Guide · Picture Cars
Picture Car Insurance and COI Requirements for Productions
Yes. A production supplies a certificate of insurance naming the vehicle owner or vendor as an additional insured, with hired and non-owned auto liability plus physical damage coverage at the vehicle's agreed value. On Revolution Picture Cars, coverage is verified inside the platform before any vehicle is released to set, and the certificate is generated per booking rather than chased from each vendor.
Reviewed by the Revolution picture-car team · Updated August 27, 2026
Yes, every booking
COI required
Additional insured
Owner listed as
Hired and non-owned auto
Coverage
Before release to set
Verified
Two ways to source a picture car
The difference is not the cars. It is whether you spend the week on the phone, or manage the whole job yourself in one place.
A traditional picture car house
Phone calls, quotes, and waiting
- Call regional rental houses one at a time
- Request a quote, then wait for a callback
- Compare quotes over email
- Chase a certificate of insurance from each vendor
- Track dates, budget, and picks in your own spreadsheet
Revolution
Self-serve, instant, all in one place
- Set up your production profile in minutes
- Invite your coordinators and crew
- Browse the fleet and inquire on any vehicle directly
- See instant, transparent pricing, with no callback
- Budget, schedule, negotiate, and e-sign in one dashboard
A platform built to manage vehicles, not to make calls
Revolution is built for picture-car coordinators and productions to source, book, and manage vehicles end to end. Here is the whole flow, and you never have to wait on a callback.
Set up your production
Create a production profile in minutes. No sales call to get started.
Add your team
Invite coordinators and crew so everyone works from the same dashboard.
Inquire directly
Browse the nationwide fleet and inquire on any vehicle yourself.
See instant pricing
Every vehicle shows a transparent day rate. No quote requests, no waiting.
Budget & schedule
Price the whole vehicle line, set delivery windows, and negotiate terms in-app.
E-sign & wrap
One master agreement, insurance attached automatically, and a wrap book at the end.
01 — The requirement
What a production has to supply
Picture cars are rented under commercial production insurance, not a consumer rental agreement. The vehicle owner is handing a car to a crew, and their own personal policy will not cover it, so the production's policy is the coverage that matters.
- A certificate of insurance naming the vehicle owner or vendor as an additional insured
- Hired and non-owned auto liability for the vehicles the production takes on
- Physical damage coverage at the vehicle's agreed value, for the full duration of the engagement
- Separate arrangements where a scene involves stunts, precision driving, or modification to the vehicle
02 — Limits
How limits get set
Studios and larger productions usually carry standard limits their risk department has already set, and those normally clear without discussion. Independent productions and commercial shoots are where limits get negotiated, particularly on higher-value vehicles.
Owners of higher-value vehicles often ask for terms specific to their car rather than a blanket certificate, so expect the agreed value on a rare hero vehicle to be handled differently from a background sedan. Settle the agreed value before the booking is confirmed, not after the car is on a truck.
03 — Clearance
How COI clearance works on Revolution
A production uploads its coverage once during onboarding. From there, every booking automatically names the relevant vendor or owner as an additional insured, and Revolution verifies coverage before the vehicle is released. No exceptions.
That is the practical difference from booking across several vendors directly, where each one issues and checks its own paperwork, and the coordinator is the one reconciling certificates against a shooting schedule.
04 — How Revolution compares
Revolution alongside the picture-car houses productions consider, on the points that matter.
 Revolution Picture Cars The marketplace |  Cinema Vehicles |  Picture Car Warehouse |  USA Movie Cars |  Galpin Studio Rentals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Nationwide (US) | LA, Atlanta, New Orleans | Los Angeles | Nationwide (by state) | Los Angeles |
| What it is | Online marketplace | Rental fleet + fabrication | Rental fleet + fabrication | Owner-listing directory | Dealer-backed rental fleet |
| Pricing | Published rates, upfront | Quote after you pick | Quote on request | Quote on request | Quote on request |
| Booking | Online + coordinator | Phone + inquiry form | Phone + inquiry form | Phone + contact form | Phone + inquiry form |
| Self-serve tools | Budget, schedule, e-sign | Browse inventory only | Browse inventory only | Search listings only | None (picture cars) |
| Insurance / COI | Verified in-platform | Off-platform | Off-platform | Off-platform | Off-platform |
| Known for | Nationwide self-serve platform | Largest fleet, custom builds | Custom fabrication depth | Nationwide owner breadth | Dealer-backed sourcing |
Competitor details from each company's public website, researched August 2026. Each is credited for its genuine strengths.
The bottom line
Every picture car booking needs a COI naming the owner as additional insured, with hired and non-owned auto and physical damage at the agreed value. Revolution generates and verifies that certificate per booking, so insurance stops being the thing that holds up a vehicle on the morning of a shoot.
05 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do productions need to provide insurance to rent a picture car?
Yes. Productions supply a certificate of insurance naming the vehicle owner as an additional insured, with hired and non-owned auto liability plus physical damage coverage for the vehicle's agreed value. The owner's personal auto policy excludes commercial film use, so the production's commercial policy is the coverage that applies for the duration of the engagement.
What is a COI in film production?
A COI, or certificate of insurance, is the document a production's insurer issues to prove coverage is in force and to name a third party on that coverage. For a picture car it names the vehicle owner or vendor as an additional insured and states the auto liability and physical damage coverage that applies to the vehicle while the production has it.
Who is named on the certificate?
The vehicle owner or the vendor who supplies the car is named as an additional insured. On Revolution, every booking automatically names the relevant vendor, so the coordinator does not have to request a fresh certificate per vehicle from a broker.
What coverage limits do productions need?
Studios and larger productions usually have standard limits already set by their risk department, and those normally clear without discussion. Limits are more often negotiated on independent and commercial shoots, and on higher-value vehicles where the owner asks for terms specific to their car. Agree the vehicle's stated value before the booking is confirmed.
When is coverage verified?
Before the vehicle is released to set. On Revolution a production uploads its coverage once during onboarding, every booking then names the relevant vendor as additional insured, and Revolution verifies the coverage before release. No exceptions.
Does a production need extra coverage for stunts or precision driving?
Usually yes. A scene involving stunts, precision driving, or modification to the vehicle sits outside a standard picture-car engagement and is normally handled separately with the insurer and the owner. Raise it at the point of booking rather than on the shoot day, because it can change both the coverage and which vehicle the owner is willing to supply.
Who covers damage to a picture car on set?
The production's commercial policy. Physical damage coverage at the vehicle's agreed value is part of what the production supplies, which is why the agreed value matters and should be settled in advance. Personal auto policies exclude commercial film use, so an owner is not covered by their own insurance while the car is with a production.
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