First, the contract for the rental of the car consists of separate documents which together form the overall contract.
These include (a) these Terms and Conditions, (b) the Privacy Policy, (c) our Cookie Policy, (d) any other terms, conditions, documents, or policies provided or accepted at the time of rental and provided or communicated to you prior to the commencement of the rental, all of which you agree to and accept.
Now, we totally understand that reading a “Terms & Conditions” page is boring, so we keep it simple and as short as possible.
Nevertheless, from now on let’s call the person who owns and rents their private car or we, us, me, I, as RENTER. You, Your means the HIRER, who is an individual that hires. Any agreement between you, the HIRER, the one who wants to hire a car and me, the RENTER, is between two private natural persons with legal capacity. RENTER agrees to rent a car to you and you agree to hire a car for private use only for the rental period.
We may use electronic signatures or click-wrap or browse-wrap agreements to sign a rental agreement. When you insert an electronic signature or accept a click-wrap or browse-wrap agreement, including but not limited to accepting a check mark or box to confirm acceptance, you consent to the use of that means to confirm and accept any and all parts of the rental agreement, including but not limited to your obligations under the rental agreement.
Now…let’s begin with the rental itself!
When you collect the car, you are required to bring your passport, your driver’s license, and credit/debit card! Your passport and driver’s license must be valid. Only in the contract registered drivers are allowed to hire and drive the car. All drivers must be over 25 years old and under 75 years! It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that he/she has the appropriate driving license. A probationary driver’s license is not permitted. No refunds will be given for rentals rejected due to non-production of a driving license or non-disclosed endorsements.
A security deposit is required for the rental. An accident excess deposit is the amount payable at the start of the rental period in accordance with the accident excess reduction policy. The deposit is $2000 and will be charged to the HIRER’s credit card when the RENTER hands over the car. The deposit can also be used to cover the costs for cleaning and restoring the car and/or equipment, tolls and fines and to refuel a car that has not been fully fueled so that it is fully fueled.
You agree that the deposit will be used by us to cover damages, third party losses and other losses, costs and expenses incurred by us. If the excess is insufficient to cover such damages, losses, costs and expenses, you are liable for all damages, losses, costs and expenses and hereby authorize us to charge your credit card accordingly.
You acknowledge and agree that the accident deductible is per event and not per rental. If at any time your credit card cannot be charged, you agree to pay all outstanding amounts within 30 days of written notice from us. We will send the debt notification informally to the e-mail address you provided us with when you rented the vehicle. If you do not pay within the 30 days, your debt may be passed on to a debt collection agency. Any additional costs associated with this will be borne by you.
The deposit will be refunded promptly within 7 days after the rental if no damage to the vehicle is found on return or after inspection by the garage up to three days after return, all amounts owed to us under the rental agreement (e.g., Panapass, open traffic offenses and penalties) have been paid by you, the car is returned with a full tank of fuel and there is no damage to third parties.
We all love to pick-up a vehicle which is fully operational and in good condition, without any damage or defects (mechanical or otherwise), both internally and externally. RENTER hands over the car and all accessories in perfect conditions which you agree with your signature by the rental agreement. Any damages will be notified.
During the rental period, you shall keep the vehicle and its accessories in your possession and shall not allow a third party to take possession of the vehicle or its accessories and when not in use you shall keep the vehicle and its accessories adequately protected and secured. The car includes a spare tire, emergency tool set with jack and cross rim wrench, camping equipment, etc.
The car is provided to you with a full set of tires in good condition. In the event that any of them is damaged for any reason other than normal wear and tear, you undertake to replace it immediately at your own expense with a tire of the same dimensions, type and wear characteristics.
It is your own responsibility to maintain gas, oil and water levels, by checking and maintaining to full. You must stop the car if any of the instrument panel warning lights, which are intended to indicate the existence of a mechanical problem, light up, or if you become aware of anything else which may indicate the presence of a mechanical problem with the car.
Cross-border travel is not permitted. We exclude any insurance for the following areas: Eastern provinces of Panama, namely the provinces of Darién, Emberá, Guna Yala and Colon and the western provinces of Boca del Toro including all islands and Ngäbe-Buglé. Any incident in these areas is considered negligent behavior and you bear full responsibility.
Panapass is the electronic toll system used in Panama. If you want to use Panapass and the road system there, please let us know in advance. We will add the credit for the vehicle to the Panapass account in your name so that you can use the highway. A negative balance on the pass will result in a transit penalty.
