Florida Rideshare Insurance Requirements: What the Law Requires When the App Is On, and What It Doesn't
$50,000, $100,000 and $25,000 while you wait for a request. $1 million from the moment you accept one. Those are the liability minimums Florida sets for rideshare driving in s. 627.748(7) of the Florida Statutes, and they apply on top of a basic fact most new drivers miss: the personal auto policy you bought for commuting is allowed to cover nothing at all while the app is on.
The statute calls the rideshare company a transportation network company, or TNC, and I'll use that term here. It hasn't changed its insurance rules since 2020. A 2026 bill to cut the $1 million requirement for the drive to a pickup passed one Senate committee and then died. So the rules below are the rules today, November 2026.
Here is what the law requires at each stage, who has to carry it, what your own insurer can exclude, and what to check before your first shift.
Source: s. 627.748(7) and (8)(d), Florida Statutes (2026); FLHSMV insurance requirements. 50/100/25 = $50,000 bodily injury per person / $100,000 per incident / $25,000 property damage.
Three stages, two sets of rules
Insurance people talk about "Period 1, 2 and 3." Florida law doesn't use those words. It draws one line, and the line is the moment you accept a ride.
- App off. You're just a driver with a car. Your personal policy and Florida's normal rules apply.
- Logged on, not engaged in a prearranged ride. The app is open and you're available, but you haven't accepted a request. The lower set of limits applies (s. 627.748(7)(b)).
- Engaged in a prearranged ride. The statute defines this as starting when you accept a ride requested through the app, continuing while you transport the rider, and ending when the last rider gets out (s. 627.748(1)(b)). The drive to the pickup and the trip itself are one stage under the law, and the $1 million limit covers both (s. 627.748(7)(c)).
That definition matters more than it looks. The minutes you spend driving across Orlando to an empty pickup spot already count as a prearranged ride. The Senate's own staff analysis of a 2026 bill said the same thing about current law: the $1 million requirement applies both when a driver is connected to a rider before pickup and when the rider is in the car (SB 632 analysis).
The definition also leaves some things out. A taxi, a street hail, a commuter carpool, and any ride where the driver collects no more than the cost of the trip are not prearranged rides.
The required limits, side by side
| Coverage | App off | Logged on, waiting | Ride accepted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Not required to register | $50,000 per person / $100,000 per incident | $1,000,000 for death, injury and property damage combined |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 | $25,000 | Inside the same $1,000,000 |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | $10,000 | No-fault law minimums | No-fault minimums "required of a limousine" |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist | Only if you have BI and don't reject it | As required by s. 627.727 | As required by s. 627.727 |
| Must be primary? | n/a | Yes | Yes |
Source: s. 627.748(7)(a) to (c), s. 627.736(1), s. 324.022(1), s. 627.727(1), Florida Statutes (2026); FLHSMV.
Three things in that table deserve a plain-English note.
The waiting-stage limits are far above what Florida asks of a personal car. A typical Florida car needs only $10,000 of PIP and $10,000 of property damage liability to be registered (FLHSMV). Bodily injury liability isn't on that list. The moment you log on, the law wants $50,000 per person of bodily injury coverage in place. If you've ever wondered why a personal policy and rideshare driving don't mix, this is part of the answer.
The $1 million is one combined number. The statute says "at least $1 million for death, bodily injury, and property damage." It is not $1 million per person.
The ride-stage PIP wording is odd. It asks for PIP that meets "the minimum coverage amounts required of a limousine" under the no-fault law. Yet the no-fault law's own required-security section exempts limousines from the PIP requirement (s. 627.733(1)(a)). I'm not going to guess what dollar figure a court would read into that. The practical answer is the TNC's written insurance disclosure, which has to list each coverage and its limit (more on that below). Read the PIP line there.
Uninsured motorist coverage has a similar wrinkle. The statute requires it "as required by s. 627.727," and that section ties UM to policies that carry bodily injury liability, unless a named insured rejects it in writing (s. 627.727(1)). Again, the disclosure tells you what limit is actually in force. The Florida uninsured motorist guide explains how UM itself works.
