What are the Uber car requirements?

Driving for Uber is an increasingly popular way to make extra money on the side or even as a full-time job. However, there are some requirements for driving with Uber, specifically requirements for the type of Uber vehicle you can drive, though. There are also some requirements to be an Uber driver i.e., requirements that need to be met in order to drive for Uber as well. You may also be wondering if you need to be covered by rideshare insurance.

If you’re looking for the car requirements for Uber, read on to learn what it takes to get you covered. 

Requirements for Driving an Uber Vehicle

The requirements for Uber vehicles need to be met before you can drive for the company. These requirements center around both the age and condition of your vehicle.

The basic requirements for an Uber car are that:

• Must have four doors and the ability to transport at least four passengers
• The year of your car for Uber must be no more than 15 years old
• Rental vehicles are not allowed unless they are from the Uber rental company

Most of these requirements aren’t particularly difficult to meet. Any four-door sedan or SUV should fit the four-passenger requirement. The car year requirements for Uber may be an issue, but this is a logical requirement, as newer vehicles are considered safer than older cars.

You may be wondering why cosmetic damage is an issue. After all, if the damage is purely cosmetic it does not affect the safety of the vehicle. However, Uber has a great interest in protecting its brand image. The company doesn’t want a vehicle with visible dents, rust, or other imperfections that may cast a negative light on the company. To maintain this image, qualifications for an Uber car include cosmetics.

Car Qualifications for Uber 

In addition to the car qualifications for Uber vehicles, Uber has non-negotiable driver requirements. To become a rideshare driver for Uber you must:

• Meet the minimum age to drive in your city
• Be at least 25 years old and have a minimum of one year of licensed driving experience
• Have a minimum of three years of licensed driving experience if you are under 25
• Provide proof of a valid driver’s license
• Have proof of residency in your city, state, or province
• Provide a driver portfolio picture
• Pass a driver screening that includes a background check and driving record check

The minimum driving age in most states and cities is 16. So, what would be the minimum age for an Uber driver? This means the Uber age requirement to drive is at least 19 years old in order to meet the three years of licensed driving requirement. 

On the insurance front, Uber requires that all drivers first meet their state’s minimum car insurance requirements. In addition, Uber provides rideshare liability auto insurance that covers its drivers while they are logged into the app and working. This is important because most consumer car insurance policies don’t cover business use. 

Read more: How to Get an Uber Driver Auto Insurance Discount

Requirements for Uber Black Drivers

Uber Black is the company’s premium rideshare service. This service costs riders more, and in exchange for the extra fee, they get a premium experience. As per the Uber Black qualifications for drivers, you will need to drive and insure a luxury vehicle in order to be considered for the Uber Black program. The car requirements for Uber Black, i.e., the car eligibility for Uber Black vehicles vary by city, so you’ll need to check the list of Uber Black cars to see if yours qualifies.

Uber requirements go beyond the vehicle you drive for the Uber Black program, however. According to Uber Black driver requirements, drivers must maintain at least a 4.85 rating on the platform. This rating puts you in exclusive company as one of the top drivers Uber has to offer. The goal of the program is to provide a luxury, five-star experience to passengers so both the vehicles and drivers need to be in the upper echelon. 

Requirements for Uber Eats Car Drivers

When you drive for Uber Eats instead of the company’s ridesharing service, the vehicle requirements are similar. The main difference is there is no passenger requirement and your car can be either a two-door or a four-door. 

It’s worth noting that Uber Eats vehicle requirements allow drivers to deliver by scooter, bicycle, or on foot. So even if you don’t meet the car requirements for Uber Eats, you may still be able to drive for Uber Eats if you live in an area where other delivery methods are feasible. If you are driving for Uber Eats, you may want to look into food delivery car insurance options.

To drive for Uber you’ll typically need to be at least 19 years old with a valid driver’s license and meet state minimum insurance requirements. You’ll need to pass a background and driving history check. You will need to drive a four-door vehicle no older than 15 years that can carry at least four passengers and that has no cosmetic defects.

