What to do
if your car is
damaged on a trip
if your car is damaged on a trip
If your vehicle is damaged during a trip, there’s a clear process to follow to get things sorted. Acting quickly and keeping everything documented helps you stay eligible for coverage and resolve the issue smoothly.
At a glance
Check your trip photos
Make sure your pre and post-trip photos (with identical and clear view for easy comparison) are uploaded in the Turo app so it’s easy to identify new damage. Pre-trip photos have to be taken within 24 hours of the trip start.
Report the damage within 24 hours
Report the damage in the Turo app as soon as possible, and no later than 24 hours after the trip ends. Before submitting a claim, it’s a good idea to check whether the damage is covered. If the damage isn’t eligible for cover, you may incur an admin fee. You can report the damage and start your claim here.
Check what your plan covers
Take a moment to review your earnings plan so you know whether any damage responsibility amount applies and what support may be available*.
Decide how to handle it
Choose whether to sort things out directly with the guest in the app or ask us to step in and manage the claim.
If needed, escalate to us within 20 days
If you can’t reach an agreement with the guest, you must escalate the issue to us within 20 days from the end of the trip, and we’ll take it from there. After this deadline, coverage will no longer be available.
What’s not covered
Some types of damage aren’t covered because they’re considered normal use, pre-existing, maintenance-related, or outside the trip itself.
Examples of excluded damage:
- Damage that already existed before the trip or didn’t happen during the trip, including during delivery or collection
- Normal interior or exterior wear and tear, meaning everyday signs of use that happen over time rather than from a specific incident, such as worn seats, light scuffs, faded trim, or small stone chips, etc
- Gradual deterioration or mechanical failures
- Personal items left in the vehicle
- Minor cosmetic marks to hidden or high-wear areas, including the undersides of bumpers, air deflectors, or underbody panels, and small marks in boot or storage spaces
How to report damage
and start a claim
How to report damage and start a claim
If your car is damaged on a trip, you have two options to get the situation resolved.
Resolve directly with your guest
This is usually the fastest and simplest option. When you resolve the issue & agree cost directly with your guest in the Turo app, you’re not claiming on your earnings plan, so no damage responsibility applies, meaning there’s nothing you need to pay toward the claim yourself.
Everything can be done in the Turo app:
- Upload clear, in-focus trip and damage photos
- Upload a repair estimate
- Raise a reimbursement request
- Your guest can pay you directly through the app
OR
Ask us to handle the claim
Tap “Report Damage” in the app
If you can’t resolve things with the guest or want us to handle the situation, help is on hand. Damage must have been reported in the app within 24 hours of the trip ending, and you must escalate within 20 days of the trip ending.
We’ll review the claim
We’ll check that the damage happened during the trip and isn’t normal wear and tear or something your earnings plan doesn’t cover. This usually takes a few days. If we need more information, we’ll let you know.
Damage is assessed
We’ll ask an independent appraiser to review the damage and estimate the repair costs. In many cases, this is done using the photos you’ve uploaded. More complex damage may require an in-person inspection.
Repairs and support move forward
Once costs are agreed, repairs can go ahead. Depending on your earnings plan, if your vehicle can’t be driven, you may be eligible for a courtesy car while repairs are arranged.
Repair and settlement options
If your claim is eligible*, you will usually have three options:
1. Cash for repairs
- The fastest and most popular option
- Once costs are agreed, payment is made to you by Paypal or bank transfer via Hyperwallet, and you arrange the repairs yourself
- If your earnings plan includes a damage responsibility amount, that portion is deducted from the payment you receive
- Payments are made without VAT, so you may need to cover VAT when paying for repairs. If you’re VAT-registered, you may be able to reclaim this separately
2. Mobile repair with Revive!
- A certified Revive! technician comes to your home or a preferred location
- Ideal for minor repairs, for example, bumper scuffs, scratches, minor panel damage, alloy wheel refurbishments, or dent removal
- Once the claim is approved, Revive! will contact you within one working day. You will need to pay your earnings plan damage responsibility directly to Revive! upfront, and Turo will cover any remaining balance of the repair.
3. Repair through a Turo Network Repairer
- We pay the repairer or garage directly for the approved repair costs
- If your earnings plan includes a damage responsibility amount, you’ll pay that portion yourself directly to the repairer once the repairs are complete
Deciding how to handle a damage claim
If the damage is minor, easy to price, and your guest agrees with what happened, resolving it directly in the app is often the quickest option. It can mean faster payment, no damage responsibility amount, and more control over how and where repairs are done. This approach works best when communication is straightforward, and you’re comfortable arranging repairs yourself.
If the damage is more serious, the final repair cost is unclear, or the guest disputes the damage or stops responding, it usually makes more sense to ask us to handle the claim*. This gives you an independent assessment of the damage, removes the need to negotiate with the guest, and provides structured support if the car can’t be driven, is written off, or needs complex repairs. It can take longer, and depending on your earnings plans, a damage responsibility amount may apply, but it’s often the safer option for higher-value or more complicated situations.
Questions?
Who pays when a guest damages my car?
If an eligible claim is escalated to us, we’ll pay you in accordance with your host earnings plan* and charge the guest as per their protection plan. If you resolve the issue directly with the guest, they are likely to only be willing to pay up to their out-of-pocket amount under their protection plan, which may not cover larger repairs. For significant damage, it may be best to let us handle the claim.
Am I expected to chase the guest for payment?
No. If you resolve directly with your guest, they will need to pay through the Turo app. If we handle the claim, we manage communication and payment* with the guest on your behalf.
What happens if the guest disagrees with the damage?
Always report the damage in the app within 24 hours and keep all communication with your guest also in the app. If you can’t reach an agreement, you have 20 days from the end of the trip to escalate the issue to us, and we’ll step in to handle it. After that time, we will not accept your claim nor cover any damage.
How do earnings plans affect what happens next?
When you listed your vehicle, you chose a specific earnings plan. That choice affects how damage costs are handled, including whether any damage responsibility amount applies and what support may be available if your car is off the road. Either way, earnings plans are designed to help cover repair or replacement costs* if something goes wrong, so you’re not left dealing with it on your own.
Will I be out of pocket?
That depends on the earnings plan you chose when you listed your vehicle. Some plans include no damage responsibility amount, while others include a set amount per claim. This is determined by your plan, not the guest’s.
What if my car can’t be driven while it’s being repaired?
Some earnings plans include extra support if your vehicle is off the road, such as a courtesy car or reimbursement for lost hosting income*. Not all plans include these benefits, so it’s worth checking what’s included in your plan.
What if my vehicle is written off or stolen?
A vehicle is rarely damaged beyond repair or stolen, but if it does happen, you’re covered*. If your vehicle is damaged beyond repair, we’ll work out what it was worth at the time of the incident and pay you that amount, up to £70,000*. If your vehicle is missing or stolen during a trip, you need to report it to the police within 24 hours. Once you provide us with the police report, we’ll begin a 30-day investigation to recover the vehicle. We’ll process the claim once the vehicle is recovered or once 30 days have passed, whichever comes first*.
Can I use Revive! to repair my car for damage sustained on a non-Turo trip?
Yes! If you would like to utilise Revive! to repair your car outside of Turo, navigate to their website and upload photos of the damage for a quote.
* Subject to your compliance with the Terms of Use and other Turo policies.