Turo is a car rental platform that allows people to rent cars from private owners.
It’s often called the “Airbnb of cars.”
Renters can choose from a variety of makes and models.
They have the option to include insurance with their rental.
Hosts can make extra money by renting out their unused vehicles, or by sharing their vehicles with others.
In this article, we will discuss what you need to know about using Turo for your next car rental.
Table Of Contents
What Is Turo Car Rental?
Turo is a car rental marketplace that allows you to rent cars from individual car owners.
Turo bills itself as the biggest platform for people who want to avoid traditional rental companies.
What Do I Need to Rent a Turo Car?
To rent a car through Turo, you will need to meet the following requirements.
- If under age 25, you must provide proof of 2+ years of driving experience
- Have a valid driver’s license
- Produce a Social Security Number
- Meet Turo’s auto insurance score benchmark
TransUnion provides the data for the Turo auto insurance score (AIS).
The AIS system measures how likely you are to file a claim based on your credit history.
You’ll receive an email from Turo if you don’t score high enough on the AIS benchmark.
You can send TransUnion a dispute letter if denied.
Your denial email from Turo will reveal where to send the letter to.
You can submit a corrected score to Turo for reconsideration.
Where Is Turo Available?
Turo is available in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
How Does Turo Work for Customers?
It’s simple to rent a car on the Turo platform.
Let’s review the required steps so you understand the process for picking up a car, returning it, and making sure you have the correct insurance coverage.
How to Rent a Car?
Start browsing for cars on Turo’s homepage.
You can filter your search by the make, model, and location of the car you want to rent.
Turo provides several other ways to filter all available cars to find the one that best meets your needs.
You can sort by price using the “high to low” and “low to high” filters.
You’ll find a Price filter on the booking page.
Use the slider to view results from “$10 to $250 per day.
Most of the time, you need to wait for a Turo host to approve your car rental request.
However, “Book instantly” is one filter you might want to try.
Turo allows some hosts to get their bookings done instantly without any waiting.
Additional filter options include the following:
- Distance included
- Deluxe Class
- Super Deluxe Class
- All-Star host
- App unlock (unlock the rental vehicle from within the Turo app)
- Features (such as Apple CarPlay, Backup camera, Bluetooth, or bike rack)
- Green vehicle (hybrid or electric)
- Vehicle type (car, truck, SUV, van, or minivan)
- Vehicle make (Buick, Honda, BMW, Fiat, Ford, and more)
- Vehicle years (1951 and later)
- Number of seats
- Category (fast and fun, elite, upscale, and more)
- Transmission (manual or automatic)
When you find a car that meets your needs, click “Request to Book.”
The owner of the car will then review your request and decide whether or not to approve it.
They can see your profile while deciding if they want to rent their vehicle to you.
You’ll see the pickup address after the vehicle’s owner accepts your rental request.
Turo gives you a 4-digit code for a lockbox that you’ll find near the vehicle.
Use the code to access the keys, unless your rented vehicle opens from the Turo app.
Inspect the vehicle before driving away.
Check to see that the car owner provided documentation in the vehicle.
Look for the registration and proof of car insurance documents.
For your protection, take photos of the outside of the vehicle before you start.
As well, take a picture of the dashboard, capturing the mileage and the fuel gauge.
How to Return a Car?
Most owners will provide return instructions, which will include the address of where to leave the car.
When you’re done with your rental, park the car as directed by the owner.
If the spot is unavailable, park in a legal spot and notify the owner.
You’re required to bring the vehicle back in the same condition it was in when you picked it up.
Wash the car, if necessary.
Take pictures again at the end of the trip.
It’s best to protect your legal protection to take front, back, and side pictures before and after the trip.
Take a final picture of the fuel gauge and mileage meter as you drop off the vehicle.
If you have any damage to the car, you need to take photos and report it to Turo.
You can file a trip extension request if you need the car longer than expected.
After filing the extension, your host can approve or disapprove it.
Turo requires you to return the car at the originally scheduled time if your host never responds to the trip extension request.
Otherwise, you’ll need to pay an additional usage fee.
File a request to shorten the trip if you need to come back earlier than expected.
Again, your host must approve the request.
If you don’t hear from the host, then return the vehicle on the originally scheduled date.
After returning the vehicle, Turo lets you leave a review about your experience with the owner and the car.
You will receive any security deposit refunds within 80 hours.
Possible Pick Up/Drop-off Inconveniences
If you’re unable to pick up or drop off the car at the designated time and place, you may incur additional charges.
For example, if you’re more than 30 minutes late for a pickup, the owner has the right to charge for each hour that you’re late.
If you return the car more than 24 hours after the drop-off time, the owner can charge you as well.
Turo also has a $250 late return fee.
How Does Turo Cover Insurance?
When you’re approved to rent a car on Turo, you automatically have liability insurance coverage.
