Understanding Turo's Three Protection Tiers
Every Turo trip comes with one of three host protection plans. The plan you choose directly affects how much Turo takes from each trip — and this is the single biggest variable cost in your hosting business.
| Plan | Host Fee | Liability | Physical Damage | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier | 15% | $1M | Actual cash value | Luxury/high-value vehicles |
| Standard | 25% | $750K | Actual cash value | Most hosts (default) |
| Basic | 35% | State minimum | $0 (none) | Hosts with commercial insurance |
The Real Math: Premier vs. Standard vs. Basic
Let's run the numbers on a car that grosses $2,000/month on Turo:
- Premier (15%): You keep $1,700 — Turo takes $300
- Standard (25%): You keep $1,500 — Turo takes $500
- Basic (35%): You keep $1,300 — Turo takes $700
The difference between Premier and Basic is $400/month per vehicle. For a 5-car fleet, that's $2,000/month or $24,000/year — just in Turo fee differences.
When Commercial Insurance Makes Sense
Here's where it gets interesting. Some hosts choose the Basic plan (35% fee) and carry their own commercial fleet insurance. Sounds backwards — why choose the highest fee?
Because Basic plan hosts with commercial coverage get Turo's lowest fee while maintaining full protection through their own policy. If commercial insurance costs you $200/month per vehicle, here's the comparison:
Standard (25%): $500 Turo fee + $0 external insurance = $500/month
Basic (35%) + Commercial: $700 Turo fee + $200 insurance = $900/month
Wait — that's MORE expensive? Yes, for single cars. The math flips at 3+ vehicles because commercial fleet policies have volume discounts, and you get better coverage than Turo provides.
The Break-Even Point
For most markets, commercial insurance becomes cheaper than Turo's built-in coverage at 3-5 vehicles. At that point, you're paying less per vehicle and getting superior coverage with lower deductibles.
Recommended Insurance Providers for Turo Hosts
- Buckle — Designed specifically for ride-share and car-sharing hosts
- Safely — Commercial coverage for Turo/Getaround fleets
- State Farm Commercial — Available in most states, fleet discounts at 5+ vehicles
- Progressive Commercial Auto — Competitive rates, good for mixed fleets
What About Personal Insurance?
Do not rely on personal auto insurance for Turo. Most personal policies explicitly exclude commercial use. If you have a claim during a Turo trip and your personal insurer finds out, they can deny the claim AND cancel your policy.
See How Insurance Affects Your Bottom Line
Our profit calculator lets you compare all three Turo protection tiers side-by-side with your actual costs.
Open CalculatorScaling Beyond Turo's Insurance
Once you have 5+ vehicles and commercial insurance, you're essentially running an independent rental operation on Turo's platform — paying 35% for the marketplace. At that point, taking direct bookings through a platform like Launch The Fleet lets you keep 100% of revenue while using your existing commercial coverage.