07.The Game Changer award
And the winner is... the car share industry
Car share schemes, which allow people who need occasional (or regular) access to a vehicle to hire one locally at a reasonable price and with solid insurance, have been around for a few years.
But with an expanding fleet, deals with councils that have seen street parking allocated to car share vehicles and more and more car share pods being installed in apartment developments, the schemes are making a real difference in many people’s lives.
This year's Game Changer CHOICE Award goes to the car share industry.
Most schemes cover the cost of car ownership such as registration and maintenance, and often throw in a certain number of kilometres and petrol for free. Cars can be taken out for as little as one hour, so you need only pay for what you use.
Car sharing is also a viable alternative to renting a vehicle from a hire car company, which comes with its own problems.
Even given the monthly fees charged by car share schemes, rates are in most cases better and insurance contracts have fewer exclusions. Standard and reduced excesses also cost less.
We feel GoGet is the best car sharer, with a wide range of vehicles, pet-friendly policy and simple insurance contract that’s similar to a regular comprehensive policy – with minimal exclusions.
Not all car share schemes are created equal, so check any contract carefully before signing up. For recognising a gap in the market and filling it in a consumer and environmentally friendly fashion, the CHOICE Game Changer Award goes to car share schemes.
Zoya Sheftalovich, CHOICE investigative journalist