# To tell or not to tell AAA (I live in CA)



## SoCalDriver562 (Aug 24, 2016)

Am I supposed to tell my insurance company? Uber or Lyft didn't tell me too. I have pretty good coverage. 

Will this increase my rate (2015 Toyota Prius). Let me know what you guys think.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

SoCalDriver562 said:


> Am I supposed to tell my insurance company? Uber or Lyft didn't tell me too. I have pretty good coverage.
> 
> Will this increase my rate (2015 Toyota Prius). Let me know what you guys think.


Read your policy, especially the parts describing what is not covered I have AAA insurance, and rideshare is specifically excluded from coverage. They can drop you for not telling them what you are doing with the car you are asking them to insure- that is considered fraud. You need to switch to a company that offers rideshare coverage.


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## MrA (Jul 7, 2016)

I just saw that my State farm policy excludes ridesharing. I called my agent and was informed that I am not insured while the app is on for any reason. Ie, waiting for pings, driving around looking for pings. They told me they will work on a quote for me to be covered. So, no more rideshare driving for me until I am certain that I am insured. You want to find out if you're covered BEFORE you need the insurance. Worrying about being dropped because you mentioned it is stupid.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

MrA said:


> I just saw that my State farm policy excludes ridesharing. I called my agent and was informed that I am not insured while the app is on for any reason. Ie, waiting for pings, driving around looking for pings. They told me they will work on a quote for me to be covered. So, no more rideshare driving for me until I am certain that I am insured. You want to find out if you're covered BEFORE you need the insurance. Worrying about being dropped because you mentioned it is stupid.


It's complicated. In another thread a poster claimed that in CA only, the law prohibits insurers from dropping people simply because they do Uber/Lyft. This is supposedly because under that same law, they have no exposure because TNCs are required to cover all three periods.
So, maybe your agent is right. However, what I don't know is how much, if any, coverage applies to yourself and your car out of that TNC insurance.


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## MrA (Jul 7, 2016)

It sounds to me like the TNC endorsement covers you under your current policy. It covers up to the limits of your policy


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

MrA said:


> It sounds to me like the TNC endorsement covers you under your current policy. It covers up to the limits of your policy


The OP is insured with AAA, which does not offer the TNC endorsement in So Calif. Mr A is insured with State Farm, and has been told that they are not currently covering his rideshare activities, if your reply was intended for him.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

MrA said:


> You want to find out if you're covered BEFORE you need the insurance. Worrying about being dropped because you mentioned it is stupid.


Worse yet, getting hit by an uninsured drunk while your app is on. I think you're very smart. It's better to be sure then try to save a few dollars.


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## SoCalDriver562 (Aug 24, 2016)

How do they know your app is on? Plus your covered after you get pinged by Uber / Lyft insurance.

I think the insurance company might drop you but cover the claim. I've been with them for over 20 years. Aka VIP customer!


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

SoCalDriver562 said:


> How do they know your app is on? Plus your covered after you get pinged by Uber / Lyft insurance.
> 
> I think the insurance company might drop you but cover the claim. I've been with them for over 20 years. Aka VIP customer!


Which company?


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## SoCalDriver562 (Aug 24, 2016)

Uber and Lyft man.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

SoCalDriver562 said:


> Uber and Lyft man.


I was asking which insurance company you have been with over 20 years.


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## SoCalDriver562 (Aug 24, 2016)

AAA man, did you read the thread? Not trying to be rude, just sayin' LOL.


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

SoCalDriver562 said:


> AAA man, did you read the thread? Not trying to be rude, just sayin' LOL.


Sorry, I did get confused, didn't realize you were the OP.  OTOH, if you read my first answer to your question, and the advice to read your policy, you would have seen in black and white that your policy does not cover you while you are engaged in driving for hire- period. I can't make it any clearer.
I got my first policy with AAA 55 years ago when I got my first car and was no longer on my parents' AAA policy. And for a brief period I even wrote insurance and memberships for them. Believe me, they still would not cover me for rideshare.


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## SoCalDriver562 (Aug 24, 2016)

NO worries.


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## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

SoCalDriver562 said:


> How do they know your app is on? Plus your covered after you get pinged by Uber / Lyft insurance.
> 
> I think the insurance company might drop you but cover the claim. I've been with them for over 20 years. Aka VIP customer!


You're "covered" only in your wildest dreams. If James River pays out on a claim, they can (not saying they will, but if you read the policy, it says they can) sue the Uber driver to recover any money paid out.

So....that million dollar policy is worthless if that's what you're betting on to save your ass from financial ruin.


