FAQs

The best way to think about it is as two parts that make up the one whole. Firstly, rentalcover.com is a supplementary insurance product which while sperate from any other product is only valid in conjunction with a current Protection Plan or insurance policy provided by the car sharing platform. In other words, as supplementary insurance product, rentalcover.com is not valid without the platform insurance or Protection Plan.

The insurance or protection plans offered by car sharing platforms either explicitly exclude coverage or they simply don’t include cover on items such as:

• Mechanical damage,

• Interior damage,

• Windscreens,

• Tyre punctures,

• Wheel scrapes also known as rim rash,

• Excess/deductible payments

• Other minor but potentially costly items.

While rentalcover.com does not cover everything (no policy does) they cover most of the items excluded by the products offered by the car sharing platforms. They also cover:

• Towing,

• Theft,

• Fire,

• Vandalism and so on.

For several reasons, it can be a mistake to equate the coverage for car sharing with the insurance you may have for your personal car at home.

Firstly, you will be driving someone else's car rather than your own, a car that is unfamiliar to you, in an unfamiliar environment, at different times of the day and out of your usual routine. This results in an exponentially higher chance of damage to the vehicle even for highly experienced and careful drivers. In fact, even experienced Tesla drivers who have been accident-free for decades have sustained damage to our cars, and they were very thankful that they had rentalcover.com

Furthermore, regardless of how good a driver you are, damage can occur in situations beyond your control, such as when the vehicle is parked in a car park or on the side of a road. Additionally, the damage may not be your fault, such as when another driver makes a mistake, is inattentive, or is under the influence of alcohol.

In situations such as these and others, having supplementary third-party insurance like rentalcover.com can provide you with peace of mind and additional protection. As the saying goes, nobody plans to have an accident.

We do not have any affiliation or any other relationship with rentalcover.com financial or otherwise. We do not receive any kickbacks or any other financial incentives. The reason we bring it to our clients’ attention is because we care about our guests and on too many occasions, we’ve seen how thankful our guests were for having it in place. Interestingly, we found that the guests who initially resisted it the most were the ones who needed it the most.

While your credit card may offer coverage for 'car hire' or 'car rental,' it's important to read the fine print, as these policies often do not cover car-sharing services. The policy will either explicitly exclude car sharing or it will most likely not be addressed in the T&Cs, therefore, when it comes time to make a claim you may find yourself without cover and personally liable for any damage. Rentalcover.com covers carsharing through most of the well-known car sharing platforms.

To be covered under both the platform cover and rentalcover.com, any additional drivers must be registered as Additional Drivers on the car sharing platform and be listed on the car sharing agreement. You may need to inform rentalcover.com of the additional drivers' names, pursuant to the terms of your policy. Age restrictions may also apply.

You may be pleasantly surprised, for coverage in Australia, rentalcover.com usually costs less than $10 a day which they claim is 50% cheaper than other excess insurance products. It’s also quick and straightforward, with a quote usually taking less than 15 seconds and within a minute or so you can have the policy set up and ready to go.

On their website, rentalcover.com claim they settle 95% of claims without question and within 3 business days. They advertise “concierge-level service” and availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They say they “strive to get your claim resolved and paid within seven business days.” From the experience we have had to date, this has generally been the case with our guests.

This is not how insurance or any other Protection Plan works. You need to have a policy or Protection Plan in place before your rental period begins. In the case of rentalcover.com you will need to take out and pay for the policy at least several hours prior to the start of your rental period.

No policy or a combination of policies cover everything in all situations. rentalcover.com has a list of exclusions such as driving the vehicle off-road or on an unsealed road and several others. Please refer to the rentalcover.com Product Disclosure Statement, your car sharing agreement and any other associated documentation.

