What Is a Rideshare Endorsement?
Last Updated on January 21, 2026
A rideshare endorsement (sometimes called a Transportation Network Company (TNC) endorsement) is an optional add-on you can attach to your personal auto insurance policy if you drive for rideshare apps like Uber or Lyft. The goal is simple: it helps reduce coverage gaps that can happen when you’re driving for pay, but you don’t carry a full commercial auto policy.
Important: Coverage rules vary by state, insurer, and app platform. Always confirm what applies to your policy and your driving activity.
For background on how regulators think about ridesharing coverage and the common “app-on” insurance phases, see guidance from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the Insurance Information Institute (III).
Key Takeaways
- It Bridges Personal and Rideshare Use: A rideshare endorsement is an add-on to your personal auto policy designed to reduce coverage gaps when you drive for a TNC app.
- The “App-On, Waiting” Phase Is the Big Risk: Many coverage disputes happen when you’re logged in but haven’t accepted a ride yet—endorsements often target this period.
- Not All Endorsements Are the Same: What’s covered (and when) varies by insurer and state, so confirm the endorsement’s covered periods and any physical damage rules.
- Disclose Rideshare Driving Up Front: Tell your insurer before you drive—clear communication helps prevent claim surprises and policy issues later.
- Why Rideshare Driving Can Create an Insurance Gap
- How Rideshare Insurance Periods Work
- What a Rideshare Endorsement Typically Covers
- What a Rideshare Endorsement Usually Does Not Cover
- Rideshare Endorsement vs. Commercial Auto Insurance
- Rideshare Coverage Options From Major Insurers
- How to Get a Rideshare Endorsement
- What to Do After a Rideshare Accident
- Bottom Line
- FAQs on Rideshare Endorsements
Why Rideshare Driving Can Create an Insurance Gap
Most personal auto policies are priced and written for personal use—commuting, errands, and family driving. When you drive passengers for money, insurers often treat that as a form of commercial use (sometimes described as “livery” or “carrying people for a fee”).
That matters because many personal auto policies can:
- Limit or exclude coverage while you’re logged into a rideshare app or transporting passengers for pay.
- Deny a claim if the loss occurred during a period the policy doesn’t cover.
- Non-renew your policy if the insurer learns the vehicle is used for rideshare and it wasn’t disclosed (rules and outcomes vary widely).
Quick tip: Ask your insurer for the exact endorsement name and form you’ll be adding (and what “app-on” periods it covers). Save the updated declarations page.
How Rideshare Insurance Periods Work
Rideshare claims are often evaluated based on what you were doing in the app at the time of the incident. Insurers and rideshare companies commonly describe this as “periods” (the labels can vary, but the idea is consistent).
Rideshare App Periods at a Glance
| App Status | What You’re Doing | Why It Matters for Insurance | Where an Endorsement Often Helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Off | Personal driving | Your personal auto policy is typically the primary coverage. | Not usually needed for this phase. |
| App On, Waiting | Available for requests | This is where coverage gaps are most common because you’re “working,” but not yet on a trip. | Often extends parts of your personal policy into this phase (varies by insurer/state). |
| Matched/En Route | Accepted a ride and heading to pickup | The platform’s coverage may apply, but details can depend on the company, state rules, and your own coverages. | May help coordinate coverages or reduce gaps (endorsement language varies). |
| Passenger in Vehicle | Transporting rider | The platform typically provides higher limits during this phase, but deductibles and coverage types can differ. | May help with physical damage coverage depending on your policy and the platform’s terms. |
The key point: a rideshare endorsement is designed to help your personal policy respond more predictably when your app is on—especially during the “waiting” phase—without requiring you to move to a full commercial policy.
What a Rideshare Endorsement Typically Covers
Endorsements aren’t identical from one insurer to another, and they’re not available everywhere. But many rideshare endorsements are built to address common pain points such as:
- Liability protection during “app-on, waiting” time: Helps cover injuries or property damage you cause while you’re available for a request.
