For a dog sit on Hawaii we were asked to pay not a daily charge but USD 100 per car (there were two) for a 9 week sit. This was disclosed in a contract the HO sent us after we had confirmed the sit. We did agree as we thought it was a reasonable sum compared to a rental car.
Maybe it was the insurance top-up to cover the extra drivers.
@Moragmoulsdsle, 14 of our housesits have included use of car. None have required a daily rental payment. Weād kindly decline such an offer. Further, private rental of vehicles is expressly illegal in some countries (e.g. in Greece). Encourage caution as any insurance claim may be invalid and you may get into legal challenges if stopped by police.
Insurance is a quirky topic though. In US, Canada, Europe then pet parents have found car insurance for housesitter to be easy, and often zero cost (as often car is insured, so adding additional driver not big deal). In UK (where I believe driver is insured) some Pet Parents have faced challenges when trying to add incremental drivers without active UK drivers license - some easy, some difficult - suspect down to terms of specific insurer or policy. In one instance, we observed grumbling and offered to pay half the insurance costs.
We find that use of car can be especially useful when sit involves dogs; in non-city locations; where there are non-local walks/services; and on housesits of multiple week duration. While car helps us as housesitters then frankly it can transform the experience of dogs. Driving them to walk locations so they can enjoy themselves.
Absolutely agree - we only fell into the trap once - transporting āsit dogsā in our own car to the nearby fields for a week - and decided never again. We still found pesky pet hair in our car, months later after several cleanings. No, if pet parents want their dogs to be walked in nearby fields inaccessible by walking, then they will need to provide a car for that (at no charge to us).
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@Pugzus, applaud your mindset 
. We have encountered such an attitude of dog-centricity many times. Thereās plenty talk on THS Form of āred flagsā to decline housesits. For us, such a positive attitude is often a āgreen flagā as it typically yields an easy conversation and values connection.
But some Pet Parents, their choice, seem more legally wary or cost conscious, or perhaps in case of thread question seemingly entrepreneurial!
Our particular insurance just requires us to list the person who will be driving, and they will contact the person to verify their information, including a copy of their drivers license.
We lent our car once, and they clocked up 4000 km in 10 days (no pets at the time) which was in a State thatās only 1200 km total circuit. We felt a bit taken advantage of, and are extremely reluctant to do that again.