Car insurance for Uber and Bolt in Romania: which policies you need (RCA, CASCO) and what they cost in 2026

Insurance is one of the costs new drivers underestimate most often. Besides RCA, a car used for Uber or Bolt needs passenger insurance, and with CASCO, commercial use can make the difference between a claim that is paid and one that is refused.

Which insurance is mandatory

The alternative transport law (Emergency Ordinance 49/2019) requires the car to have:

1. RCA (mandatory third-party liability insurance): a regular RCA policy is enough; ARR does not require a special policy for ride-hailing;
2. insurance for passengers and their belongings (luggage), separate from RCA.

Both are required by ARR for the authorisation and by the apps when you sign up. CASCO (comprehensive insurance) is not mandatory, but leasing companies almost always require it.

RCA: what it costs

For private cars, ASF (the Romanian Financial Supervisory Authority) publishes RCA reference rates. A few examples from the edition valid from 1 June 2026, for individuals and an engine of 51–75 kW:

These are yearly reference rates, not quotes: your price depends on your bonus-malus class, the insurer and the car.

Since a regular RCA policy is enough for ARR, for most drivers RCA costs roughly what the table shows: about 1,400–4,200 RON a year, depending on age, city, engine power and bonus-malus class.

Should you declare that you drive for Uber or Bolt? Some insurers charge more for a car used to carry passengers if you tell them. If you do not declare it, you pay the regular RCA price. The risk is a dispute with the insurer after an accident during a ride; from drivers' experience, most of the time nothing happens. The risk is relatively small, but not zero, so read the policy conditions. With CASCO the situation is different (see below).

What RCA does not cover

RCA pays for damage you cause to others. It does not cover:

• damage to your own car if you are at fault (that is what CASCO is for);
• your own injuries as the driver at fault;
• the luggage of paying passengers: that is covered by the passenger and luggage insurance.

Passenger and luggage insurance

A separate policy, required by law for ride-hailing. At the minimum limits it costs from about 35 RON a year; higher limits cost more. It is the cheapest insurance on the list, but without it you cannot work legally.

CASCO: when it is worth it

CASCO covers your own car: accidents that are your fault, theft, vandalism, hail. Because it insures the value of the car, CASCO usually costs more than RCA.

For a private car, a CASCO premium is generally 3–7% of the car's value per year, depending on the excess, the age of the car and your claims history. For a 90,000 RON car that is about 2,700–6,300 RON a year. A ride-hailing car has higher mileage and higher risk, so expect the upper part of the range: in our calculations we use 5–7%, i.e. 4,500–6,300 RON a year for a 90,000 RON car.

It is worth it if:

• your car is leased (it is usually mandatory anyway);
• the car is new or valuable and you could not afford a big repair out of pocket;
• you depend entirely on the car: without CASCO, an accident that is your fault means repairs at your own cost and days without income.

It may not be worth it for an old, cheap car: over a few years you pay a large share of its value in CASCO premiums, and after a total loss you only get the car's market value anyway.

Watch out for exclusions: many CASCO policies exclude commercial use, such as taxi work or carrying passengers for payment. If you have CASCO and take rides without having declared it, read the policy conditions and ask for it to be changed before an accident, not after.

What it costs in total

For a 90,000 RON car used full-time for ride-hailing, with the estimates above:

If you rent the car, RCA and sometimes CASCO are usually included in the rent. Check in the contract what is covered and how much you pay if you cause an accident (the excess).

How to pay less

• Get at least three quotes, directly from insurers or through a broker, on the same terms, so you can compare them. For CASCO, ask with ride-hailing use declared.
• Protect your bonus-malus class. Every accident that is your fault moves you up a class and makes RCA more expensive in the following years. For minor damage, paying out of pocket is sometimes cheaper.
• Check the apps' offers. Both Uber, through Uber Pro, and Bolt have offered insurance discounts to active drivers. See what the app offers now.
• Compare limits, not just prices. A cheap policy with low limits or a high excess can cost you much more after an accident.
• Ask your accountant how much of your insurance you can deduct as a PFA or SRL; it depends on how you use the car (only for rides or also privately).

Enter your real insurance costs in the earnings calculator, under the yearly car costs (RCA and CASCO), to see how much you keep each month. For all start-up costs, see also What it costs to become an Uber or Bolt driver.

Sources

• ASF RCA reference rates, May 2026 edition: pret-asigurare.ro
• Passenger and luggage insurance: e-casco.ro, asiguraricontactless.ro
• CASCO prices as a share of car value: Finanțe pe Înțeles, Tarrus
• Uber Pro benefits: Uber; Bolt benefits: StartupCafe