Source: s. 627.748(7)(b) and (c), Florida Statutes (2026); FLHSMV
Show the numbers
| Status | Minimum |
|---|---|
| App off, personal car | Not required |
| Logged on, waiting | $50,000 |
| Ride accepted to drop-off | $1,000,000 |
Who has to carry it: you, the TNC, or both
Since July 1, 2017, Florida has required primary auto insurance that recognizes you're a TNC driver and covers you while logged on or on a ride. Either the driver or the TNC on the driver's behalf can maintain it (s. 627.748(7)(a)). For both stages, the law lets the requirement be met by:
- a policy the driver or vehicle owner maintains,
- a policy the TNC maintains, or
- a combination of the two.
Then comes the backstop that protects everyone else on the road. If the driver's insurance has lapsed or doesn't provide the required coverage, the TNC's insurance must provide it "beginning with the first dollar of a claim," and the TNC's insurer has the duty to defend (s. 627.748(7)(d)). The TNC's coverage also can't be made to wait for your personal insurer to deny the claim first, and your personal insurer doesn't have to deny it first (s. 627.748(7)(e)).
There are quality rules for whoever writes the coverage. It must come from an insurer authorized in Florida that belongs to the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association, or from an eligible surplus lines insurer with a top-tier financial strength rating acceptable to the Office of Insurance Regulation (s. 627.748(7)(f)).
And coverage that meets these rules counts as your Florida financial responsibility and PIP security for the time you're logged on or on a ride (s. 627.748(7)(g)). Your registration still depends on your personal PIP and property damage coverage the rest of the time.
What your personal policy is allowed to exclude
This is the section that surprises people. Florida doesn't just allow personal insurers to say "we don't cover rideshare." It spells out that they may exclude any and all coverage while you're logged on or providing a prearranged ride (s. 627.748(8)(b)), including:
| Personal policy coverage | Can be excluded while logged on or on a ride? | Does s. 627.748(7) require the TNC-period insurance to include it? |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury and property damage liability | Yes | Yes |
| Personal injury protection | Yes | Yes |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist | Yes | Yes, as required by s. 627.727 |
| Medical payments | Yes | No |
| Collision (your own car) | Yes | No |
| Comprehensive (your own car) | Yes | No |
Source: s. 627.748(7)(b), (7)(c) and (8)(b)1., Florida Statutes (2026).
A few more lines in that subsection matter:
- The exclusion applies "notwithstanding any requirement under chapter 324," Florida's financial responsibility law.
- Your insurer doesn't need any particular policy wording, or even a reference to the statute, to exclude this coverage.
- An insurer that excludes a claim has no duty to defend you or pay it (s. 627.748(8)(c)).
- Older "livery" exclusions for cars used to carry persons or property for a charge, including ones in policies approved before July 1, 2017, stay valid.
- The exclusions don't reduce coverage for permissive drivers or relatives who live with you when they aren't in the TNC vehicle at the time of the loss.
- Nothing stops an insurer from offering primary or excess coverage for rideshare use "by contract or endorsement."
That last line is the practical one. The law allows a rideshare endorsement; whether your insurer offers one is a question only it can answer. Ask directly, in writing if you can, and read the endorsement before you rely on it. Florida's own Senate staff noted in 2026 that many personal auto policies contain a livery exclusion (SB 632 analysis).
The gaps the statute leaves open
Put the required coverages next to the exclusion list and two gaps appear.
Your own car. Subsection (7) requires liability, PIP and UM. It doesn't require collision or comprehensive for the driver's vehicle. The only place physical damage shows up is a payment rule: if a TNC's insurer does pay a collision or comprehensive claim, the check goes to the repair shop or jointly to the owner and the primary lienholder (s. 627.748(7)(i)). If your car is financed or leased, check the loan or lease contract: if it requires physical damage coverage, a personal-policy exclusion could leave you short of it during rideshare hours. Find out what the TNC provides for your car, what deductible it carries, and whether it applies in the waiting stage or only on rides.
The waiting stage. 50/100/25 is the minimum. A serious crash can run past $25,000 of property damage or $50,000 of injuries to one person quickly, and the law doesn't require anyone to cover the excess. That's where the example below comes in.
One more structural point. Under s. 627.748(9), a TNC driver is an independent contractor, not an employee, if four conditions are met: the TNC doesn't set your hours, doesn't bar you from other apps, doesn't restrict other work, and you both agree in writing. If you're thinking about injuries to yourself, plan around that status and your own PIP, health and disability coverage.