The policy provides up to $750,000 in liability protection for damages that occur when you’re driving the car.
The Travelers insurance company underwrites Turo’s insurance plans.
These plans cover you in case you cause damage to property or another person while on your trip.
You don’t need to have personal insurance to rent with Turo.
If you do, keep in mind that your insurance policy remains in the primary position.
The Turo insurance kicks in after that.
Some hosts choose a Turo protection plan that includes 24/7 roadside assistance.
If you rent a vehicle with this protection, you can call these numbers to get help.
- 1-888-391-0460 (CA)
- 1-415-965-4525 (US)
How Much Does Turo Cost?
Let’s now review what you can expect when it comes to paying for your Turo rental car.
Average Trip Price
Your costs will vary based on your location and the type of vehicle rented.
The average cost to rent a car on Turo is typically around $50 per day.
However, the price can vary depending on the type of car you choose, your location, and the owner’s rates.
Protection Plans
Turo offers three types of protection plans: Minimum, Standard, and Premier.
The cost for each plan varies depending on the rental costs.
The Minimum plan comes with a $10 per day minimum charge.
If your total trip price comes to $250 or more, you’ll pay 25% of the trip price for protection.
The charge is 18% of the trip price if the total trip costs less than $250.
The plan includes a $3,000 minimum responsibility for physical damage to the host’s car.
The Standard plan charges a minimum of $12 per day.
You will pay that or 40% of the trip’s total charge, whichever is greater.
$500 is the physical damage responsibility limitation on the Standard plan.
The Premier plan is $14 per day minimum.
It will cost you 65% to 100% of the total trip price or the $14 minimum, whichever is greater.
You’ll get a third-party liability insurance coverage benefit of $750,000.
Your physical damage liability coverage on the Premier plan comes down to $0.
You can’t choose this plan if you’re under 21.
Security Deposit
When you’re approved to rent a car on Turo, you’ll need to provide a security deposit.
The amount of the deposit depends on the rental price and your protection plan.
All guests under 30 years of age must pay a $750 security to book Deluxe Class vehicles.
Every guest pays the $750 security deposit when booking Super Deluxe Class cars.
Sometimes, you’ll need to pay an additional $200 if Turo’s system flags your trip.
The Turo website doesn’t provide details about what causes this extra fee.
Taxes
Turo includes taxes within the prices quoted on its website.
Additional Costs
In addition to the rental price, you may need to pay for gas, tolls, and parking.
The renter is always responsible for returning the car with a full tank of gas.
If you don’t refill it, the host can charge you for ignoring this requirement.
Some hosts may also require you to pay a cleaning fee if the car isn’t returned in the same condition as when you received it.
In summary, your costs when renting a car on Turo will include the rental price, tolls, parking, a security deposit, and taxes.
Read your rental agreement carefully to understand all of the costs involved.
Pros and Cons – Is Turo Worth It?
Overall, Turo is a great way to rent cars.
It’s more affordable than traditional rental companies.
You have plenty of choices when it comes to what type of vehicle you want to rent.
There are a few things to keep in mind before deciding if Turo is the right choice for you.
Insurance is not included in the rental price.
You’ll need to purchase a protection plan or provide your insurance coverage.
The good news?
Turo insurance is typically cheaper than the insurance options provided by traditional car rental companies.
Turo doesn’t say outright that all their rental options are less expensive than traditional car rental companies.
However, you can find many Turo cars on the lower end of the pricing spectrum to save money.
Something to consider is that not all rental locations are available on Turo.
If you’re OK with these things, then Turo should work well for your next car rental.
How Does Turo Compare to Traditional Rentals?
Turo is similar to traditional rental companies in that you can choose from a variety of vehicles.
An advantage to Turo is that you don’t need to wait in line as you do at a regular car rental location.
You also gain additional flexibility when picking up and dropping off.
You can meet the car’s owner at a location you agree is convenient for both parties.
Who Should Use Turo Instead of a Traditional Car Rental Company?
Anyone can choose to use Turo instead of a traditional rental agency.
However, most traditional companies won’t rent to people under 25.
If you’re under 25, Turo may be your best solution to renting a car.
Turo Cancellation Policy
You can cancel a Turo trip before picking it up without contacting the company.
Simply do it inside the app.
Turo will refund you in full if you cancel a trip 24 hours before the trip begins.
Or, if you booked less than 25 hours in advance, you can get a full refund if you cancel the trip within one hour of its booking.
Turo will give you a partial refund if you don’t show up within 30 minutes before the trip’s start time.
Outro
In the end, a Turo vehicle offers a quality way to rent a car.
If you want to avoid using corporate car rental companies, use this option.
You can work with a regular person who simply wants to earn additional money renting to you.
Go to the Turo homepage now and search for your next car rental solution.
