Florida Lawmakers Kill Bill to Slash Rideshare Insurance for Pre-Pickup Phase

A proposal to reduce insurance requirements for Uber and Lyft drivers during the window between accepting a ride and picking up a passenger died this session after stalling in the Senate and never receiving a hearing in the House — leaving Florida's current $1 million liability standard intact for Treasure Coast riders and drivers.

Under existing state law, rideshare drivers must carry at least $1 million in coverage for death, bodily injury and property damage throughout the entire ride process. The failed legislation would have dropped that threshold during the pre-pickup phase to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage — levels that match what is required when drivers are logged into an app but not yet on a trip. The full $1 million requirement would have remained once a passenger entered the vehicle.

The Senate version of the bill advanced 6-3 out of one committee hearing before stalling. The House companion never received a committee hearing. Sponsors and industry representatives framed the reduction as a cost-saving measure that could lower fares and increase driver earnings. A Lyft representative called it a "common sense" adjustment that better reflects actual risk.

Opponents argued the pre-pickup period is among the most dangerous phases of a rideshare trip, contending that drivers hurrying to reach passengers may be more prone to negligent driving. Lawmakers from both parties also raised concern about unraveling a 2017 statewide rideshare compromise that first established the $1 million coverage requirement across all trip stages.

Lobbyist registrations on the House version topped nearly 60, drawing representatives from the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Uber and Lyft, the Florida Justice Association and roughly two dozen insurance and technology businesses, reflecting the breadth of competing interests behind the measure.

With the legislative session now closed, Florida's rideshare insurance rules remain unchanged. No immediate path forward for the legislation was identified.

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