Car Insurance with Turo Car Sharing
Learn the details of Turo's insurance plans as well as when to instead opt for your personal or commercial car insurance policy when renting a car through the popular car-sharing marketplace.
How does Turo auto insurance work?
Turo offers multiple insurance plans through Travelers for both guests and hosts. Guests can decline a Turo insurance plan if their personal car insurance extends specifically to "peer-to-peer" rentals. Hosts can opt out if they have a commercial auto insurance policy. Let's review how to handle car insurance if you're thinking about hosting or renting a car through Turo.
Key takeaways
- Turo offers several tiers of auto insurance coverage for hosts and renters via Travelers
- Both hosts and guests are legally required to have car insurance, but getting it through Turo is optional and not automatically included
- Turo hosts must opt-in for a Turo protection plan or obtain a commercial rental liability policy alongside their personal car insurance
- Turo renters should verify if their insurer specifically covers Turo rentals
Does Turo include car insurance?
No — for both hosts and renters, Turo does not automatically provide insurance coverage. However, hosts and renters have multiple protection plans they can choose from or decline if they have their own applicable commercial or personal auto policies. If you opt-in for a Turo protection plan and you’re already insured, their liability insurance will supplement your existing coverage as a secondary source.
Does my car insurance cover Turo?
While it's a myth that car insurance follows the driver (it usually follows the vehicle), Turo renters often find that their personal insurance policy's comprehensive and collision coverage extends to a rental car. However, you should always verify this with your insurance provider as some companies may treat peer-to-peer car rental services differently from traditional car rental agencies. Turo hosts, on the other hand, cannot rely on their personal car insurance policy for sufficient coverage. Read the details below.
As a Turo renter, it’s imperative to double-check with your insurance company to see if your coverage extends to a rental car. Many insurers have no issues with covering most rental cars, but may not cover Turo rentals specifically. Be sure to ask exactly what coverages extend to a Turo vehicle — in many cases, insurance providers may offer liability but not physical coverage for a rental car.
While you must have a personal car insurance policy to host through Turo, it will never extend to cover the rental use of your vehicle(s). You will risk your insurance provider dropping you as a client if you rent out your personal car for commercial purposes. Your options are to either:
- Opt-in for a Turo protection plan
- Get a commercial rental liability policy to become a Commercial Host (usually reserved for those who own a business renting out multiple vehicles).
Regardless of the option you choose, DO NOT cancel your personal insurance. Turo's coverage is limited to rental periods. Canceling your personal insurance could result in uncovered damages, a breach of financing or leasing agreements, license suspension, or automobile impoundment.Â
Q: Does credit card insurance cover Turo?
A: Usually not. While many credit cards offer rental car insurance, most exclude coverage for vehicles rented through peer-to-peer services like Turo. For example, American Express (Amex) and Chase won't cover Turo rentals unless you can prove the vehicle came from a commercial car rental agency. You should always refer to your credit card's terms and conditions or call the number on the back of your card to verify whether your credit card company covers car-sharing rentals like Turo.
How much does Turo insurance cost?
The cost of Turo insurance can vary greatly for both hosts and guests. This is because Turo's insurance pricing is based on the total cost of your trip as well as the plan chosen. Look into the nuances of Turo insurance costs for each group below.
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Turo insurance costs for renters
Guests opting to use one of Turo's insurance plans can expect to pay at least $10/day. This amount can quickly increase as it's a function of the overall cost of your trip and the deductible of each plan. For example, a 2-day $300 trip on the "Minimum" plan would result in the renter paying $45 for insurance. However, decreasing your deductible by $2,500 when switching to the "Standard" plan would increase your total Turo insurance costs by 300% to $120. See more information on Turo insurance plans for renters below.
ZEBRA Tip: If your personal insurance doesn't specifically cover Turo rentals, go with the Turo plan with the highest deductible you can afford if you were in an accident.
