Understanding how vehicle damage claims.
Plan to submit any damage report within 24 hours after a booking ends, and make sure you have clear photos ready that document the issue. If a guest reports damage to your vehicle, Upcar will notify you directly.
To begin the resolution process, damage must be reported within 24 hours of the trip's end. Reports submitted after this window may not qualify for coverage under an Upcar protection plan and can make it harder to resolve the issue with the guest. Damage caused by incorrect fuel being added to the vehicle must also be reported within the same 24-hour timeframe.
To ensure fair and efficient service for both hosts and guests, you're required to respond promptly to Upcar's requests for information. If requested details aren't provided in a timely manner, the claim may be closed or denied.
When reporting damage, you must upload photos of the affected areas taken within 24 hours before the booking begins and within 24 hours after the booking ends. Claims submitted without the required photos may not be eligible for physical damage reimbursement.
Post-trip photos are not required if the damage is mechanical in nature or if the vehicle was towed or otherwise unavailable for you to photograph.
After you submit a damage report, you'll be asked to provide either a repair quote from a body shop or your best estimate of the repair cost. Based on that amount, your protection plan deductible, and the guest's out-of-pocket limit, Upcar will display two payout options:
You'll then choose whether to 1) work directly with the guest to resolve the damage or 2) move forward with an Upcar claim.
If the reported damage creates a safety concern or makes the vehicle unsafe or inoperable, Upcar may temporarily restrict the vehicle from being booked. Once repairs are completed, you can contact Upcar to have the restriction removed.
If your vehicle already has eligible damage and sustains additional damage during the rental, Upcar will take both the pre-existing damage and the new damage into account when determining your claim payout.
Upcar defines prior damage as any non-glass damage longer than three inches that existed before the start of the booking. Any glass damage—regardless of size—is considered prior damage if it was present before the guest's booking.
All damage is reviewed carefully to distinguish between existing damage and damage that occurred during the rental. This review is based on the pre-trip and post-trip photos you're required to upload to Trip Photos. These photos must be submitted within 24 hours before the booking begins and within 24 hours after it ends.
When prior damage is identified, Upcar calculates the claim payout in two steps. First, we estimate the cost to repair the existing damage. Next, we estimate the cost to repair the damage after the booking. Your payout will be the difference between these two estimates. This ensures you're compensated only for damage that occurred during the rental and that guests are not charged for damage that existed beforehand.
Before the booking, your vehicle's bumper had a six-inch scratch with an estimated repair cost of $220. During the rental, new damage occurred, increasing the total repair estimate to $500. Upcar would pay $280, which represents the additional cost caused by the new damage.
Upcar uses the photos you submit to review and assess any reported vehicle damage. Clear, high-quality images allow us to evaluate claims accurately and help speed up the resolution process.
When reporting damage, upload well-lit photos that clearly show the damaged area and its full extent. Because we don't inspect the vehicle in person, your photos are the primary way we verify damage. If the images are unclear or don't allow us to confirm the size or location of the damage, we may request additional photos, which can slow down your claim.
Upcar host protection plans define how financial responsibility is handled if your vehicle sustains physical damage during a rental. Physical damage reimbursement applies to eligible collision and comprehensive damage that occurs during an active Upcar rental and is subject to specific terms, conditions, and exclusions. Physical damage reimbursement is not insurance.
Upcar will reimburse eligible hosts for covered physical damage costs that exceed the applicable deductible. Reimbursement is limited to the lesser of the cost to repair the vehicle or the vehicle's Actual Cash Value (ACV), up to a maximum of $75,000 in the event of a total loss.
For vehicles with a fair market value of $75,000 or more, Upcar may withhold up to 20% of covered damages above the deductible if the vehicle does not have an active OEM tracking system enabled or if the host fails to provide requested vehicle location information.
If your vehicle is declared a total loss and you receive an ACV payout, Upcar may require one of the following, at its sole discretion, as a condition of payment:
Each Upcar protection plan represents an agreement between Upcar and the host regarding how the financial impact of physical damage is shared. Upcar is not an insurance company and does not sell or provide insurance for physical damage to your vehicle.
State-specific requirements may apply. Vehicles subject to a lease or loan in New York may require additional coverage. For trips booked in Washington, physical damage is covered by insurance purchased by Upcar; however, this does not change the contractual responsibilities of hosts or guests related to physical damage.
Deductibles apply to all physical damage claims, including but not limited to exterior damage, interior damage, tires, wheels, glass, flat tires, and mechanical damage.
If your vehicle is damaged but repairable, Upcar does not compensate for any reduction in resale or market value. When eligible, reimbursement is limited to the lesser of the repair cost or the vehicle's ACV, up to $75,000. Any diminished value resulting from damage during a rental is not covered.
Upcar does not guarantee the quality of repairs unless you choose a repair facility from an Upcar-approved repair network, if available. If repairs are completed by a non-approved shop and later found to be substandard, Upcar will not reimburse for repeat or corrective repairs.
You'll be notified during the claims process if an approved repair network option is available.
Upcar will reimburse reasonable storage fees based on prevailing market rates, up to a maximum of $2,500, unless additional charges result from delays caused by Upcar or are otherwise approved in writing.
You're responsible for minimizing unnecessary costs. If Upcar notifies you that it has reached a reimbursement impasse with a repair facility, tow yard, or storage provider, you must promptly remove your vehicle to prevent additional storage fees. Fees that continue to accrue after notice may be considered unreasonable and not reimbursable.
In California, repairs must be completed at a Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR)–licensed shop to be eligible for reimbursement.
Any repair or storage charges that exceed the amount Upcar agrees to reimburse under your protection plan remain your responsibility and may be deducted from your payout.
If you have questions about vehicle damage claims or need assistance with the process, our support team is here to help.