Insurance,
explained honestly.
Two coverage paths, plain language, and no marketing. Renters either bring their own eligible auto insurance policy, or purchase coverage through our broker partner at checkout. This page walks through both — what we need, what is verified, what is and isn’t covered, and what to do if something goes wrong on the road.
No California rental is truly
“all-inclusive.”
Peak Horizon carries commercial fleet and liability insurance that covers us as the operator — the cars and our business. While the vehicle is in your possession, the renter is liable for damages during the rental. That is the standard model for private car rental in California, and it is the legal reality whether a rental company markets “included coverage” or not. When you see “all-inclusive” insurance language at other shops, it is almost always a re-packaged third-party policy with its own deductibles, exclusions, and limits.
We would rather show our work. There are two coverage paths, you pick one before delivery, and we tell you the cost and the screening requirements up front.
Bring your own
insurance.
If your personal auto insurance policy includes coverage that extends to rental vehicles, you can use it. No surcharge from us on this path, but we still verify the policy meets requirements before the car leaves our lot.
What we need on file
- A current declaration page showing the policy covers you driving a rental vehicle
- Liability limits that meet or exceed California minimums (we recommend higher for the performance fleet)
- Physical damage coverage (comprehensive + collision) — not just liability
- Valid US driver’s license, or foreign license + passport (IDP recommended)
- A major credit card in the primary renter’s name for the security deposit
- Driver record screening through our broker partner — runs for every rental, regardless of path
Heads-up: “rental other car” coverage is common but not universal. Some personal policies cap rental coverage at a low daily value, exclude high-MSRP vehicles, or carve out rentals over a certain duration. Your insurance agent can confirm in a 30-second phone call — ask whether your policy provides primary liability and physical damage coverage for a rented vehicle, and request a declaration page that reflects that.
Coverage through
our broker partner.
If you don’t have eligible personal coverage — or you would rather not run a claim through your own carrier — we work with an insurance broker that offers rental coverage specifically for vehicles in our fleet. You purchase it on the broker’s platform during checkout, separate from your Peak Horizon rate.
What it covers
- Liability up to the coverage tier you select
- Physical damage to the rental vehicle, subject to the policy deductible
- Standard underwriting terms set by the broker — we share the full policy summary before you commit
Cost framing
Coverage through our broker carries a per-day surcharge that is quoted up front before you confirm the booking. The rate varies by vehicle tier — rough framing: starts at $[PLACEHOLDER: economy rate]/day for our economy line, up to $[PLACEHOLDER: M3 rate]/day for the BMW M3 Competition. We will replace those numbers with broker-quoted figures at checkout based on your vehicle, dates, and screening result. The surcharge goes to the broker, not to Peak Horizon.
Why this path exists
Private car rental in California is not the same product as Hertz or Enterprise. We do not sell our own “loss damage waiver” — that requires being a licensed insurance underwriter, and we are a car-rental operator. A separately purchased broker policy is how renters without eligible personal coverage get insured for the trip. It is the cleanest legal path for both sides.
Driver screening
We verify driving record through our broker before approving every rental — both paths, every time. That includes license validity, age (25+ unless otherwise approved), and review of any recent DUIs, license suspensions, or excessive at-fault incidents. Most renters pass without ever noticing the check happened.
What’s not
covered either way.
Neither path covers the items below. These are renter responsibility under the rental agreement, and exist in the contract for both Path A and Path B renters.
- Track use, autocross, or any closed-course driving
- Off-road use, fire roads, unpaved canyon trails
- Smoking damage, vape residue, or cabin odor remediation
- Pet damage in vehicles where pets are not permitted
- Parking tickets, toll violations, and traffic citations
- Personal items left in the vehicle (bring renters/travel insurance if needed)
- Damage from negligence — driving on flat tires, ignoring warning lights, etc.
- Use outside the state of California without prior written approval
- Use by any driver not listed on the rental agreement
- Commercial use unless explicitly approved (production rentals are a separate path)
The full rental agreement is shared at booking. Read it. If anything is unclear, ask before you sign — we would rather answer the question now than litigate the answer later.
Real questions,
real answers.
I have full coverage on my own car — does that cover rentals?
Not always. "Full coverage" usually means liability plus comprehensive and collision on the vehicle you own. Whether that policy extends to a rental car depends on your specific contract — many personal auto policies do include "rental other car" coverage, but some carve it out, cap it, or exclude high-value vehicles. The 30-second move: call your agent and ask whether your policy provides primary liability and physical damage coverage for a rented vehicle, and ask them to email you a declaration page reflecting that. We need that document on file before delivery.
What does the broker actually verify?
Our broker partner runs a standard driver-record and risk screen before approving any rental that uses their coverage path. That generally includes license validity, age, recent moving violations, at-fault accidents, and any major incidents (DUI, reckless driving, license suspensions). Specifics are set by the broker, not by Peak Horizon. If you have a clean record, this is invisible. If something on your record will be a problem, we would rather find out before you book than at the curb.
What happens if I get in an accident?
Stop, make sure everyone is safe, call 911 if anyone is hurt, and exchange information with the other driver(s) per California law. Then call us. We will walk you through next steps — photos, a written statement, and the claim path that applies to your coverage (your own carrier if you brought your own policy, or our broker if you purchased coverage at booking). You are responsible for damages to the vehicle during your rental; the coverage you selected determines how that responsibility is shared with an insurer.
What if someone hits my parked rental?
Same protocol. Get the other driver’s name, license, insurance carrier, and a photo of their license plate and insurance card. If they leave the scene, file a police report and photograph the damage. We pursue the at-fault driver’s carrier first — that is the cleanest path — but you are still the responsible party on the rental until that claim is resolved, so we may hold your security deposit while the third-party claim is in motion.
Do credit cards cover rental insurance?
Some premium credit cards offer secondary rental coverage that kicks in after your personal auto policy pays. A small number offer primary coverage on specific card tiers. Two things to check: (1) most cards exclude high-value vehicles, exotics, and rentals over 30 days, and (2) card coverage typically reimburses you after the fact — it does not replace the proof of coverage we need before delivery. Treat credit card coverage as a useful backstop, not as your primary path.
Can I add a second driver?
Yes. Every additional driver must meet the same age, license, and screening requirements as the primary renter, and must be listed on the rental agreement before they take the wheel. If we are using broker coverage, the additional driver also runs through screening. There is no additional Peak Horizon fee to add a second qualifying driver; broker fees, if any, are quoted up front.
What about international drivers?
Visitors driving in California can generally rent with a valid foreign driver’s license from their home country plus a passport. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended when the home-country license is not in English. Screening still runs through our broker, and some coverage paths have country-of-origin restrictions. Email us your license and passport before booking and we will confirm what works.
Is any of this different for the M3 or other higher-value vehicles?
Yes. Higher-value vehicles in the fleet (notably the BMW M3 Competition) carry a higher security deposit and tighter screening. The broker may require a higher coverage tier, and personal policies with low rental limits may not be eligible. We confirm requirements per vehicle at booking — never as a surprise on delivery day.
Still need to talk it through? Call +17473040931 or check our pricing page for a full rate breakdown before you reserve.
Reserve with clarity.
Pick the car, pick the dates. We'll walk through coverage options at checkout and quote the total — broker surcharge included if you choose Path B — before you commit.