Tasmanians to get $1,000 grants to rent their cars to tourists
Tasmanian residents will be offered $1,000 by the state government to rent out their private vehicles to tourists through the Hire and Drive Reimbursement Program .
This $1 million scheme is in response to the major hire car shortages in Tassie after rental car operators sold off more than half their fleets during COVID-19 lockdowns. Since the state reopened borders in October last year, travellers have beens struggling to book hire cars and have been met with sky-high prices as demand has vastly outstripped supply.
The government’s offer is contingent on owners registering their cars as rentals through the Motor Accidents and Injury Board (MAIB) Class 8 classification, which costs $750 per-vehicle.
Motorists can then sign up to accredited car-sharing platforms Car Next Door and Evee, which are currently the only platforms where private cars can be legally rented out in Tasmania.
The grants are also available to traditional hire car operators looking to reestablish their fleets, and will be accessible to everyone until 24 December (or whenever funds are exhausted).
The goal is to reduce the costs of hiring a holiday car and increase options for tourists. Everyday Aussie car owners should carefully consider how this might impact their car insurance before jumping on the grants.
How does renting out your car affect your insurance?
Whether you’re hiring out your wheels or driving them yourself, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got car insurance that can cover your ride to its full value. Here are a few things to remember when it comes to car insurance in Tasmania and using your car as a rental.
Some insurance policies don’t cover ridesharing. While car-sharing platforms Like Car Next Door operate differently to a service like Uber where you’re the passenger, it would be worth checking with your insurance company to make sure your policy covers your wheels if they’re used to make a profit. And remember, you might see a premium increase if you want to use your car to make extra cash.
There are specific insurance policies for Car Next Door and Evee. While you might have your own comprehensive car insurance, these car-sharing platforms also provide insurance when you rent your car out through their service. Make sure you investigate how these policies cover accidents when holidayers are behind the wheel, what’s covered when you’re driving, and how it might interact with your independent insurance coverage.
Making a claim could affect your car insurance premium. If you make a claim on your private car insurance policy, it can negatively impact your claims history which could mean a higher premium or losing you no claims discount. Be sure you know how this works with car-sharing insurance and if it could have a flow-on affect to other external policies.
If you’re looking for a better deal on your current car insurance before you start thinking about rental options, have a gander at the comprehensive policies below.
Compare car insurance
Comprehensive Car Insurance
- Monthly premiums
- Yes Costs Extra
- Choice of repairer
- Optional Extra
- Choice of excess
- $400 - $2,500
- Agreed or market value
- Agreed Or Market
Available discounts
Comprehensive Car Insurance
Youi like to get to know you from the very first conversation, which provides you with the opportunity to find comprehensive car insurance cover that could better suit your lifestyle and your needs. Because we’re all individuals, so we all use our cars differently from day-to-day. Youi is car insurance that’s a bit more you-shaped. Mozo People's Choice Excellent Customer Service Car Insurance award winner in 2024.
- New car if written off
- Yes - within 2 years and a listed driver is the first registered owner
- Rental car after theft
- Yes - Up to 14 days.
- Rental car after accident
- Not at fault - Yes. At fault - Optional Extra. Up to 14 days.
- Windscreen cover
- Yes - standard excess. Option to reduce windscreen excess to $50 for an additional premium.
- Modifications
- Covered only if agreed in writing.
- Young driver excess imposed
- Unlisted and aged 25 and over: $700, Unlisted and aged under 25: $2,000, Listed and aged under 25: $600
- Roadside assistance
- Yes
- Other benefits
- -
- Other restrictions
- -
- States where offered
- SA VIC TAS NSW ACT QLD WA
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read reviews and learn more about Youi car insurance
Comprehensive Car Insurance
- Monthly premiums
- Yes
- Choice of repairer
- No
- Choice of excess
- $800 Flat Excess Fee
- Agreed or market value
- Agreed
Available discounts
- Get 10% Off The Base Premium For The First 2 Consecutive Monthly Policies And Up To A 15% Potential Monthly Discount From Your 3rd Month For Being A Safer Driver. Minimum Premiums May Apply. Underwriting Criteria, Limits, Exclusions, And T&Cs Apply.
