How do I insure myself for a car rental between individuals?

You've decided to go away for the weekend. In the absence of a vehicle, you resort to car rental. There are two possibilities, either you decide to go through a private rental company or you wish to rent from one person to another without an intermediary. The point on the precautions to be taken as regards insurance for car rental between private individuals. How can I get insurance for car rental between private individuals? What are the risks? What possibilities are available to me?

What are the risks of renting a car between private individuals? How do I get insurance?

Car rental is not immune to the development of the collaborative economy. More and more websites such as https://uk.getaround.com are putting car owners and renters in touch with each other, while rental without an intermediary is also a possibility. The point on the precautions to be taken in terms of insurance is for car rentals between private individuals. You have decided to go away for the weekend. In the absence of a vehicle, you resort to car rental. There are two possibilities.

1st possibility: you decide to go through a car rental company between private individuals

Accessible on the web, these companies insure the vehicles for the entire duration of the rental. But be sure to find out about the insurance offered by these intermediaries. Does this insurance for rental between private individuals cover all drivers without exception? Does it cover vehicles without conditions? Finally, does your insurance provide a guarantee of assistance in case of breakdown or accident? In the majority of cases, car rental intermediaries between private individuals offer damage insurance for all accidents. These companies guarantee compulsory civil liability and cover material damage to the vehicle as well as the risk of fire and theft. The insurance contracts generally provide for compensation ceilings and a deductible, the amount of which is borne by the driver. These insurances dedicated to car rental between private individuals fully protect the owner: if the person who rented the vehicle has an accident, the owner does not lose his bonus. In case of offences committed by the renter of the vehicle, the owner does not lose his driving license points and does not pay the fine either.

2nd possibility: you wish to rent from private individual to private individual without an intermediary

Whether you own or rent, you will need to take some precautions when it comes to insurance. Contact your insurance company and check the following points with them:
  • Make sure your car insurance is for business purposes. This is important because this provision is rarely included in car insurance contracts.
  • Check your insurance contract to find out which drivers are covered. Some contracts stipulate that only the insured must be the driver of the vehicle. This provision has an impact in the event of accidents: if the driver involved in the accident is not the insured declared in the contract, an increased deductible may be payable by the insured.
  • Look at what cover is provided alongside the compulsory third party liability cover. Is material damage, theft or fire risk covered by the insurance contract?
If you are the owner, it is possible to adapt your current contract to the specifics of insurance for car rental between private individuals. If you are a tenant, be sure to ask the owner to provide you with an insurance certificate detailing the various elements mentioned above.