Personal auto policies have excluded public or livery conveyance in the policy language long before Uber and Lyft. When your personal automobile is being hired out for a fee (taxi, ride sharing, renting), your personal insurance most likely will not provide coverage. Some insurance companies may even cancel or non-renew your personal insurance once they become aware you are driving for a Rideshare or Transportation Network Company (TNC).
Popular TNCs, such as Uber and Lyft, maintain their own commercial insurance policies to protect drivers and passengers in most circumstance.

TNC commercial insurance coverage is usually active when:
• A driver is matched with a rider but the rider has not yet entered the car. (Commonly referred to as Period 2)
• While the rider is in the car. (Commonly referred to as Period 3)

During Period 2 and Period 3, drivers and passengers are protected by a commercial liability policy but are not covered for Collision.
A coverage gap exists when your Rideshare app is turned on as a driver, but you have not yet accepted a trip. This is often referred to as Period 1. Uber and Lyft offer Contingent Liability coverage during Period 1, which will provide some Bodily Injury and Property Damage protection to third parties. There is no Collision coverage during Period 1. Therefore, if you get in an at fault accident when your app is on but there is no passenger in your car, you may be stuck paying to fix the damage to your car out of pocket.
Right now there are no great solutions to fix this insurance gap in Massachusetts. The best solution is to purchase a Commercial Auto policy that will cover you when driving for a TNC. For more information on Commercial Auto policies or insurance information for Rideshare Drivers, contact Dan Wheeler at dwheeler@mcsweeneyricci.com or call 1.844.501.1358