Vribe Traveler Guarantee
Last updated: August 2026 · Our platform policy when something goes wrong with your booking
This is a Vribe platform policy — not insurance, a surety, or a bond. It describes how we support you and what we refund — always limited to what Vribe processed for your booking — in two specific situations. The vehicle's insurance is provided by the host and is already included in the rate.
Definitions
- Booking:
- The agreement between a traveler and a host for the use of a vehicle on specific dates, created on the platform and governed by the contract both sign.
- Rental:
- The amount corresponding to use of the vehicle for the booked period, excluding deposit and delivery fee.
- Security deposit:
- Refundable amount that answers for damage, missing items, fuel, fines and other charges under the contract.
- Payout:
- The payment Vribe transfers to the host for a booking, with the commission already deducted.
1. What this policy is and what triggers it
The Vribe Traveler Guarantee is a platform policy: it describes the two situations in which Vribe returns what it processed for your booking, and how we support you while it is resolved. It is not insurance or a surety, and it does not replace the vehicle's policy, which the host provides. It covers two specific cases, and only those: the host cancelling before handing over the vehicle, and the vehicle not matching what was advertised. Any other problem goes through the dispute process, which may end in a refund but is not guaranteed by this policy.
2. If the host cancels before handover
This is the simplest and most automatic promise: if the handover never happens because of the host, you do not lose money.
2.1 What you get back
100% of what Vribe processed for that booking: the full rental, the delivery fee if you had paid one, and the security deposit in full. The cancellation policy tiers do not apply, because you were not the one who cancelled.
2.2 If the charge had not been captured yet
On a booking that required approval, the amount was authorized but not charged. In that case there is no refund to make: the authorization is released and you are charged nothing. How long it takes to disappear from your statement depends on your bank.
2.3 It also applies if the handover simply never happens
The host does not need to formally cancel. If the pickup time passes and the vehicle is never documented or handed over, the system flags the booking and the same full refund applies.
3. If the vehicle is not as advertised
This promise requires your participation: it is triggered by a dispute you open, with evidence, when you receive the vehicle.
3.1 What counts as “not as advertised”
That the vehicle handed over does not substantially match the listing: a different model or year, relevant undisclosed damage, advertised equipment that is missing, or conditions that make it unusable for the intended purpose. Minor differences of appreciation and normal wear documented in the pickup inspection do not count.
3.2 What evidence carries weight
The pickup photo inspection is the central piece, which is why it is worth reviewing before accepting the contract: it is sealed with a digital fingerprint at signing, so it works as proof and any later alteration would be detectable. Added to that are the photos you attach when opening the dispute, the listing as published, and the booking conversation.
3.3 What you get back if the dispute favors you
The security deposit is released and the applicable rental is refunded, including any additional payments if there was an extension. The host's payout for that booking is voided. Vribe determines the exact amount from the evidence; it may be full or partial depending on what the case shows.
4. How to trigger it
Everything starts in “My trips”, on the affected booking. In order:
- Document the problem as soon as you notice it, before using the vehicle if possible.
- Open the dispute from the booking and attach photos and a specific description.
- The booking is frozen: it does not close and no money is released while the case is live.
- Our team reviews the evidence and, where possible, helps reorganize the trip rather than just refunding.
5. What happens to the deposit in each outcome
The security deposit is never left hanging. If the host cancelled or the handover did not happen, it comes back to you in full along with the rental. If you opened a dispute, it is held until resolution: if the decision favors you it is released, and if it favors the host the amount determined is taken from the deposit first and the remainder returns to you. It is never held indefinitely or applied to another booking.
6. Timeframes
Vribe commits to a handling deadline, not to an outcome deadline.
6.1 The 72-hour target
Vribe aims to resolve every dispute within 72 hours of it being opened. The system watches that clock and marks the case as due soon when 12 hours remain; if the deadline passes without resolution, it escalates internally. It is a handling target: it means nobody is left waiting without the case moving, not that there is always an answer within 72 hours.
6.2 When the money arrives
The refund is issued by Vribe as soon as the case is resolved. When it appears on your statement depends on your issuing bank's timelines, which Vribe does not control.
7. Limits of this policy
Vribe acts as an intermediary: the rental agreement is between the host and you. This policy describes the platform's support and refunds, and has three limits worth being clear about:
- Refunds are limited to what Vribe actually processed for your booking.
- It does not cover third-party damage, fines, or the liability you assume as a driver.
- It does not replace the vehicle's insurance coverage, which is the host's, or the deductible, which is on you.
What this policy is not
It is not insurance, a surety or a financial guarantee, and no insurer backs it. It does not guarantee that any problem ends in a refund: it guarantees two specific cases and a serious process for the rest. And it can evolve: if its terms change, they are announced here before being applied.
In the event of any discrepancy between the translated versions of this document, the Spanish version prevails.