Do Uber Drivers Need Commercial Insurance

Uber is one of the most popular rideshare services in the United States, and the world by extension. Many have considered driving for the service to make a few dollars on the side since the cost of living is high.

But before you do that, you need to consider the implication on your car insurance and how much you would have to pay in the event of a car accident.

Essentially, Uber is a ride-sharing (sometimes referred to as ride-hailing) service where customers hail for a ride and make pick-up arrangements via a smartphone application often at a lower cost than a regular taxi.

Uber competes with taxi and black car services in the people transport business. Passengers must have the Uber app downloaded to their phones to hail for a ride.

Coverage by the Rideshare Company

About three years ago, Uber expanded their liability coverage and rolled it out for its growing fleet of independent drivers across the world.

The implication of the newly rolled out coverage was clear for the riders — in the event of an accident that results in bodily injuries, the company would provide coverage for up to one million dollars in damages. If you are an Uber driver, the claim navigation process remains the same.

The company, however, provides collision and comprehensive coverage during a trip.

Your car’s rideshare app has to be on, and you have to have a passenger in the vehicle for the coverage to apply — that’s what is implied by “during a trip.”

For the collision and comprehensive coverage provided by Uber to apply, the driver must have collision and comprehensive coverage on his/her auto insurance policy.

Note: be sure to also read our guide to food delivery auto insurance.

Coverage Gaps Between Commercial Policies and Personal Policies

Unless you have additional coverage, your auto insurer will not provide coverage when ferrying passengers for the Uber service with your car.

Personal coverage stops as soon as you turn on the rideshare app in your vehicle, creating a coverage gap. The Uber coverage might adequately protect the customer and your car during a trip, but what about you, the driver?

If you are a rideshare driver, you can buy commercial insurance to make sure you are fully protected in the event of an accident during a trip. However, commercial insurance policies are prohibitively expensive hence unaffordable for an average Uber driver.

As a result, car insurance companies have started offering auto insurance products designed to provide coverage for Uber drivers during trips. A good example of such a product is rideshare insurance.

Rideshare Insurance Explained

Rideshare insurance is the product of an effort by auto insurance providers to meet Uber and Lyft drivers’ demand for coverage as the rideshare services grow in popularity.

A typical rideshare insurance plan covers personal use and periods when the app is on but there is no passenger in the car – at least in part.

Note that Uber may deny your claim if your Uber app was on during an accident but there was no customer on board.

Getting rideshare insurance is way cheaper and makes more sense than purchasing commercial insurance. All the major auto insurance providers in the country including State Farm, Farmers, Allstate, Safeco, Progressive, USAA, and Geico all offer rideshare insurance.

Specific coverage varies from one provider to the next, so make sure you compare quotes before you purchase a policy.

Purchasing Rideshare Insurance

Rideshare insurance is not available in all states, and not all auto insurance companies offer the product. If your auto insurance carrier doesn’t offer rideshare insurance, you can try elsewhere — that’s a smart thing to do anyway, especially when it comes to price comparison.

Remember that you have to inform your insurer that you are driving for Uber.

Failing to disclose this information may lead to the cancellation of your personal auto insurance policy – the insurance company will find out that you are driving for a ride-sharing service eventually.

Find out the gaps between Uber’s insurance policy and your personal auto insurance policy and fill them. If rideshare insurance is not available in your state, consider commercial insurance.

Ridesharing is a fairly new industry. As the industry continues to evolve, auto insurance options will also be expanding. For Uber and Lyft drivers, obtaining auto insurance coverage will be easier as the industry grows. For now, weigh your options and compare online quotes to obtain coverage that meets your needs.

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The Risks of Ridesharing

Ridesharing services like Uber are a heavily relied on service in many areas, which means drivers for these companies need to understand the risks they’re taking on. These risks include low insurance limits, the risk to their personal vehicle, and risk to their passengers or a third party.

Lawmakers are still working out how these ridesharing services will be required to operate in many regards, including insurance requirements.

While every state has different insurance regulations already in place, this makes defining how services like Uber operate even more difficult. If you have questions about how your coverage works as an Uber driver, contact your insurance provider or your state’s Department of Insurance.

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