gov[7] NYPD Collision Data 2024 ↗
This guide applies to New York law only and provides legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and apply differently to each situation. For advice about your case, talk to a licensed New York attorney.
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