You acknowledge that the car and equipment may be equipped with a GPS tracking device or other electronic aids that can be used to track or locate the geographic location of the vehicle. By renting a vehicle, you expressly agree that we may use a GPS tracking device in the vehicle during the rental period and that we may collect, use and store information from this device.
Drop offs
You must return the car to the return location on the return date in the same condition as it was handed over to you on the pick-up date. You must also return the vehicle in a clean and presentable state. Pets are not allowed to travel in the car. If you return the car in a dirty or pet used state, this will result in a US$100 charge.
If you fail to return the car on the return date without prior consent, RENTER may treat the car as stolen and may report this to the authorities. If you do not bring back the vehicle on time or drop it at the wrong location you are breaking the conditions of this agreement.
We understand that there are cases that you love to extend your rental agreement. If you intend to hire the car a few days longer, please contact the RENTER immediately. Therefore, if you like an extension of the rental period, the return date shall be extended and an extension fee must be paid immediately via credit or debit card if your rental has already started.
If the vehicle is not available for the extended period, it must be returned at the original time and date specified on the rental agreement otherwise this will result in a lapse of insurance cover. In addition, the RENTER reserves the right to charge a penalty of $80 per hour or $500 for each additional day or $2500 per week.
You might not only want to extend but also shorten the rental period. Please note: There are no refunds for late pick-ups or early drop-offs. If something happens to your travel itinerary or your flight, please let us know as fast as possible, so we can rearrange your rental. Should you shorten your rental duration on or after the day of pickup, or are late picking-up the vehicle, the RENTER will be unable to refund any unused days.
The RENTER reserves the right to cancel or move bookings without prior notice. If RENTER is forced to cancel your booking due to any reason we will refund commission. The RENTER will not refund or be liable for any other costs to the hirer. You should ensure that you have the highest level of travel insurance to cover all eventualities!
Insurance
We always hope for the best but we should be aware that things can happen, such as a theft or an accident. To be covered and secure, please read the following lines carefully. The RENTER has a damage protection. Many insurance companies will not cover a car or van when it’s out on hire, so the RENTER is working with an industry-leading insurance provider, to offer this insurance. Please keep in mind that only in the contract registered drivers are protected.Any driver not listed in the contract who causes damage must pay for all related costs, losses and expenses, including but not limited to any loss of income and any other special, indirect or consequential damages incurred by the owner of the equipment. All drivers must be over 25 years old and under 70 years!
Any incident can result in an accident excess. There is a maximum you will need to pay per incident if accidental damage occurs while on hire.
| Protection | Non-Waivable Excesses |
| Keys lost | $1250* / $135** |
| Collision or overturn | $2000.00 |
| Fire and lightning | $660.00 |
| Theft Protection | $2000.00 |
| Vandalism, Glass, Tires | $660.00 |
These non-waivable excesses are valid only if a police report is obtained and the accident, theft or any other incident is reported immediately to us. The accident, theft or any other incident must not have been caused by negligence, otherwise these deductibles do not apply. In the event of a serious breach of the rental agreement, neither you nor any authorized driver are insured for damages or losses of third parties, and you and any authorized driver are personally liable for the damages and losses of third parties. The maximum amount of damage for the entire car, all fittings and accessories is $15,000.
* You must look after the vehicle and the keys to the vehicle. Loss of keys will result in a charge of up to US$1250 if we must replace all the vehicle’s locks to protect the car from theft.
** When you have locked yourself out of the car e.g., if you forgot the keys inside the car and the car locks, we can call a locksmith service on your behalf. The costs for this service are $135.
The RENTER might be able to send you replacement keys but will not be liable for any loss of rental days due to this. You must always lock the vehicle when you are not using it.
Your car is insured with a Collision Damage Waiver, Theft Protection, Tire and Windshield Protection, Third Party Liability to the deductible rates. This insurance also covers:
Personal Accident Insurance covers ambulance service, doctors, hospitalization, and nurses, with a maximum limit of $20,000 per event or $10,000 for each passenger. Third Party Liability: Customers can obtain coverage for damages and injuries to third parties, up to the policy limits. Third party damages are limited to $20,000 maximum. Medical Expenses B./ 2,000.00 maximum per person to B./ 10,000.00 maximum per event. RENTER will not accept Third Party Liability insurance purchased on third party websites and insurance that accompanies US credit or debit cards as a substitute. Therefore, we highly recommend you to take out a further insurance for a case of damage!
- Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection. RENTER will not accept personal insurance or insurance sold by third parties as a substitute. If you rent a car with us, RENTER contractually waives your responsibility for the cost of damage to, loss or theft of the vehicle, after the deductible, during the rental period in Panama.
