Glossary

Rideshare endorsement

An add-on to a personal auto policy that covers a rideshare driver during gaps in the platform's insurance, especially while waiting for a request.

Also called: rideshare insurance, rideshare coverage, TNC endorsement

A rideshare endorsement extends a personal auto policy to cover driving for a transportation network company (TNC) such as Uber or Lyft. Without it, most personal policies exclude coverage while you are using the car to carry passengers for a fee, and some exclude the whole time the app is on.

Rideshare driving is usually divided into periods. In period 1, the app is on and you are waiting for a request; in period 2, you have accepted a ride and are driving to the passenger; in period 3, the passenger is in the car. State TNC laws generally require the company's insurance to provide high liability limits in periods 2 and 3, but only lower contingent liability in period 1, typically with no coverage for damage to your own car. The endorsement mainly fills that period 1 gap by extending your own liability, collision and comprehensive coverage. Example: you rear-end someone while waiting for a request; without the endorsement, your personal insurer could deny the claim (hypothetical).

Endorsements are usually inexpensive, but not every insurer offers one in every state. Delivery apps may be treated differently from passenger rides, so ask specifically. Drivers who work full time may need commercial auto insurance. See Rideshare insurance for Uber and Lyft drivers and business use.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

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Related terms

Business use A personal policy rating for a car driven as part of your job, such as visiting clients or job sites, which costs more than commute or pleasure use. Exclusion A provision in an insurance policy that removes specific people, vehicles, uses or causes of loss from coverage. Commercial auto insurance Insurance for vehicles used mainly for business, covering liability and physical damage risks that a personal auto policy excludes. Personal auto policy The standard contract form behind most U.S. car insurance, with parts for liability, medical payments, uninsured motorists and damage to your car. Endorsement A written amendment to an insurance policy that adds, removes or changes coverage, such as rideshare use, rental coverage or OEM parts. Peer-to-peer car sharing Renting your personal car to other people through an app such as Turo, where the platform's insurance usually replaces your own during trips.

Related guides

Car insurance for delivery drivers Whether your personal policy covers food and package delivery, what DoorDash, Uber Eats and Amazon Flex insurance pays, and how to close the gaps. Personal vs commercial auto insurance When a personal auto policy covers driving for work and when you need commercial auto insurance, with a comparison table and the middle-ground options. Rideshare insurance for Uber and Lyft drivers What Uber and Lyft insurance covers in each period of a ride, where personal policies stop, and how rideshare endorsements fill the gaps. Limits vary by state. Using your personal car for work When a personal auto policy covers work driving, when you need business-use or commercial coverage, and why your employer's policy rarely covers you. What car insurance does not cover The common gaps in a personal auto policy, from breakdowns and stolen belongings to delivery driving and Mexico trips, and how to close each one. Why car insurance claims get denied The most common reasons auto insurers deny claims, from lapsed policies and excluded drivers to business use and late notice, and how to avoid each one.

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Esurance One of the first online-only car insurers, founded in San Francisco in 1999 and bought by Allstate in 2011. Allstate phased the brand out in 2020. PEMCO Insurance Seattle mutual founded in 1949 that sells car and home insurance only in Washington and Oregon; J.D. Power's top Northwest auto insurer eight times. Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance The Virginia Farm Bureau's insurer, founded in 1950, sells auto coverage to members ($40 a year) through local agents statewide, with Drive2Save telematics.