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Turo insurance costs for hosts
Hosts do not pay for Turo insurance in the traditional sense. Rather, the cost of insurance is subtracted (with other relevant fees) from each trip's take-home amount. The higher your coverage and lower your deductible, the lower your take-home amount. For example, Turo's highest coverage "60 plan" has no deductible and covers exterior wear-and-tear and loss of income. However, you can expect to only keep 60% of the trip cost under the 60 plan. Just adding a $250 deductible and losing the exterior wear and tear and loss of hosting income coverage increases your take-home amount to 75% with the 75 plan. See more information on Turo insurance plans for hosts below.
ZEBRA Tip: To save money on Turo insurance as a host, go with the highest deductible you can afford should the worst arise.
How does Turo insurance work for a host?
Turo partners with Travelers to provide a choice between five tiers of coverage to their hosts, named after what percentage of the cost the host receives — you may select one of the 60, 75, 80, 85 or 90 plans. Hosts can also choose to decline coverage, which would designate them as Commercial Host; they would then be required to provide their own commercial rental liability insurance to any guests that rent their vehicles.
It’s worth noting that as a Turo host, your take-home amount per trip will change depending on which protection plan you choose. If you decline a Turo plan, you can expect to keep 92.5% of the trip cost.
| Coverage plan | 60 plan | 75 plan | 80 plan | 85 plan | 90 plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host take | 60% of trip price | 75%Â of trip price | 80% of trip price | 85% of trip price | 90% of trip price |
| Liability limit (Travelers) | $750,000 | $750,000 | $750,000 | $750,000 | $750,000 |
| Deductible for physical damage | $0 | $250 | $750 | $1,625 | $2,500 |
| Replacement vehicle reimbursement costs | $50/day, for up to ten days* | $30 per day for up to ten days** | Not included | Not included | Not included |
| Exterior wear-and-tear | Turo is responsible | No coverage | No coverage | No coverage | No coverage |
| Loss of hosting income during repair | Turo is responsible (based on the last 60 days average earnings, up to a maximum of 30 days), OR host can opt for a 10 day max replacement vehicle reimbursement | No coverage | No coverage | No coverage | No coverage |
*In the event of a total loss, the full $500 will be paid or the Host may opt for Loss of Hosting Income.
**In the event of a total loss, the full $300 will be paid.
How does Turo insurance work for renters?
To use the car rental services of Turo, you are not required to have your own personal car insurance policy. Like hosts, renters can choose one of three tiers of coverage through Turo’s protection plans.
If a guest already carries at least the state-mandated minimum amounts of coverage in the state where the vehicle is registered — and if their current policy extends to their Turo rental — they may choose to decline Turo’s protection plans. In addition, these protection plans are not offered if a vehicle is booked with a Commercial Host, as they are expected to carry their own commercial policy.
It's worth noting that these protection plans do not cover interior damage or mechanical damage, meaning guests will pay out of pocket for related damage excluding normal wear and tear.
| Coverage | Minimum | Standard | Premier* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | 15% of trip price for trips more than $250 and 25% when less than $250. Minimum $10/day | 40% of trip price. Minimum $12/day | 65-100% of trip price. Minimum $14/day |
| Liability coverage | Minimum required by the state | Minimum required by the state | $750,000 ($1,250,000 in NY) |
| Deductible | $3,000 | $500 | $0 |
| Physical damage for up to the actual cash value of the vehicle | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mechanical or interior damage | No | No | No |
*Not available to drivers below the age of 21.
The main differences between these tiers are deductible amounts and liability limits. All include physical damage but no coverage for mechanical or interior damage. The physical damage portions of all of these plans are meant to be used as secondary coverage to any other insurance you may already have.
Is Turo Insurance Worth It?
Frequently asked questions
Protect your car with the right coverage at the best value.
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About The Zebra
The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.
- The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
- The Zebra’s insurance editorial content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
- The Zebra’s editorial team operates independently of the company’s partnerships and commercialization interests, publishing unbiased information for consumer benefit.
- The auto insurance rates published on The Zebra’s pages are based on a comprehensive analysis of car insurance pricing data, evaluating more than 83 million insurance rates from across the United States.