- Collision/comprehensive continuity: Some endorsements help extend physical damage coverage when your personal policy would otherwise pause, or coordinate with the platform’s physical damage terms.
- Clearer claims handling: Reduces disputes about whether your personal policy applies based on your rideshare status.
- Coverage alignment: May better align your personal coverage with the platform’s insurance structure so fewer gaps exist between “personal” and “TNC” insurance.
Think of it as a “bridge” between personal driving and rideshare driving—not a blanket commercial policy.
What a Rideshare Endorsement Usually Does Not Cover
Rideshare endorsements can be helpful, but they have limits. Common exclusions or limitations include:
- Non-rideshare commercial use: Many endorsements are limited to specific TNC activity and may not cover other commercial driving.
- Delivery driving: Food/package delivery may require a different endorsement (or a commercial policy). Some insurers treat “delivery” and “rideshare” differently.
- Business equipment or passenger belongings: Personal property inside the vehicle often has limited coverage under auto policies.
- Intentional acts, racing, or illegal use: Standard auto exclusions still apply.
- Unlimited protection: Limits, deductibles, and eligibility rules still apply, and “who is primary” can depend on the app period and state regulations.
Rideshare Endorsement vs. Commercial Auto Insurance
If you drive rideshare occasionally, an endorsement may be a practical solution. If you drive full-time or run a business with your vehicle, a commercial policy may be more appropriate. Here’s a quick comparison.
| Feature | Rideshare Endorsement (Personal Policy Add-On) | Commercial Auto Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Drivers who want added protection while using TNC apps, especially part-time. | Drivers with heavy commercial use, business fleets, or broader commercial exposures. |
| How It’s Rated | Built on a personal policy with a rideshare add-on; pricing factors still apply. | Rated for commercial risk; underwriting and pricing can differ significantly. |
| Coverage Scope | Typically targeted to rideshare “app-on” exposures; varies by insurer/state. | Broader commercial use (depending on class, operations, and policy terms). |
| Availability | Not offered by every insurer in every state; eligibility varies. | Widely available through commercial carriers/markets (often with stricter underwriting). |
| Claims Coordination | Designed to coordinate with TNC coverage and reduce common gaps. | Often stands on its own for commercial operations; may still coordinate with TNC coverage depending on terms. |
Rideshare Coverage Options From Major Insurers
Rideshare offerings are highly state- and policy-form specific. This table is a starting point for comparing how major carriers describe their rideshare options, but you should confirm the exact endorsement name, covered “app-on” periods, and any collision/comprehensive rules on your declarations page (or with an agent) before you drive.
| Insurer | Option Type | What It’s Commonly Called | What It’s Designed to Address | Notes You Should Confirm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | Personal-policy endorsement | TNC Driver Coverage (Rideshare Driver Coverage) | Extends your personal coverages to help fill gaps while you’re driving for a TNC; publicly described as extending coverage from app-on through parts of the trip. | Which app periods are covered in your state; how liability and physical damage apply by phase; any delivery-app differences. |
| Progressive | Personal-policy endorsement | Rideshare Coverage / Rideshare Endorsement | Designed to protect you when you’re logged into a rideshare/delivery platform and waiting for a request. | Whether it applies to delivery vs. passenger rideshare in your state; how collision/comprehensive carry over if you have them. |
| Allstate | Personal-policy add-on (varies by state) | Ride for Hire® | Marketed as gap coverage between your personal policy and the TNC’s insurance, especially while you’re waiting for a ride request. | Whether it’s an endorsement vs. separate policy in your state; how it coordinates with TNC deductibles and physical damage. |
| Farmers | Personal-policy endorsement (where offered) | Rideshare (coverage option/endorsement) | Described as coverage while you’re waiting to carry passengers for an app-based company (i.e., the “available” phase). | Whether passenger-in-car phases are excluded; how the endorsement coordinates with the TNC’s insurance and deductibles. |
