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Rental operator guide · Contract
Security deposit, excess, excess waiver: the rental company’s side
Three words, three things: the excess is the share of a claim that the rental company’s insurer does not pay; the security deposit is the guarantee the customer leaves, usually equal to that excess; the excess waiver is insurance the customer takes out so as not to bear it. To withhold from the security deposit, the rental company must prove the damage with a joint inspection report, and put a figure on it with a quote or an invoice.
The excess comes from your insurance policy
Information article, based on the official texts consulted on 26 September 2026. It replaces neither legal advice nor the opinion of the competent State services for your case.
The excess is set by the fleet policy, not by the rental company. It changes with use: at one major insurer, the excess is “doubled […] in the event of racing or authorised rental” (MAIF information document). Reread it before setting your security deposit: a security deposit lower than the excess leaves the difference for you to pay.
The customer bears only the excess written into their contract: a court of appeal ruled that a higher excess applied by the insurer could not be enforced against them (CA Paris, 23 March 2023, no. 21/03936, cited by a law firm).
The security deposit: an amount stated upfront, a pre-authorisation for the exact amount
The legal framework (unfair terms, return of the deposit, mediator) is detailed in the security deposit on a boat rental. In practice, the security deposit now takes the form of a card pre-authorisation: the amount is authorised, not debited.
How long a card pre-authorisation stays valid
| Case | Validity period |
|---|---|
| Pre-authorisation taken at the dock, card present, Visa | about 5 days (Stripe) |
| Pre-authorisation taken at the dock, Mastercard | 2 days |
| Pre-authorisation taken online by the customer | 7 days |
| Extended authorisation (vehicle rental at Visa, all categories at Mastercard) | up to 30 days (Stripe) |
| With Viva, without capture | cancelled automatically after 30 days by the customer’s bank; on a debit card, the pre-authorisation disappears from their account within 1 to 5 days (Viva, documentation) |
The consequence: for a rental of several days, the security deposit is taken at departure, and you check that its validity covers the return and the time needed to put a figure on any damage. A pre-authorisation that lapses warns nobody.
The excess waiver, and the deposit waiver
- The excess waiver is the customer’s insurance: in the event of a covered claim, it reimburses all or part of the excess. It changes nothing for the rental company, which withholds from the security deposit; the customer then gets reimbursed.
- The deposit waiver, which appeared in 2025, covers the whole security deposit, even beyond the excess, usually for incidents at sea only, leaving the customer a few hundred euros to pay.
In both cases, the rental company is paid from the security deposit, not by the customer’s insurer: the inspection report remains the decisive document.
What you must prove to withhold
- The damage: without an inspection report, the hirer is presumed to have received the item in good condition, unless proven otherwise (French Civil Code (code civil), art. 1731); they are not liable for deterioration due to age (art. 1730). A check-in and check-out inspection, signed by the customer, with dated photos.
- The amount: a quote to block, an invoice to withhold for good.
- Speed: one court rejected a withholding for lack of a joint inspection report, and a quote sent a month after the return (TJ Vannes, 26 June 2025, no. 24/00651, cited by a law firm). Another required wear to be distinguished from damage, item by item (TJ Bordeaux, 13 January 2026).
In SunSea Hub
The security deposit is a card pre-authorisation taken at the dock, withheld at the amount recorded and released automatically; the check-in and check-out inspection is signed by the customer, with its photo plan, and the return is compared against the departure; anything missing or broken becomes a return charge line before closing.
Information article, based on the official texts consulted on 26 September 2026. It replaces neither legal advice nor the opinion of the competent State services for your case.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a security deposit and an excess in boat rental?
The excess is the share of a claim that the rental company’s insurance does not pay; the security deposit is the guarantee left by the customer, usually of the same amount, from which the rental company withholds the damage recorded.
How long does a card pre-authorisation last?
Usually a few days: about 5 days for Visa and 2 for Mastercard when the card is presented at the dock, 7 days online, up to 30 days with an extended authorisation depending on the card and the payment provider.
What do you need to withhold all or part of the security deposit?
A check-in and check-out inspection, signed by the customer and photographed, that shows the damage; a quote and then an invoice that put a figure on it; and a claim made without delay.
Read next
Security deposit
A contactless card pre-authorisation at the dock: authorised, not debited. At return, amounts due are taken; otherwise released within 12 hours.
Check-in inspection
With Check: a photo plan per boat, inventory, fuel and engine hours, the customer’s signature at departure and return, return compared with departure.
Boat rental security deposit: what the law says
How much, and how do you get it back? No legal cap, but a pre-authorisation for the exact amount, a joint inspection and a mandatory mediator.
Insurance for a boat rental company
Insuring a pleasure boat is optional in France, but harbours require it. Damage, third-party liability, the excess that often sets the deposit.
Fleet, Check, Fix and Sup — the office, dock, workshop and owner apps — are in French today. What your renters read is in English, French and German: the booking widget, quotes, payment links and messages. The rental contract is in English and French.