Comprehensive Car Insurance
ROLLiN’ offers affordable monthly comprehensive car insurance with its favourite extras included. No additional excess for young drivers, lodge a claim 24/7 and zero cancellation fees. Hire car is included up to $80 per day for up to 21 days; cover for one tow to our nearest authorised repairer, following a covered incident. No excess on your first covered windscreen, sunroof, and window glass damage once per insurance period. List multiple cars and drivers under the one policy as long as they fit the underwriting criteria (excludes Safe ’n Save policies).
- New car if written off
- Yes - within 15,000km of original registration
- Rental car after theft
- Yes - Up to 21 days, max $80 per day after a covered event
- Rental car after accident
- Yes - Up to 21 days, max $80 per day after a covered event
- Windscreen cover
- Yes - one claim can be made per Insurance Period, with $0 windscreen excess
- Modifications
- Covered only if agreed in writing.
- Young driver excess imposed
- No additional excess for young drivers. $3,000 for unlisted drivers
- Roadside assistance
- No
- Other benefits
- Optional benefit to boost the Single Car Value by 15%, it will be shown on your Insurance Certificate
- Other restrictions
- -
- States where offered
- SA VIC NT TAS NSW ACT QLD WA
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read reviews and learn more about ROLLiN' car insurance
Gold Comprehensive Car Insurance
- Monthly premiums
- Yes Costs Extra
- Choice of repairer
- Optional Extra
- Choice of excess
- $550 - $1,900 (varies By State)
- Agreed or market value
- Agreed Or Market
Available discounts
- No Claim Discount
- Online Discount 15%
Gold Comprehensive Car Insurance
Get award winning Car Insurance. Save 15% ^ on your first year’s premium when you purchase a new policy online. Budget Direct offers tailor-made cover, new-for-old replacement, 24/7 claims, a highly-rated claims service, and get a hire car following a theft.
- New car if written off
- Yes - within 2 years or 40,000 kilometres of original registration, whichever comes first
- Rental car after theft
- Yes - Up to 14 days, max $1,000 total.
- Rental car after accident
- Not at fault - Yes. At fault - Optional Extra. Up to 14 days for at fault accidents.
- Windscreen cover
- Yes - standard excess. Option to reduce windscreen excess to $40 on every windscreen claim for an additional premium.
- Modifications
- Covered only if agreed in writing.
- Young driver excess imposed
- $600 for drivers under 21, $500 for drivers under 24, $600 for unlisted drivers, $500 for inexperienced drivers.
- Roadside assistance
- Optional Extra
- Other benefits
- -
- Other restrictions
- -
- States where offered
- SA VIC TAS NSW ACT QLD WA
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read reviews and learn more about Budget Direct car insurance
Comprehensive Car Insurance
- Monthly premiums
- Yes Costs Extra
- Choice of repairer
- Optional Extra
- Choice of excess
- $500 - $2,200
- Agreed or market value
- Agreed Or Market
Available discounts
- Online Discount $75
Comprehensive Car Insurance
Australia Post Comprehensive Car Insurance offers a broad range of coverage and includes cover for anyone who drives your vehicle. It also covers new car replacement if your recently purchased brand new car is written off within the first three years (provided it has travelled less than 60,000km).
- New car if written off
- Yes - within 3 years and 60,000 km of original registration
- Rental car after theft
- Yes - Up to 14 days.
- Rental car after accident
- Not at fault - Yes. At fault - Optional Extra. Up to 14 days.
- Windscreen cover
- Yes - standard excess ($0 excess for repair only). Option to reduce windscreen replacement excess to $0 for an additional premium.
- Modifications
- Automatically covered.
- Young driver excess imposed
- $600 for listed drivers under 25, $1,600 for unlisted drivers under 25.
- Roadside assistance
- No
- Other benefits
- -
- Other restrictions
- -
- States where offered
- SA VIC TAS NSW ACT QLD WA
Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
Read reviews and learn more about Australia Post car insurance
* Terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits may apply to any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. These terms, conditions, exclusions, limits and sub-limits could affect the level of benefits and cover available under any of the insurance products shown on the Mozo website. Please refer to the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and the Target Market Determination on the provider's website for further information before making any decisions about an insurance product.
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Car Insurance Awards