Teen Uber and Lyft Accounts: What Happens If Your Teen Is Hurt?

How teen accounts work

Uber teen accounts launched in the U.S. in 2023 for riders ages 13 to 17, through a parent’s or guardian’s Family profile. Uber says:

• teens are matched with highly rated, experienced drivers who are background-checked and rescreened every year
• every teen trip requires PIN verification at pickup
• linked parents can track rides live on a map and get alerts about unexpected events
• audio recording is available
• live video, added August 25, 2026, lets a linked parent watch the ride through the front camera on the driver’s phone. The teen and the driver are both alerted when a parent starts watching. Recordings are kept on Uber’s servers for a limited time for safety investigations.

Lyft Teen launched February 9, 2026, in about 200 U.S. markets, for riders 13 to 17 through Lyft’s family accounts. It includes PIN verification at pickup, live location tracking, an option to record rides, and stricter driver eligibility rules.

Outside teen accounts, both companies require riders to be 18. Lyft tells its drivers not to pick up unaccompanied minors.

Is my teen covered if there’s an accident?

During a trip, a teen rider is a passenger, and the trip-period insurance applies the same way it does for adults. That’s at least $1 million in liability coverage in most states when the driver is at fault. UM/UIM applies where state law requires it.

What neither company publishes is a teen-specific insurance policy, or any statement about coverage when a minor rides on an adult’s account against the rules. If your teen was riding on your account rather than a teen account, expect that question to come up. It hasn’t been answered publicly. Your own auto policy and health insurance may matter more in that case.

For the coverage basics, see What to Do After an Uber or Lyft Accident as a Passenger and Hit by an Uninsured or Hit-and-Run Driver in an Uber or Lyft?

How claims for minors are different

A parent or guardian brings the claim. A minor generally can’t sue in their own name. A parent or guardian acts for them.

Settlements usually need a judge’s approval. In most states, a settlement of a minor’s injury claim has to be approved by a court. The money is often placed in a protected account or structured settlement until the child turns 18. That protects the child, and it means a quick settlement can’t just be signed at the kitchen table.

Parents may have their own claim. In many states, the medical bills for an injured child belong to the parents. That claim may be brought separately from the child’s claim for pain and suffering.

Deadlines can be longer. Many states pause the statute of limitations for a minor’s own claim until they turn 18. The parents’ claim for medical bills may not get the same pause. Don’t rely on the longer deadline without checking your state.

Arbitration and teen accounts

The parent who set up the teen account agreed to the company’s terms. Uber’s terms try to cover injury claims by anyone using the service at the account holder’s invitation. Courts disagree about when a parent’s agreement binds a child, and the answer varies by state. One exception is clear: neither Uber nor Lyft forces individual sexual assault claims into arbitration, and federal law lets survivors choose court. See Uber and Lyft Arbitration Clauses: Can You Still Sue After an Accident?

If your teen was hurt during a ride

1. Get medical care, and keep every record and bill.
2. Save the trip from the teen account: the route, driver, vehicle and time.
3. Save any live video or audio. Ask Uber or Lyft to preserve recordings right away, because retention can be short.
4. Report the accident through the app, and keep the claim number.
5. Get the police report number, and the other driver’s information if another car was involved.
6. Don’t sign a release for your child without understanding the court-approval rules in your state.
7. Tell your own auto insurer. Your UM/UIM and medical coverage may protect household members, including a teen passenger.

FAQs

Can a 16-year-old ride Uber alone?

Yes, through an Uber teen account linked to a parent or guardian, where teen accounts are available. On a standard account, riders must be 18.

Does Lyft have teen accounts now?

Yes. Lyft Teen launched February 9, 2026, for riders 13 to 17 in about 200 U.S. markets.

Is a teen covered by Uber’s insurance like an adult?

During a trip, a teen rider is a passenger, and the same trip coverage applies. Neither company publishes a teen-specific policy.

My teen used my account instead of a teen account. Are they still covered?

Neither company has said publicly. Riding on an adult account breaks the rules, and the insurer may raise it. Your own auto and health coverage may become more important. Talk to a lawyer before giving any statements.

Do I need a judge to approve a settlement for my child?

In most states, yes, for the child’s own claim. The rules vary, so check your state before accepting any offer.

Find your state’s rules

Start from the state index for your state’s rideshare insurance law and accident settlement calculator.

Sources and limits

Features are described as announced by the companies on the dates noted. Availability varies by city.

• Uber Newsroom — Introducing live video on teen trips (Aug. 25, 2026)
• Uber Help — Uber for Teens FAQs
• Claims Journal — Uber to offer optional livestreams of teen rides (Aug. 31, 2026)
• Lyft — Teen terms and conditions (updated Feb. 9, 2026)
• Lyft Help — Keeping passengers safe
• Fortune — Lyft launches teen accounts (Feb. 9, 2026)

This is general information, not legal advice, and RideClaim.co is not a law firm.