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Policies

Rental Requirements

Anyone who plans on renting a vehicle should bring the following:

  • A copy of your driver’s license.
  • Proof of insurance or purchase our insurance. Liability insurance is required in the State of California.
  • Credit card, debit card, or cash.

Payment Methods

Smith’s Rent-A-Car accepts the following methods of payment:

  • VISA
  • MasterCard
  • Discover
  • Most debit cards
  • Cash
  • Company accounts

Payment Due

Full authorization/payment is due at the time of the rental. Should you request an extension, payment is to be made at the time of the extension.

Accidents

  • Call law enforcement immediately to obtain a police report, even for minor accidents.
  • If another vehicle is involved, obtain the driver’s name, address, and insurance information.
  • Call Smith’s Rent-A-Car immediately.
  • Complete and sign an incident report with Smith’s Rent-A-Car.

Paying with Cash or Debit Card

We are one of the few agencies that allow you to rent a car with cash. A customer who wants to pay with cash will need to present us with the following:

  • A copy of your driver’s license
  • Proof of insurance or purchase our insurance
  • Proof of local residence (such as utility bill)
  • A deposit – varies depending on the rental (refundable upon returning the vehicle)

Insurance and Coverage

All renters/drivers must have an active automobile liability insurance policy. This is the law in the State of California. For business use, all renters/drivers should provide proof of auto liability insurance for hired autos/non-owned autos. We do have liability insurance you may purchase through us.

All renters must have full coverage insurance. If renter does not have collision coverage, he or she will be charged a collision waiver fee.

Credit Card Collision Insurance Coverage

We do not accept credit card collision coverage as a type of insurance.

Mileage/Additional Costs

All car rentals, van rentals, SUV rentals, and truck rentals come with 300 free miles per day. If you exceed these free miles, you will be charged forty-five cents per mile.

No Towing Allowed

We do not rent any vehicle with a tow hitch.

No Smoking Allowed

There is a no smoking policy for all our vehicles. Evidence of smoking in the vehicle will result in a minimum $150 smoking fee.

Underage Drivers

Drivers that are 21-24 years of age may be subject to a surcharge of ten dollars per day.

Gas/Refueling

Our rental rates do not include the cost of fuel. Please return the vehicle with the amount of fuel you had when you received it. The fuel-level amount will be printed or marked on your rental contract. We will not reimburse you if you over fill, and we charge five dollars per gallon if the rental is returned short on fuel.

Driving Area Restrictions

Driving is restricted to the state of California. Neighboring states (Arizona, Nevada, Oregon) can be approved with prior authorization from a rental agent.

Additional Drivers

Additional drivers are also recognized as if they are the principal driver and must have their own liability insurance. No additional drivers will be removed from the contract after the vehicle leaves our office. All additional drivers are responsible for the vehicle until the vehicle is returned.

Damaged Glass, Tires, and Rims

The renter is fully responsible for all glass, tire, wheel, and hubcap damage during the rental period. Regardless of whether the damages were caused by a road hazard, driver error, or a blowout, the renter will be held responsible and charged for any expenses to repair the vehicle or to replace the damaged areas. Unfortunately, road hazards exist. However, we cannot assume responsibility for the damage they cause, so please be aware and alert while operating your rental.

After-Hours Return

Smith’s Rent-A-Car does have a drop box for after-hours returns. Ask about our procedure.

Late/Overtime Fees

All rental vehicles are charged at a daily rate. The length of a daily rate is a 24-hour period. When returning your rental, you have a one-hour grace period. However, if you exceed the 24-hour period by more than one hour (the grace period), you will be charged only an additional day.

Pets

If you decide to take pets along for the ride, please place a protective cover—such as a dog blanket—over the seat and keep your pet confined to that area. A minimum $150 cleaning and shampoo fee will be charged if pet hairs are found on the seats. If you have questions about this policy, feel free to contact us.

Tickets

The renter is responsible for all parking, traffic, speeding, or other tickets or violations issued while the vehicle is being rented. The renter must pay for any fees, penalties, towing charges, or impound costs. For further questions, please read our FAQs page or contact us at (888) 778-0656 (toll free) or (707) 584-7900 (locally).

Breakdown Procedure & Policy

Though our vehicles are not new, they receive regular maintenance and are in excellent, road-worthy condition. When dealing with any machine, new or not, an unanticipated breakdown may occur. The following information is intended to assist you in dealing with such an occurrence, specifically when far from our office.

In the event of a serious malfunction such as overheating, suspected transmission or clutch problem, brakes not responding properly or making any grinding sounds, the vehicle must NOT BE DRIVEN any farther and should be TOWED to the nearest repair facility. Any damage caused to the vehicle due to renter not abiding by these procedures will become the responsibility of the renter.

  1. If the problem is minor, such as a flat tire, dead battery, or other obvious condition, we ask that you get the car to a service facility in a safe and reasonable manner. Should the cost of the repair be under $50.00, we ask that you pay it and we will reimburse you upon your return.
  2. If the problem is of a more serious nature, the renter needs to call us from the service facility so that we can speak with the mechanic to determine the nature of the problem, time required for the repair, and payment arrangements.
  3. If the repair can be accomplished within a reasonable time frame, we ask that the renter be patient and wait out the repair.
  4. In a case where the vehicle cannot be repaired in a timely fashion, the renter needs to obtain a rental car from a different company. Our company will reimburse you for the unused portion of your rental agreement with us.
  5. We DO NOT pay for any of the following expenses you might incur as the result of a breakdown:
    • Rental car from another company
    • Hotel, motel, or other lodging accommodations
    • Meals
    • Lost wages
    • Any other transportation costs

U-Haul Rental Policies

  • To rent a cargo van, a credit card is required.
  • Trucks must be cleaned out prior to return of U-Haul rental to avoid cleaning fee.
  • Moving pads must be refolded prior to return to avoid service fee.

RV Storage Policies

Please download our contract and policies.

DISCLAIMER: This form is for informational purposes only. It is not designed to replace our rental agreement, and our rental agreement supersedes any information found on this page. Policies may be changed without notice. Last updated 2/4/13.

Cruise America Rental Policies

  • To rent an RV, a credit card and $500 deposit is required.
  • Waste tanks must be drained before returning RV.
  • Personal units and dishware are available for rent.
  • Per mile rate is $.35 cents.
  • Generator per hour rate is $3.50.

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