Insurance Co. Wants out of Car Rental Operator's Legal Woes
A man accused of positioning a camera to capture video of people using the bathroom at his car rental lot is not entitled to legal or financial help from his insurer, attorneys claim.
A man accused of positioning a camera to capture video of people using the bathroom at his car rental lot is not entitled to legal or financial help from his insurer, attorneys claim and the Indy Star reports.
In a lawsuit filed in Hamilton County Superior Court, the lawyers for Michigan-based Auto-Owners Insurance Co. seek to enforce that point of view with a court ruling.
Robert M. Morris operated a Budget rental car franchise Noblesville, Ind. Through his corporate entity, B-Tolz, he had a contract with Budget Rent A Car Systems. B-Tolz also contracted with Auto-Owners for liability insurance coverage.
The suit was filed Oct. 12 in response to an earlier legal complaint by a former employee of Morris.
According to the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified cash awards as compensatory and punitive damages, Morris set up a video camera in the shop bathroom.
". . . the hidden video camera was positioned so as to capture images of bathroom occupants whilst going about their private business in and around the bathroom toilet," the former employee alleges.
Morris has denied the allegations. He claims the camera was obtained for security purposes and had been stored on a bathroom shelf pending installation. Police found no incriminating images on his computer equipment.
According to the Indy Star, as a co-defendant, Budget Rent A Car Systems triggered the Auto-Owners lawsuit when Budget officials insisted that Budget be deemed an "additional insured" under the liability policy.
More Rental Operations

Southwest Airlines Selects CarTrawler For Its Car Rental Booking Platform
The platform is designed to allow customers to compare and book rental vehicles more easily during the travel booking process.
Read More →
Cross-Pressures, Evolving Trends Drive 2026 Rental Car Industry
A combination of cautious economic behavior, shifts in the rental vehicle market, and technological influences are shaping car rental operator decisions.
Read More →
Government Affairs Executive Wins Leading Rental Car Industry Award
Robert Muhs started in the car rental industry with Avis Budget Group two years before the first International Car Rental Show.
Read More →
Green Motion Expands Its African Presence with Mozambique Launch
This new rental car outlet reflects the growing demand for reliable transportation and the emphasis on sustainable travel across the continent.
Read More →
RentalMatics, GeoInt Partner On Rental Car Speed Tracking Tech
Rental operators can now detect and act on speeding while vehicles are still on rent, thereby reducing fines, admin workload, vehicle wear, and safety risks.
Read More →
NextPass Expands Toll Payment Service to Highway In Toronto
Fleets and consumer can use a transponder-less option when traveling between Canada and the U.S.
Read More →
Zubie, PurCo Integrate Rental Damage Detection With Telematics
The combination brings actionable vehicle insights into PurCo’s PurInspect platform, improving damage detection and operational efficiency for rental fleets.
Read More →
U.S. Length Of Rental (LOR) Declines Slightly in Q1 2026
LOR related to insurance claims overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.
Read More →
Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services
The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.
Read More →
Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds
The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.
Read More →
