Turo insurance review 2024

Turo is a platform where car owners can rent out their personal vehicles, akin to Airbnb but for cars. As such, Turo car insurance is not a conventional choice for those seeking standard car insurance. When using Turo — whether as a car owner (host) or renter (guest) — personal auto insurance policies and credit card coverage for rental cars typically do not apply. Owners may have coverage under commercial auto policies, while renters should check if their insurance includes peer-to-peer rental coverage.

Our Turo insurance review reveals that Turo protection plans provide various levels of coverage during the rental period. These plans might be beneficial for hosts seeking extra security and guests looking to limit potential out-of-pocket expenses in case of vehicle damage. Turo offers limited forms of insurance for its users — but not the broader public. If you are shopping around for the best car insurance to protect your rental period, you may want to take the time to look into Turo’s coverage options and talk to your insurer about your best course of action.

How does Turo car insurance work for hosts?

Turo hosts can choose from five Turo car insurance plans, all of which come with $750,000 in third-party liability coverage provided by Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, which has an A++ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best. In addition, drivers can access 24/7 roadside assistance. Since Turo car insurance is created explicitly for the Turo car-sharing app, third-party customer service ratings are not available.

The cost for each Turo plan is covered by a portion of the money Turo's rental drivers pay to rent the host's car. The deductible that the host pays in the event of a claim is tied to the percentage of the trip cost the host retains as profit. The greater the percentage, the higher the deductible the host will pay.

Available Turo car protection plans for hosts include:

• 60 Plan: This is Turo’s most inclusive and most expensive car insurance. Hosts earn 60 percent of the trip price and there is no deductible for claims. The plan fully reimburses the host for any exterior wear and tear, and includes either loss of hosting income for the time it takes to complete repairs or $50 per day for replacement vehicle reimbursement.
• 75 Plan: Hosts who choose the 75 Plan get 75 percent of the trip price. In this case, hosts assume a $250 deductible for physical damage, but the plan does not cover exterior wear and tear. Hosts can get $30 per day for a replacement vehicle if their car is damaged and needs repairs. The 75 Plan does not include any income loss coverage.
• 80 Plan: Turo hosts get 80 percent of the trip price with the 80 Plan. This plan comes with a $750 deductible for physical damage and does not include any coverage for exterior wear and tear, replacement vehicle reimbursement or loss of income.
• 85 Plan: With the 85 Plan, hosts get to keep 85 percent of the trip price but take on a $1,625 deductible. This plan extends no coverage for exterior wear and tear, replacement vehicles or loss of income.
• 90 Plan: The 90 Plan allows hosts to keep 90 percent of the trip price. The deductible for this plan is $2,500 and excludes coverage for exterior wear and tear, replacement vehicles or loss of income.

How does Turo car insurance work for guests?

Guests who rent a car through Turo's platform can participate in separate vehicle protection plans. All provide the same $750,000 liability coverage through Travelers but vary in the out-of-pocket expenses a guest is responsible for if the car is damaged during their booking period. Keep in mind that only physical damage is covered with these plans, while mechanical and interior damage is not.

Turo’s guest protection plans include two elements: liability insurance, which is secondary to any other coverage that applies, and a contract that limits financial responsibility for physical damage to the rented vehicle. This physical damage contract is not insurance, and you may not need it if you have a personal full coverage auto policy that covers peer-to-peer car sharing services. Drivers in Maryland and New York may be subject to different terms and conditions based on state laws.

Available Turo protection plans for guests include:

• Premier plan: Under this plan, guests won't be financially responsible for damage to the rented vehicle except for eligible mechanical and interior damage. It costs 65 to 100 percent of the trip price, with a minimum charge of $14 per day. Additionally, it may not be an option based on trip details, vehicle type or other factors. For trips in New York, the liability coverage increases from $750,000 to $1,250,000.
• Standard plan: Guests who choose the Standard plan have a maximum amount of $500 they can be charged for physical damage to the host's vehicle, excluding eligible mechanical and interior damage. The cost is 40 percent of the trip price, with a minimum charge of $12 per day.
• Minimum plan: Under this plan, guests can be charged up to $3,000 for damage to the host’s vehicle, with a $500 damage deposit for most non-major damage. The cost varies depending on the trip price. For trips over $250, the cost will be 15 percent of the trip price, while trips below $250 will cost 25 percent of the trip price. Both have a minimum charge of $10 per day.
• Decline physical damage protection: With this plan, any physical, mechanical or interior damage will be the guest's financial responsibility. Third-party liability insurance will still be provided up to the state's minimum limit of coverage. However, depending on the state, this may not be an option for guests, in which case they will need to select one of the plan options above.

