Private car on business trip what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Private car on business trip: What are the advantages and disadvantages?
Traveling on business with a private car has a number of advantages: With this variant of mobility, the company saves the use of an expensive company car and the travelers gain flexibility. In addition, one or the other employee prefers his accustomed car with upscale equipment over a small or less attractive rental car. The situation becomes complicated, however, if the private car is involved in an accident while traveling on business. High costs are usually incurred here, which are predominantly borne by the employee.
Who is liable in the event of an accident with a private car on a business trip?
The risk of an accident is always borne by the traveler himself if he has taken his private car on a business trip. If the employee gets into an accident, he can only make a claim against the employer if the use of the private vehicle on a business trip does not fall under the general risk of life.
Under certain circumstances, it is in any case possible to be reimbursed by the employer for the damage caused by a self-inflicted accident with a private car on a business trip. This applies in particular if the trip was undertaken on the instructions of the employer or on the basis of a business reason.
Depending on the incident and the costs incurred, the risk of damage can also be covered by a flat rate per kilometer. However, if the employer only pays the tax-free mileage rate (currently €0.30/km), this only covers the downgrading damage in the liability insurance.
Why a rental car can be a better solution?
If the company does not provide a company car and the employee wants to stay on the safe side, a rental car is the optimal solution here. The employer pays the rental amount for a rental car as well as fuel costs in a total comparable amount of the mileage allowance. The comprehensive or. Accident insurance is already included in the rental car price.
Rental car vs. Mileage allowance
Practical example : The employee is commissioned by his company to conduct a three-day training course away from his location, but is not provided with a company car for this purpose. The employer considers renting a car for this purpose for 59 euros per day. He calculates the price difference between a rental car and the mileage allowance that would apply if he used his own private car for the business trip and determines the following:
Calculation example for a rental car:
- Rental car → 59 €/day x 3 = 177 €
- Fuel price €/liter → €1.30
- Consumption liters/100 km → 8
- Distance in km → 800
- Result gasoline price → ca. 83 €
Total costs: €177 + €83 = €260