One crash, three app statuses
| App status at the crash | Minimum limit | Insurance pays | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|
| App off, Florida minimum policy (PDL only) | $10,000 | $10,000 | $30,000 |
| Logged on, waiting, coverage at the statutory minimum | $25,000 | $25,000 | $15,000 |
| Ride accepted or rider aboard | $1,000,000 | $40,000 | $0 |
Source: calculated from s. 627.748(7)(b) and (c) and s. 324.022(1), Florida Statutes (2026). Hypothetical figures; assumes no personal-policy exclusion in the app-off case.
Same crash, same street. The only difference between owing $30,000 and owing nothing is the status on your phone. And remember the waiting-stage row assumes coverage at the statutory floor. If your personal policy excludes that period and the TNC coverage is exactly 50/100/25, the $15,000 gap is real. That's a reason to ask about higher limits, an endorsement, or an umbrella policy that's written to work with your rideshare setup (read its exclusions too, since an umbrella can have its own rules on business use).
After a crash: proof, disclosure and the 12-hour log
The statute puts specific duties on the driver and on the TNC once something happens.
| Who | Duty | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Driver | Carry proof of the required coverage at all times while using the car with the app. A phone display is allowed. | s. 627.748(7)(h); s. 316.646 |
| Driver | After an accident, give the coverage information to anyone directly involved (or their representative), to auto insurers and to investigating police. | s. 627.748(7)(h) |
| Driver | On request, tell those same people whether you were logged on or engaged in a prearranged ride at the time. | s. 627.748(7)(h) |
| TNC | In a claims coverage investigation, immediately provide the precise log-on and log-off times for the 12 hours before and the 12 hours after the accident, on request of a directly involved party or the driver's insurer. | s. 627.748(8)(d) |
| Insurers | Disclose coverages, exclusions and limits to any other insurer involved in the claim, on request. | s. 627.748(8)(d) |
| Insurers | An insurer that pays a claim its policy excluded can seek contribution from the other insurers providing the driver's required rideshare coverage under s. 627.748(7). | s. 627.748(8)(c)2. |
Source: s. 627.748(7)(h), (8)(c) and (8)(d); s. 316.646(1), Florida Statutes (2026).
The 12-hour log is why honesty about app status is the only workable approach. The TNC's records can show what your status was. Tell your personal insurer and the TNC's insurer the same thing, and get the claim reported to both if you're not sure which one is primary.
If you're the other driver, or a rider, ask the rideshare driver for the coverage information and whether they were logged on or on a ride. The statute says they have to tell you.
Food and package delivery are a different question
Section 627.748 is built around carrying people. A "prearranged ride" is transportation provided "to a rider," and a rider is "an individual" who uses the app to get a ride between points they choose (s. 627.748(1)(b) and (c)). Delivering takeout or packages doesn't fit those definitions, so the TNC insurance minimums above don't speak to it.
What the statute does keep alive is the exclusion for vehicles used "to carry persons or property for a charge" (s. 627.748(8)(c)1.). Florida Senate staff wrote in 2026 that many private passenger auto policies have a livery exclusion that excludes coverage when the car is used to transport people or property for a fee (SB 632 analysis). If you deliver, read the exclusions section of your policy, ask your insurer whether delivery use is covered or can be added by endorsement, and find out what coverage, if any, the delivery company provides and when it applies. Don't assume rideshare rules carry over.
The same caution applies to rides you arrange off the app. The TNC's required disclosure has to warn you that giving rides for compensation that aren't prearranged rides puts you under the for-hire coverage rules in s. 324.032(1) (s. 627.748(8)(a)3.). For taxicabs, that section sets liability limits of $125,000/250,000/50,000. A TNC driver also can't accept street hails at all (s. 627.748(13)).
The 2026 bills that would have changed this
If you read that Florida "lowered" the $1 million requirement, you read about a bill. Two identical bills in the 2026 session would have cut the limit for the stretch between accepting a ride and picking up the rider to 50/100/25. Neither became law.
| Bill | What it would have done | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| SB 632 | Cut the accepted-ride, no-rider-aboard limit from $1 million to 50/100/25; make the TNC's coverage apply unless the driver has a policy that doesn't exclude the required coverage | Favorable in Senate Banking and Insurance, 6-3, Feb. 11, 2026. Died in Transportation, March 13, 2026 |
| HB 585 | Identical House bill | Died in the House Insurance & Banking Subcommittee, March 13, 2026 |
Source: Florida Senate bill pages for SB 632 and HB 585; Senate Banking and Insurance staff analysis of SB 632 (Feb. 10, 2026).
