Protection & Security Deposits

How Curba Protects Rentals

Every listing on Curba has Curba Damage Protection: if the item is accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost during the rental, Curba pays the host up to a set limit for its category, based on the item's current value. Renters also pay a refundable security deposit, which is used first.

The listing page shows the protection and the item's risk category (Low, Medium, or High).

Curba Damage Protection applies to the rented item only. Injuries and damage to other people or their property are not covered - see Safety & Trust.

Curba Damage Protection

:::note When the new rules start The limits below apply to bookings made now. The current-value rule, the exclusions marked (from Nov 26), and the charges in What renters may have to pay apply to bookings made from November 26, 2026 (December 12, 2026 for residents of Quebec). A booking is made when the renter completes payment. For bookings made before then, those rules don't apply. :::

How much is covered

Category	Curba covers up to	Security deposit
Home, Party, Garden, Other	$5,000 per item	One day's rental price, up to $100
Construction Equipment & Tools, Sports & Leisure	$5,000 per item	20% of item value ($75 minimum, $300 maximum)
Electronics	$5,000 per item	30% of item value ($150 minimum, $300 maximum)
Film & Photography	$10,000 per rental, for all items in the booking together	30% of item value ($150 minimum, $300 maximum)
Trailers	$20,000 per trailer	30% of item value ($250 minimum, $300 maximum)
Vehicle (boats, recreational vehicles, horseboxes, car and motorcycle accessories, workshop equipment, and other vehicle gear)	$20,000 per item	30% of item value ($250 minimum, $300 maximum)

If you book several units of the same listing, each item is covered up to its category's limit - except Film & Photography, where $10,000 is the most Curba pays for the whole rental, however many items are in it.

Based on the item's current value

For bookings made from November 26, 2026 (December 12, 2026 in Quebec), Curba pays based on the item's current value just before the damage, theft, or loss - what the same item would sell for at its age and in its condition. It is not the price you paid for it, and not the cost of a brand new replacement.

• If the item can be repaired, Curba pays the reasonable repair cost, up to the item's current value
• If it can't be repaired, or it's stolen or lost, Curba pays its current value
• Curba never pays more than the item's current value or the limit for its category, whichever is lower

The value you enter on your listing should be the item's current value - see Item Valuation. If a claim shows the item was worth less than its listed value, Curba pays the lower amount.

How a claim is paid

1. The security deposit is used first. It works as the deductible for the claim.
2. Curba pays the rest of the approved amount, up to the limit for the category.
3. The host never pays a deductible - the deposit covers it. The host receives the approved amount, up to the deposit plus the category limit.

To make a claim, see Disputes & Claims.

What isn't covered

Curba Damage Protection does not cover:

• Injury to anyone, or damage to other people or their property
• Normal wear and tear, or damage that was already there before the rental
• Damage caused by the renter's carelessness, gross negligence, or on purpose (from Nov 26) - the renter pays for this instead (see What renters may have to pay)
• Theft where the item was left unsecured (from Nov 26) - for example, left unlocked or unattended in a public place
• Rentals longer than 90 days (from Nov 26)
• Rentals arranged or paid for outside Curba (from Nov 26)
• Rentals to renters who weren't verified first
• Damage caused by the host, or an item that was misrepresented in the listing
• Mechanical or electrical breakdowns unrelated to the rental
• Use of the item outside the agreed rental period, or against the listing's rules or the law - the renter may be charged for this instead
• Indirect losses, such as lost income

Changes to Curba Damage Protection

Curba may change or end Curba Damage Protection for future bookings, with notice. The cover shown when you book stays in place for that rental, even if the program changes afterwards. See Section 8 of the Terms of Service.

What Renters May Have to Pay

Curba Damage Protection covers accidents. Renters are still responsible for how they treat the item:

• Careless, grossly negligent, or deliberate damage, theft, or loss - Curba can charge the renter's card up to the item's full market value.
• Dispute fee - when Curba decides a dispute and finds the renter owes money, it can add a fee of up to 30% of the amount owed.
• Late returns - up to 2 times the booking's average daily price for each day, or part of a day, the item is late.