| USAA | Personal-policy add-on (where offered) | Rideshare Insurance / Driver Gap Protection | Marketed as gap protection for rideshare drivers to help address coverage gaps between personal auto and platform insurance. | Covered periods and eligibility in your state; whether delivery driving is treated differently than passenger rideshare. |
| Travelers | Personal-policy endorsement (limited availability) | Limited Ride Sharing Coverage | Applies during the period when the driver is “available for hire” until the driver accepts a request for transportation. | State availability (Travelers notes it’s not available in all states, including CA); which coverages are included under “stated coverage.” |
| American Family | Personal-policy add-on (where offered) | Rideshare Insurance Add-On | Designed to fill the gap while your app is on and you’re waiting for a request, allowing your existing coverages (like collision/medical/property damage liability) to apply as described in examples. | Which exact coverages apply during the waiting phase; how coverage changes once matched/transporting; delivery-app treatment. |
| ERIE | Endorsement/business-use option (by state) | Rideshare Insurance | Publicly described as offering coverage before, during, and after the hired ride (intended to reduce confusion across phases). | Eligibility and states served; how limits/deductibles apply vs. the TNC’s coverage; whether delivery is included. |
| GEICO | Separate rideshare/commercial option (contact required) | Rideshare Insurance (availability varies) | GEICO indicates ridesharing requires rideshare insurance and directs drivers to contact them for the right policy/coverage. | Whether GEICO offers an endorsement in your state or requires a separate policy; app periods covered; delivery vs. rideshare differences. |
| Liberty Mutual | Often commercial policy for business use | Commercial Auto (for business use) | Liberty Mutual publicly notes personal auto isn’t designed for business use (including rideshare) and suggests a commercial policy for business use. | Whether any rideshare endorsement exists in your state; if not, what commercial option is appropriate for your driving activity. |
| Nationwide | On-demand program/solution (availability varies) | On-demand rideshare coverage (announced with Slice Labs) | Nationwide announced development of an app-based, on-demand rideshare coverage concept aligned to the time you’re driving. | Whether it’s available today in your state and in what form; whether an endorsement or separate product is required. |
How to use this table: Pick 2–3 insurers that offer an endorsement in your state, then ask each one (1) which “app-on” periods are covered, (2) whether your collision/comprehensive stays in force while you’re waiting, and (3) how claims coordinate with Uber/Lyft coverage.
How to Get a Rideshare Endorsement
If you’re considering an endorsement, these steps help you shop smart and avoid coverage surprises:
- Tell your insurer you drive rideshare. Be direct about which apps you use and how often you drive.
- Ask what “periods” the endorsement covers. Confirm coverage during “app on, waiting” and how physical damage is handled.
- Review your liability limits and deductibles. Your personal choices still matter, especially outside active-trip coverage.
- Confirm who is primary in each phase. The answer depends on endorsement wording, platform insurance, and state rules.
- Get it in writing. Save the updated declarations page and any endorsement schedule or form references.
What to Do After a Rideshare Accident
If you’re involved in a crash while driving rideshare, your insurance outcome can hinge on documenting your app status and reporting correctly.
- Get medical help and call authorities when appropriate. Safety first.
- Document your rideshare status. Take screenshots showing whether you were offline, waiting, en route, or on-trip.
- Report to the rideshare platform. Use the in-app incident flow as soon as you can.
- Notify your personal insurer. Provide accurate details about app status—don’t guess if you’re unsure.
- Keep records. Save the police report number, photos, witness contact info, trip details, and any claim numbers from both sides.
Because multiple coverages may apply, adjusters may coordinate to determine which policy is primary and how damages are handled. If you’re unsure what to report, start with the facts (time, location, injuries, vehicle damage, and app status) and provide supporting documentation.
Bottom Line
A rideshare endorsement is a practical way to make your personal auto insurance more compatible with rideshare driving. It can help reduce “app-on” gaps, make claims smoother, and protect you from unexpected denials—but the details vary widely. The best move is to confirm the endorsement language, the covered app periods, and how it coordinates with your platform’s insurance before you drive.