If you're renting a car through Turo, it’s essential to understand how Turo protection plans work as a guest. You may want to start by talking to your insurance company to see if your personal auto plan covers a Turo vehicle — but be aware that this service is still relatively new and unfamiliar to insurance companies, so you may need to speak to multiple people to confirm you’re covered. If you’re interested in adding a Turo protection plan to your rental, read the full terms carefully to understand what you may be financially responsible for in the event of an accident.

Pros and cons of Turo car insurance

There is some flexibility for Turo customers when it comes to participating in their vehicle protection plans. Depending on the trip type and other factors, guests may be able to opt out of one of the three plans available to them, although this does mean that the entire cost of any incident may be their full financial responsibility if their primary insurance policy does not cover physical damage for cars rented through peer-to-peer sharing services.

If you're a host considering renting out your vehicle with Turo and want to keep more of the trip price, you may consider other options for car insurance. Keep in mind that because most personal car insurance policies exclude coverage when the car is being used for car-sharing services, you may need to look into commercial auto policies, which may only be available if you own and rent out multiple vehicles. The best thing to do in this case may be to reach out to a local insurance agent to learn what options are available to you.

Turo is not an insurance company. While Turo provides customers and hosts with third-party liability insurance through Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, its other plans aren’t insurance; they’re physical damage contracts that limit participants’ financial responsibility for vehicle damage.

Turo’s insurance partner, Travelers, is well-rated by third-party experts and Bankrate’s insurance editorial team. But navigating Turo’s protection plans — and understanding what is and isn’t covered between Turo and your personal auto insurance — can be difficult. Whether you’re considering renting out your vehicle as a host or seeking a better rental experience as a guest, you may want to speak with your insurance company as well as Turo’s customer service to be sure you’re choosing the best option for your circumstances.

What are real-life customers saying about Turo?

With a service as new and unique as Turo, looking at the experiences of real customers can be the one of the best ways to evaluate your insurance options. To do this, our editorial team dug deep into comments on Reddit and other user platforms to understand how past and current hosts and guests have navigated using Turo car insurance.

Reddit 

On Reddit’s r/Turo community, much of the insurance discussion focused on the question of whether or not hosts and guests need additional insurance when using Turo. We found a lot of conflicting answers here, with some users reporting that their insurance companies were happy to cover Turo vehicles and others sharing that their insurance company dropped them when they learned they were renting their vehicle on Turo.

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

Turo company details

If you’d like more information about Turo’s car insurance and vehicle protection contracts, you may want to reach out to the company using the contact information listed below.

• General contact: 415-508-0283
• Company website: turo.com
• Mailing address: 111 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94104

State availability

Turo insurance is available wherever Turo rentals are available. In the U.S., insurance policies are available in all 50 states.

Turo tools and benefits

Turo customers may be able to access an array of extra perks. Hosts can also take advantage of unique offers to help maintain, clean and insure their cars. Perks include:

• Calculator tool: Turo's online calculator is designed to help potential car-sharing hosts see how much money they could earn per trip by listing their vehicles.
• Small fleet insurance: Turo hosts could earn special discounts on small fleet insurance with Liberty Mutual, but this is currently only available in California.
• Cleaning services: Hosts can receive up to 75 percent off car cleaning services from Spiffy.
• Car maintenance: Turo offers car maintenance discounts for hosts from a variety of providers. These include discounts for services like oil changes, windshield replacement and tune-ups.
• Exclusive deals: Turo users can access exclusive vehicle safety-related deals, like 50 percent off safety inspections from AndGo by Goodyear or a virtual car inspection for $25 from Yoshi. Unfortunately, Turo does not advertise any deals that promote car insurance savings.

Frequently asked questions about Turo