The cost of charging an EV can vary significantly, ranging from zero or free to about half the cost of refuelling an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle.
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As with an ICE car, the exact cost depends on several factors, including how much you've been driving, the car’s efficiency, driving style, road and weather conditions and so forth. Unlike an ICE car, however, EVs offer various charging options that can differ in speed and cost. Another difference with an EV is that they are often topped up more frequently due to the convenience and ease of plugging them in, much like charging a smartphone.
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Unlike liquid fuels which are measured in litres or gallons, electricity is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). For example, Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y cars have usable battery capacities ranging from approximately 49 kWh to 75 kWh, but a typical recharge may be anywhere from 1 kWh to around 30-45 kWh.
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As mentioned, some charging options are free or more accurately they are provided as a complimentary service. Typical locations include shopping centres, hardware stores, restaurants, wineries and other businesses. If there is a charger provided you may also be able to charge, at no cost at your place of accommodation but even without a dedicated EV charger you can also charge the car from a regular household electrical outlet albeit at a slower rate of approximately 15 km per hour. You can typically add as much as about 25 or 30% overnight. By comparison, most of the free or complimentary charges provide charging speeds of 50-70 km per hour. Fast and ultra-fast chargers, such as Tesla Superchargers, can exceed charging speeds of 1,000 km per hour.

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The cost of a recharge can range from zero (for free charging) to around $30 or more, with most Supercharging sessions averaging around $20.

The car sharing platform will typically give you the option to choose your level of cover. It is a requirement for our guests to opt for the at least the Minimum Protection Plan. We also feel we have a duty of care to inform our guests about excess insurance. As an example, rentalcover.com extends coverage to include excess payments and items not covered by the minimum Protection Plan, such as windscreen damage, tyre punctures, wheel rim scrapes, smaller dents and scratches to the bodywork, and other minor but potentially costly items, to name just a few.

Contrary to popular opinion, with no gears and the option of single-pedal driving (a feature reminiscent of golf carts), a Tesla, can in fact be simpler and easier to operate than a traditional car. While most individuals can figure out how to drive and operate the car on their own, the process becomes significantly more efficient with some initial guidance. If you've never driven a Tesla before, we have a couple of options to ensure you're well-prepared. We can recommend short instructional videos for your convenience; however, we also offer a personalised handover which includes a complimentary orientation or induction. This session covers essential aspects such as safety, a walk-through the car's basic features and functions, guidance on how to safely operate Autopilot (an optional feature entirely at the discretion of the driver), and information on where and how to charge the vehicle. During this session, you'll also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

Our cars can be picked up from Joondalup or we may be able to deliver the vehicle to a pre-arranged public location such as the airport or even to your house or other accommodation, or place of business. For 5-day or longer rental periods, we currently offer free drop off and pick-up to and from the Perth airport and most suburbs north of the river and within the inner metropolitan area, alternatively we can deliver to other destinations for a reasonable fee. If you need to return the car at a different location from the pick-up point, this may also be able to be pre-arranged at the time of your booking.

If you're curious about electric vehicles (EVs) and have never driven a Tesla before, seven consecutive days may be sufficient to provide an understanding of what may initially seem like an entirely new technology.

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We typically recommend a minimum of one week because there are numerous aspects of a good EV, such as a Tesla, that significantly differ from traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. It takes some time to experience these unique features for yourself, but one thing we can confidently say is; you’ll be glad you did. For instance, even though you can disable the 'Hold' mode and opt for 'Creep' or 'Roll' (though the latter is not recommended), it will take approximately 30 to 40 minutes to become even somewhat comfortable with the novel sensation of 'single-pedal driving.' We encourage you to persist because it typically takes another 3 to 4 hours of city driving to get used to it and then several more days before this newly acquired skill becomes automatic or instinctive and feels completely natural. Once you reach that point, however, you won’t want to go back to driving an ICE car because once you go back the experience will feel unnerving, as if the car constantly wants to surge forward, uncontrollably.
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Once single-pedal driving becomes second nature, you may consider exploring the 'Autopilot' capability feature. Our founder Pete as well as a few other Tesla owners have used Autopilot to drive a Tesla all the way around Australia, covering 13,600km along their journey. Manual driving accounted for less than a couple of hundred kilometres, during this trip, however, it's important to understand that the Australian version of Autopilot is currently intended for use only on major roads, such as highways and freeways with clear white markings, no road works and clear visibility. Furthermore, the driver must remain attentive as they continue to be 100% responsible for the vehicle at all times.
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If you are just EV curious, or if you are considering buying a Tesla or another EV, feel free to try before you buy. Some people chose car sharing for two or three months before buying their first EV, but we recommend at least a week to give yourself sufficient time to get used to the car and to appreciate the many conveniences of a good EV, understand the car's range, get a feel for charging, and experiencing how the car fits in with your particular circumstances and lifestyle, and/or that of your close ones.