The staff analysis was direct about the trade-off: lower limits would cut insurance costs for TNCs and drivers, and reduce what people in other vehicles could recover if a driver on the way to a pickup caused a crash (SB 632 analysis). The idea may come back in a future session. Until something passes and is signed, plan around the statute as it reads now.
The same goes for PIP. Florida's no-fault law and its $10,000 PIP requirement are still in the 2026 statutes (s. 627.736), and the 2026 repeal bill, SB 522, died in committee on March 13, 2026. The PIP repeal tracker follows each attempt, and the no-fault law explainer covers how PIP pays.
What to check before your first shift
The TNC has to give you its insurance details in writing before you can accept a single ride. That disclosure must list the coverage types and limits it provides, warn that your own policy might not cover you while logged on or on a ride, and warn about the for-hire rules for off-app rides (s. 627.748(8)(a)). Use it with this list:
| Check | Where to look | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting-stage liability limits | TNC written disclosure | Statute floor is 50/100/25; know whether you have more |
| Ride-stage limit and PIP line | TNC written disclosure | Confirms the $1 million and the PIP amount actually in force |
| Collision and comprehensive for your car, and the deductible | TNC disclosure and your personal policy | Not required by s. 627.748(7); check your loan or lease terms |
| Rideshare or livery exclusion | Exclusions section of your personal policy | Personal insurers may exclude all coverage while you're logged on |
| Rideshare endorsement | Ask your personal insurer, get it in writing | The statute lets insurers offer primary or excess coverage by endorsement |
| Delivery use | Personal policy exclusions; delivery company's terms | Delivery isn't a prearranged ride under s. 627.748 |
| Proof of coverage on your phone | Insurer and TNC apps | You must carry it and show it after a crash |
| Umbrella policy terms | Umbrella exclusions | Check whether it excludes business use before relying on it |
Source: s. 627.748(7) and (8), Florida Statutes (2026).
If you drive in both states or are moving, the rules aren't the same everywhere. The Washington rideshare insurance post walks through that state's version. For Florida's baseline rules on a personal car, see Florida car insurance requirements, and the Florida auto insurance page explains how the coverages fit together. If something in your disclosure or policy doesn't add up, you can contact us with questions.
FAQ
What insurance does a rideshare driver need in Florida?
While logged on but waiting for a request, Florida requires primary liability of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage, plus PIP and uninsured motorist coverage. From the moment a ride is accepted until the last rider gets out, the liability minimum is $1 million for death, bodily injury and property damage (s. 627.748(7)).
Does my personal car insurance cover rideshare driving in Florida?
It may not. Florida law lets personal auto insurers exclude any and all coverage, including liability, PIP, uninsured motorist, medical payments, collision and comprehensive, while you are logged on to a TNC app or giving a prearranged ride. The law allows insurers to offer a rideshare endorsement; ask yours whether it does and read it.
Who has to carry rideshare insurance in Florida, the driver or the company?
Either one, or a combination. The law lets the driver, the vehicle owner or the TNC maintain the required coverage. If the driver's insurance has lapsed or doesn't provide the required coverage, the TNC's insurance must cover the claim from the first dollar and defend it.
Do Florida rideshare insurance rules apply to food delivery drivers?
Not directly. Section 627.748 covers prearranged rides that transport a rider, defined as an individual. Delivery doesn't fit that definition, and the statute keeps personal-policy exclusions for vehicles used to carry persons or property for a charge, so delivery drivers should check their own policy and the delivery company's coverage.
Your own policy wording, the TNC's insurance terms and Florida law control how any claim is handled. Confirm your situation with a licensed agent, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation or Department of Financial Services, or, for legal questions, an attorney.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 627.748, transportation network companies (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.733, required security (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.736, required personal injury protection benefits (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.727, uninsured and underinsured vehicle coverage (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 324.022, financial responsibility for property damage (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 324.032, for-hire passenger transportation vehicles (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 316.646, proof of security (2026)
- FLHSMV: Florida insurance requirements
- Florida Senate: SB 632 (2026), Transportation Network Company, Driver, and Vehicle Owner Insurance
- Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee staff analysis of SB 632 (Feb. 10, 2026)
- Florida Senate: HB 585 (2026)
- Florida Senate: SB 522 (2026), no-fault repeal
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax or insurance advice. Coverage depends on the actual policy, its terms, conditions and exclusions, and state law. Maru Insurance · WA License (WAOIC) #1365574 · FL License #G363233 · NPN 22261820.