Our insurance provides us with a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) that has a deductible of US$2000.00 in case of collision with another driving vehicle. It is not valid for fixed objects or standing cars. In the event of the car being stolen or lost during the rental period you are fully liable. The Theft Protection may cover the loss of income for RENTER for the period in which the car is considered stolen but turns up again. If the car can no longer be found by the time it is returned, you are fully responsible. - Vandalism, Tires & Glass protection: This is deductible to $660.00, depending on the reason of the damage and the police report.
- If it is discovered that you are negligent for the theft/loss or damage, the RENTER will demand the full cost of a replacement and the rental agreement will be terminated immediately. Negligence includes parking the vehicle in any unsecure area for any length of time, especially the Eastern provinces of Panama, namely the Darién, Emberá, Guna Yala, Colon provinces and the Western provinces of Boca del Toro and Ngäbe-Buglé. If you are not proven to be negligent you are still fully responsible. The RENTER will also not cover the loss of any rental days in these circumstances.
- If you seek better personal insurance, especially in the case of an accident with injured person you should cover yourself and third parties with a proper travel insurance. Again: We strongly recommend that all customers obtain the highest level of travel insurance to cover any eventualities.
- Our insurance covers most circumstances, where damage has been caused to the car during the period of your rental. However, it is subject to certain exclusions which include:
(i) Where the Vehicle has been driven off-road and/or has been driven on un-paved roads and/or has been driven without due care and attention and/or has been driven negligently.
(ii) Where the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
(iii) Where the driver(s) has not been named on the rental agreement.
(iv) Where the vehicle is loaded with more passengers or goods than the stated capacity.
(v) When damage is caused by the rental vehicle being towed away by any unauthorized third party. In these circumstances, your liability to pay for any damage will not be waived and you may be liable for the full cost up to and exceeding the excess.
(vi) Where the vehicle has been used in a racing, pace making, rallying, speed testing, driving tuition or similar purposes or for propelling or towing any vehicle, trailer or other object.
- You are responsible and liable for any damage, fire, break-in or vandalism to the car that may occur during the rental period. All break-ins are your responsibility. You are also responsible for compensating the RENTER in full for any loss in revenue that it suffers as a result of any damage, fire or theft to or of the car whilst it is being repaired. Each day the RENTER’s car is out of service will be charged at $150.
- Personal injury and personal effects are NOT covered, only the medical costs which are explained under Personal Accident Insurance, however, these are normally covered by your own travel insurance policy. Again, you should ensure you have full personal travel insurance to cover all eventualities.
- If a collision or accident occurs, a police report and case number must be provided along with the third parties details. You must contact the RENTER in the event of any damage and an accident report form should be completed and provided to us immediately. If this procedure is not followed, the insurance cover could become invalidated, leaving clients liable for all damage. You should retain copies of all rental documentation in the event that an insurance company is involved. Where damage is caused to the vehicle on separate occasions, each incident will be considered as a separate claim for which you are liable for the excess.
- If the car has been damaged by driving through water, weather conditions such as flooding due to heavy rains, thunderstorms, or strong winds you are responsible for any damage. Please make sure to avoid such weather conditions or park the car in an appropriate place such as a parking house.
You will receive with your car equipment. Any damage to or loss of the equipment results in additional costs. You will receive an item list during your pickup where we list all the accessories that are not part of the car, which are additionally supplied as standard with the car. These are named and in case of loss or damage you will find the costs for their replacements.
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Your privacy is important to us and we take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is kept secure and protected from misuse or unauthorized access. We welcome any opportunity to address your concerns about our service. Please contact us in the first instance to discuss your concerns. If there is a dispute between you and us regarding damages, the complaint and dispute resolution policy applies. The RENTER tries to keep every customer happy. There might be cases in which it is recommended to a complaint. Complaints will only be handled if received within 28 days of the rental period ending.
Arbitration clause. Arbitration. For all disputes arising out of the interpretation of and compliance with this agreement, the parties submit to the jurisdiction of the Republic of Panama and waive any other jurisdiction that may be applicable, specifying their chosen residences as those herein specified; you waive your residence so that all disputes may be filed in the jurisdiction corresponding to the RENTERs residence.
If the vehicle is rented by you under fraudulent or false information and used for illegal acts, such use will be considered unauthorized by the RENTER.
You acknowledge that you have read and understood all the terms and conditions.
Finally, we would like to inform you that we are constantly updating these Terms and Conditions for our service. The last update was made on 06/08/24, 14:25.