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## Dback2004 (Nov 7, 2015)

Resurrecting an old thread, but I just switched my insurance to AAA. On my policy in Iowa, they do not provide any coverage during any of the 3 phases of rideshare, and will defer to James River as the secondary coverage. The underwriter told my agent that they are not dropping policies for ride share users, but they are denying claims under the rideshare exclusion.


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## Substance (Jul 7, 2017)

MrA said:


> I just saw that my State farm policy excludes ridesharing. I called my agent and was informed that I am not insured while the app is on for any reason. Ie, waiting for pings, driving around looking for pings. They told me they will work on a quote for me to be covered. So, no more rideshare driving for me until I am certain that I am insured. You want to find out if you're covered BEFORE you need the insurance. Worrying about being dropped because you mentioned it is stupid.


i got into a accident (it wasn't my fault) nation wide insurance is calling my primary insurance to find out if i had the proper ride share insurance, which i think i didn't have, however i thought once you turn the app on Uber insurance takes over. Nation wide insurance is now calling Geico to see if i was covered, if i wasn't covered will nation wide still pay my medial bills?



SoCalDriver562 said:


> Am I supposed to tell my insurance company? Uber or Lyft didn't tell me too. I have pretty good coverage.
> 
> Will this increase my rate (2015 Toyota Prius). Let me know what you guys think.


i got into a accident (it wasn't my fault) nation wide insurance is calling my primary insurance to find out if i had the proper ride share insurance, which i think i didn't have, however i thought once you turn the app on Uber insurance takes over. Nation wide insurance is now calling Geico to see if i was covered, if i wasn't covered will nation wide still pay my medial bills?



Older Chauffeur said:


> I was asking which insurance company you have been with over 20 years.


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## SFAgentKyle (Mar 16, 2016)

Substance said:


> i got into a accident (it wasn't my fault) nation wide insurance is calling my primary insurance to find out if i had the proper ride share insurance, which i think i didn't have, however i thought once you turn the app on Uber insurance takes over. Nation wide insurance is now calling Geico to see if i was covered, if i wasn't covered will nation wide still pay my medial bills?
> 
> i got into a accident (it wasn't my fault) nation wide insurance is calling my primary insurance to find out if i had the proper ride share insurance, which i think i didn't have, however i thought once you turn the app on Uber insurance takes over. Nation wide insurance is now calling Geico to see if i was covered, if i wasn't covered will nation wide still pay my medial bills?


Unless you have a rideshare policy, your personal insurance will exclude all things rideshare related, including your medical. The TNC's don't pay for your injuries either, just passengers.


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## novadrivergal (Oct 8, 2015)

If the accident is not your fault then the other person's insurance should pay and the status of your insurance is irrelevant. Don't even involve your insurance company, go right to theirs, and then to a lawyer if they don't pay.


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## SFAgentKyle (Mar 16, 2016)

novadrivergal said:


> If the accident is not your fault then the other person's insurance should pay and the status of your insurance is irrelevant. Don't even involve your insurance company, go right to theirs, and then to a lawyer if they don't pay.


Why wouldn't you use your own insurance? You are paying them for a reason.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

novadrivergal said:


> If the accident is not your fault then the other person's insurance should pay and the status of your insurance is irrelevant. Don't even involve your insurance company, go right to theirs, and then to a lawyer if they don't pay.


You need auto insurance, even if an an accident is not your fault, even if you have witnesses and other proof. If either the other driver or their insurer claims that it is not their fault then the case automatically goes to court. This means months or years in legal expenses plus lots of your time, until you see a penny, even if you win. It's not worth it, not even close, for the average person.

Insurers have an entire legal team dedicated to and experienced in this process. If you have a good insurer then you get paid in 1 or 2 weeks, maybe less, unless there is something suspicious about the claim. Only the deductible payment is subject to the outcome of the court case.

Also, auto insurance is the law in every state. Plus Uber/Lyft will not let you drive without proof of insurance.


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## novadrivergal (Oct 8, 2015)

I am not telling anyone not to have insurance. If someone has insurance that does not cover Uber and having the company find out about Uber can be problematic, it is possible to deal with an accident that is not your fault through the other person's insurance company.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

novadrivergal said:


> I am not telling anyone not to have insurance. If someone has insurance that does not cover Uber and having the company find out about Uber can be problematic, it is possible to deal with an accident that is not your fault through the other person's insurance company.


You are correct that it is not only appropriate, but required to "deal with the other person's insurance company". This is standard procedure for your insurance company, regardless of fault. My point is that this is a complicated, lengthy, expensive, time-consuming process for any individual to undertake on their own without help from their insurance company.


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