On the morning of September 25, a driverless Zoox robotaxi and a silver Nissan Murano collided on southbound Las Vegas Boulevard at Four Seasons Drive, at the south end of the Strip. The Nissan's driver went to the hospital with injuries police described as non-life-threatening. The cause is still under investigation, and nothing here assigns fault. But the crash put a question in front of a lot of drivers for the first time: when the other car has no one behind the wheel, whose insurance pays?
The answer is more reassuring than people expect, with a few catches worth knowing before it happens to you. Robotaxis now carry public riders in Las Vegas, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta and Miami, among other cities, with more launching through the year.
Who Pays When a Robotaxi Hits You
The short version: the company. A robotaxi has no individual driver to sue, so a claim runs against the company operating the vehicle, Waymo, Zoox or Tesla, and its insurer. Sometimes the vehicle's manufacturer is also on the hook if a defect caused the crash.
States that allow driverless rides set their own insurance floors, and they're far higher than what an ordinary driver has to carry:
| State | What the law requires |
|---|---|
| Nevada | Autonomous vehicle network companies must carry at least $1.5 million per crash for bodily injury, death and property damage |
| Florida | A driverless vehicle on a ride network or prearranged ride needs at least $1 million in primary liability coverage, plus personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage under Florida's usual rules |
| California | Companies must show $5 million in insurance, a bond or self-insurance before testing or deploying autonomous vehicles |
Compare that with the 25/50/20 minimum an ordinary Nevada driver carries, and the practical upshot is clear. If a robotaxi is at fault, you're unlikely to run into the limits problem you'd face with a minimum-coverage human driver.
Fault still decides everything, though. Robotaxis are not automatically at fault. An earlier Zoox crash in Las Vegas, in August, involved an unoccupied robotaxi that was rear-ended after it stopped for an emergency vehicle. The good news on evidence is that a robotaxi records nearly everything, with cameras on every side and detailed sensor logs. The catch is that the company holds that record, not you.
What Your Own Policy Does
Your policy matters more than you'd think, mostly because it pays faster than the other side's.
- Collision coverage fixes your car now. If your car is damaged, your own collision coverage pays for repairs, minus your deductible, without waiting for a fault decision. Your insurer then pursues the robotaxi company to recover what it paid, and your deductible if it wins. When fault is disputed or a large company is slow to respond, this is the fastest route back on the road.
- Personal injury protection pays first in no-fault states. In Florida, Michigan, New York and the other no-fault states, your own PIP covers your initial medical bills and lost wages regardless of who caused the crash. Our Florida explainer covers what a PIP-only policy does after an injury crash. Elsewhere, medical payments coverage does a similar job if you bought it.
- Rental reimbursement keeps you moving. If your car is in the shop for weeks, this inexpensive add-on pays for a rental. Without it, you're waiting on the company's insurer to agree to cover one.
- Uninsured motorist coverage usually isn't the issue. Robotaxi companies are insured, which is the one problem you don't have.
A crash you didn't cause typically shouldn't count against you the way an at-fault claim does, but insurers and states treat not-at-fault claims differently. Our not-at-fault accident explainer covers what to expect at renewal.
If You're Riding in One
A passenger in a robotaxi is in the same position as a passenger in a taxi. Your injury claim generally runs against the operating company's coverage, or against another driver's if they caused the crash. In no-fault states your own PIP may pay first. Florida requires the robotaxi's policy itself to carry personal injury protection, which matters for riders who don't own a car and so have no PIP of their own.
What to Do at the Scene
- Call the police and get medical attention if anyone is hurt. A police report matters more than usual, because there's no other driver to exchange a story with.
- Photograph everything, including the robotaxi's markings, fleet number and license plate, the positions of both vehicles, and the traffic signals.
- Get the company's incident information. Robotaxis have in-vehicle support lines and rider apps. Note the vehicle ID and any case number the company gives you.
- Get witnesses' names and numbers. Bystanders and passengers are your independent record.
- Report the crash to your own insurer promptly, even if you expect the company to pay. Late reporting can complicate your own coverage.
- Don't sign anything from the company's insurer until you know the extent of your injuries and repairs.
Your Own "Self-Driving" Car Is a Different Story
Driver-assist systems in cars people own, like Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised), GM's Super Cruise and Ford's BlueCruise, require a human to supervise. If your car crashes while one of them is engaged, you are the driver as far as your insurance is concerned. Your liability coverage pays for damage you cause, exactly as it would if your hands were on the wheel. The robotaxi rules above apply to fully driverless services, not to the car in your driveway.
Robotaxis are spreading faster than most state insurance laws are changing, so the rules in your state may look different by next year. The coverage that protects you today is the same coverage that protects you against human drivers. Check what better limits and collision coverage cost for your profile, and if a crash does land a claim on your record, our post-accident guide covers what to do about your rate. When you're ready, compare quotes to see where you stand.
Crash details per the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KTNV (September 25, 2026); the cause was under investigation at publication. Robotaxi markets per CNBC (February 2026) and local reports; the August Zoox crash per Casino.org. Nevada requirement per NRS 706B.300; Florida requirements per Fla. Stat. § 627.749; California requirement per Cal. Vehicle Code § 38750 and the DMV's deployment permit rules (Cal. Code Regs. tit. 13, § 228.04). Nevada's 25/50/20 minimum per our Nevada guide. Coverage descriptions are general; claim outcomes depend on fault, your state's rules and your policy's terms. This post isn't legal advice.