What counts as an accident and what counts as carelessness:

• Accident (covered): a tool breaks during normal use, a part fails, a sudden storm damages a tent
• Carelessness (charged to the renter): leaving a camera in a hot car, using a tool for a job it isn't made for, ignoring the listing's instructions, leaving an item unlocked in public

Any amount owed is taken from the security deposit first, and the rest is charged to the renter's card. Before charging, Curba tells the renter the amount and the reasons, and the renter can respond with their own evidence. Damage, loss, and late-return amounts go to the host. The dispute fee is kept by Curba.

These charges apply to bookings made from November 26, 2026 (December 12, 2026 for residents of Quebec).

How Security Deposits Work

For Renters

1. When you complete payment, a hold is placed on your card for the deposit amount
2. This is not a charge - it's a temporary authorization
3. After the host confirms the return, the hold stays in place for 72 hours (hosts must file any claim within 48 hours), then it's released automatically unless a claim was filed
4. If a claim is approved, the deposit may be partially or fully captured

For Hosts

1. Set your item's current value when creating your listing - together with your rental price, this determines the deposit amount
2. The deposit is the first money used to pay an approved claim
3. If the item is returned damaged, you can file a claim - see Disputes & Claims

Deposit Calculation

The deposit is a share of the item's value, kept within a minimum, the rent for the booking, and a maximum:

1. Start with the item value x the deposit percentage for its category
2. Apply the minimum - the category's minimum or one day's rental price, whichever is higher
3. Cap it at the rent - the deposit is never more than the rent for the booking (the subtotal, before tax and fees), unless the minimum from step 2 is higher
4. Apply the maximum for the category

Category	Percentage	Minimum	Maximum
Home, Party, Garden, Other	-	One day's rental price	$100
Construction Equipment & Tools, Sports & Leisure	20%	$75	$300
Electronics, Film & Photography	30%	$150	$300
Trailers, Vehicle	30%	$250	$300

The deposit depends on the item value, the category, the one-day price, and the rent for your booking. A short rental can have a smaller deposit than a long one, because above the minimum the deposit is never more than the rent.

For example:

• A canopy rented at $50/day (Party): the deposit is one day's price, $50
• A power drill worth $300 (Construction Equipment & Tools, $25/day): $300 x 20% = $60, which is below the $75 minimum, so the deposit is $75 however long you rent it
• A pressure washer worth $2,100 (Construction Equipment & Tools, $100/day): $2,100 x 20% = $420. Rented for 2 days ($200 rent), the deposit is capped at the rent: $200. Rented for 3 days or more, it's capped at the maximum: $300
• A camera worth $2,000 (Film & Photography, $60/day): $2,000 x 30% = $600. Rented for 3 days ($180 rent), the deposit is $180. Rented for 1 day ($60 rent), the $150 minimum applies: $150. Rented for 5 days or more, it's $300
• A utility trailer worth $15,000 (Trailers, $120/day): $15,000 x 30% = $4,500. Rented for 1 day ($120 rent), the $250 minimum applies: $250. Rented for 3 days or more, it's $300
• An e-bike valued at $300 (Sports & Leisure, $90/day): $300 x 20% = $60, but the one-day price of $90 is higher than the $75 minimum, so the deposit is $90

When Is the Deposit Released?

Scenario	What Happens
Booking completed successfully	Deposit hold is released automatically 72 hours after the host confirms the return, unless a claim is filed
Booking canceled (by either party)	Deposit hold is released in full
Claim filed	Deposit may be partially or fully captured if the claim is approved

Tips for Renters

• Check the deposit amount and the protection on the listing before booking
• The deposit hold may temporarily reduce your available credit limit
• Look after the item - Curba Damage Protection covers accidents, not carelessness, and you may have to pay up to the item's full market value
• Return the item on time - late returns can cost up to 2 times the booking's average daily price for each day late
• Take photos of the item at pickup as a record of its condition

Tips for Hosts

• Set your item's value to its current value - this is what Curba Damage Protection pays, and it sets the deposit
• Inspect your item carefully at return before confirming
• Document any damage with photos immediately