Guides
Security deposit: 10% of replacement value, insurance included
A security deposit is not a price: it is a guarantee, separate from the rental, that comes back to you in full when the equipment is returned in good condition. Its amount is no longer read from a table of bands: it is calculated with a single rule, on the new replacement value of the equipment you rent. Here is the rule, an example down to the cent, and what it changes for you.
The rule: 10% of replacement value, rounded up to the next €50
The security deposit for an order is equal to 10% of the replacement value excluding VAT of the rented equipment, rounded up to the next multiple of €50. Paid accessories you add count towards this value; services do not.
The calculation is made separately for video and for sound: one security deposit for cameras and drones, another for DJ decks and sound equipment. The two are not paid in the same way, hence the split.
An example down to the cent
| Sound equipment rented | Replacement value excluding VAT |
|---|---|
| Pair of RCF ART 912-A | €1,144.34 |
| RCF SUB 15-AX subwoofer | €1,223.84 |
| Total | €2,368.18 |
| 10% of the total | €236.82 |
| Security deposit, rounded up to the next €50 | €250 |
With a single unit, the calculation is just as short: a Pioneer XDJ-RX3 is worth €2,000 excluding VAT new, 10% is €200, already a multiple of €50: the security deposit is €200.
The amount for a product rented on its own is shown on its page; the amount for your order is summarised before payment.

Cameras and drones: the product page is the reference
The rule applies to all equipment, cameras and drones included: their security deposit is also calculated on the replacement value. The amount that applies is always the one on the product page: it is the reference, not a table copied into an article.
When it is taken, when it comes back
- Cameras and drones: the security deposit is charged when you order, or paid later through a payment link. It is returned to you within five working days after the equipment is returned and checked.
- DJ decks and sound equipment: the security deposit takes the form of a card pre-authorisation, which is not charged. It is released when the equipment is returned, in the condition in which it was handed to you.
Adding or removing equipment
If you add equipment to an order that has already been confirmed, the security deposit is recalculated on the whole order and only the difference is requested from you, in the same way. If you remove a product, the security deposit already paid or held does not go down: the difference is not refunded.
Damage and theft insurance is included in the price
Cameras, drones, DJ decks, sound equipment: damage and theft insurance is included in the rental price, for all equipment, with no paperwork and no extra charge. The prices shown have not changed: the insurance is already in them.
In the event of a covered claim, what remains your responsibility is limited to the amount of the security deposit. Each covered unit carries the “Covered for damage and theft” label on its page; a unit whose serial number could not be declared to the insurer is not covered, and its page does not carry this label.
What the insurance does not cover
The exclusions are set out in article 9.4 of the general rental terms:
- loss of the equipment;
- theft without forced entry or a clearly characterised assault;
- damage caused by gross negligence or wilful misconduct;
- breakdowns, purely cosmetic damage and abnormal wear;
- loss of data and consumables.
Cover also stops at the limits of the insurer’s territory: the Netherlands and Portugal are not part of it. In the event of theft or loss that is not covered, the equipment is owed at its replacement value (article 12.2): better to read these lines before you leave than after.

What can be withheld on return
The security deposit is only drawn on in the event of breakage, theft, loss or damage, and only up to the actual cost of repair or replacement. What is checked on return, point by point, is detailed in our article on the return check.
Comparing two rental companies without mistakes
Do not add the price and the security deposit together: one is spent, the other comes back. Compare instead the price (ours is published in full here), what the insurance covers, and the sum you agree to leave tied up for the length of the rental. For sound, start from the sound equipment rental page; for video, from the one for cameras and drones.
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