It is the guest's responsibility to report any damage to the owner and host as soon as possible. If you take out excess insurance such as rentalcover.com it will cover most smaller damage below the value of the excess amount. The insurance or Protection Plan supplied by the car sharing platform should cover most larger items but excess insurance should cover the excess amount payable under the platform cover.

The vast majority of Tesla owners agree that driving, using and charging their cars is simpler, more convenient and far superior compared to internal combustion engine vehicles.

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However, this perspective contrasts with the opinions of non-Tesla drivers, which are usually based on second hand information often influenced by mass media, social media, or other vested interests.

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We would say there is a reason why the Tesla Model Y was the best-selling car of any fuel or car type globally in 2023. The Model 3 also made the top 10 and the Model Y is again set to be number one in 2024 with the Model 3 not far behind. If you have never driven a Tesla before, you can listen to the often misinformed opinions of others or you can form your own first-hand view.

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To form an informed opinion we recommend starting with an open mind and giving yourself enough time with the car to get used to what will at first feel like new technology.

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It's actually a lot easier and simpler to drive a Tesla than an internal combustion engine car and anyone with a valid drivers license should eventually be able to figure out how to drive the car on their own, however, we recommend opting for our complimentary orientation which will save time and make the whole process much easier.

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For most people, it takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes to get used to the single-pedal driving style. After 3 to 5 hours of city driving, it should start to be instinctive. It may take a few more days for it to feel completely natural and for you to become comfortable with enabling the driver assistance features, getting a feel for charging and to discover the car's many voice commands and other hidden features.

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If you are just EV curious, or if you are considering buying a Tesla or another EV, feel free to try before you buy. Some people chose car sharing for two or three months before buying their first EV, but we recommend at least a week to give yourself sufficient time to understand the car and see how it fits in with your particular circumstances and lifestyle.

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By giving yourself enough time with the car, you can form a well-informed opinion and reach your own conclusions based on the experience which ultimately matters most, your own.

The terms 'car rental' and 'car share' are often used interchangeably, but there are significant distinctions. Car rental typically refers to large, often multinational enterprises with hundreds or even thousands of rental cars. These vehicles are treated like traditional rental cars and are frequently returned in a messy and dirty condition. This practice is acceptable because such companies employ specialised car cleaners whose job is to clean up after you.
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Car sharing operates on a different, more exclusive principle. As the name implies, it involves sharing an individual's personal or business car. This is usually a smaller-scale operation, often managed by one or two owners who share out one, two, or a handful of cars. Renters are also referred to as guests and owners as hosts. The benefits of car sharing are many, including lower costs, a wider range of cars, increased flexibility, and a personalised service, among many other advantages*.
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When it comes to using shared vehicles, there's a significant difference in etiquette compared to traditional car rental services. Understanding these differences is key to a positive experience and maintaining good standing within the car sharing community.
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In a car rental scenario, it's generally acceptable to charge the vehicle as and when you wish, bring in sand from the beach or eat a takeout meal inside the vehicle, leaving behind rubbish and greasy fingerprints. In a car sharing situation, however, such behaviour is considered disrespectful and may lead to poor ratings, negative reviews and additional cleaning, detailing and charging fees.
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If you tend to be less careful with vehicles expecting to hand them over messy and dirty, traditional car rentals from major companies may better suit your needs. However, car sharing can be an excellent option if you treat the car as if you had just purchased a new Tesla yourself, looking after it, charging it appropriately, and keeping it clean and tidy. If this is you, you'll love car sharing and you’ll receive 5-star ratings and glowing reviews making it cost-effective and easy to share a car again in the future.

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* In our case, for example, Pete is an Independent Energy Consultant with over 12 years of experience who can help with the purchasing of electric vehicles whether for personal use, business, or a fleet of vehicles. He is also more than happy to help with charging equipment, solar PV, stationary battery energy storage (BESS), commercial grid electricity and other commercial or industrial energy solutions.