Road Bear RV rental terms

Road Bear RV: Rental Terms

Drivers and documents. The main renter, who must also hold the credit card used at pick-up, and every driver must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid physical driving licence (digital licences are not accepted) and be present at pick-up to sign the rental agreement. If the licence is not in English, an International Driving Permit (not a photocopy) is recommended together with the original licence. Online self check-in is mandatory before pick-up and opens 30 days before. Road Bear RV may refuse to hand over the motorhome to anyone who appears unfit to drive.

Security deposit and cards. A security deposit of USD 1,500 is authorised (held, not charged) at pick-up on a major credit card in the main renter's name (Visa, Mastercard or American Express). Debit cards, prepaid cards, digital cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, cash, traveller's cheques and gift cards are not accepted. After an accident, an additional USD 2,000 is charged to the card before a replacement vehicle is provided and refunded at drop-off, minus any charges, if there is no further damage. Additional deposits may be required for special events.

Included protection and options. Every Road Bear RV rate includes Primary Liability Coverage up to the state minimum limits, VIP coverage, which limits your responsibility for loss of or damage to the motorhome to USD 1,500 per incident, and the Gold Package (awning use, additional drivers and Peace of Mind roadside cover, which also covers tyre and windscreen damage up to USD 1,000 per incident). The optional VIP Plus Upgrade reduces the USD 1,500 to USD 0 for covered damage; it is not insurance. The optional Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) raises third-party liability cover above the state limits up to USD 500,000. Never covered, for example: interior damage; personal injury and personal belongings; undercarriage and entry step; wheel rims; damage from backing up, from driving into or under a height-restricted structure, or from driving with the awning or slide-out extended; freezing or overheating; off-road use, travel in restricted areas or following incorrect GPS guidance into them; driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; carrying more passengers than seat belts; overloading or towing more than 1,500 lbs; drivers not on the rental agreement; and any other breach of the rental agreement.

Where you can drive. Paved public roads in the USA and Canada. Not permitted: Mexico; Death Valley from 1 June to 30 September; gravel, dirt, logging and other non-public roads, and beaches; the inner cities of New York, Montreal and Quebec City; the Dempster Highway from 15 September to 15 May. The motorhome must not be left unattended in Montreal or Ottawa; tell the branch before departure if you plan to travel there. Travel to Alaska, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Newfoundland, Quebec and Labrador north and east of Sept-Iles, the Alaska Highway north of Fort St. John, the Cassiar Highway north of Kitwanga, Highway 35 north of Peace River or the Nisga'a Highway north of Terrace requires the Far North Surcharge (USD 450 per rental when bought from Road Bear RV); without it you are fully responsible for any accident or damage there.

Pick-up and return. Standard pick-up is between 1:00 PM and 3:00 or 4:00 PM depending on the season (11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturdays where the branch is open) and standard drop-off between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM (from 9:00 AM between 1 October and 31 March), in the slots chosen at online check-in. Early pick-up and late drop-off cannot be pre-booked. Late drop-off costs USD 50 per hour plus the difference in time slot, and unauthorised extensions are charged at double the nightly rate. Returning the motorhome to a different branch without authorisation, or abandoning it, incurs a recovery fee and a penalty. No refund is given for late pick-up, early return, unused miles or a no-show, nor if the vehicle is declined at departure.

Mileage, fuel and generator. Mileage is not included in the standard rate. 500-mile packages must be prepaid with the booking (they cannot be bought at pick-up) and unused miles are not refunded; extra miles cost USD 0.47 per mile plus tax at drop-off. One-way rentals require the minimum mileage between the two branches to be prepaid. The motorhome is supplied with full fuel and propane tanks and must be returned full; otherwise the difference is charged at Road Bear RV's refuelling rate. Generator use is charged at USD 3.50 per hour unless unlimited generator use was purchased.

Cleaning, smoking and pets. Return the motorhome with a clean interior, clean kitchenware, empty fridge and freezer, rubbish removed and holding tanks emptied, unless Drop & Go was purchased; cleaning and dumping charges are posted at the branch. Smoking and pets are not allowed in the vehicles: a minimum cleaning and deodorising fee of USD 250 applies.

Tolls and fines. Tolls are paid automatically through a third-party provider and charged to the renter's card together with any late fees and a one-time administration fee of USD 25, unless Unlimited Tolls was purchased; the renter cannot pay these tolls online. Traffic and parking fines, court costs and other violations are charged to the renter plus a one-time administration fee of USD 50.

Breakdowns, repairs and accidents. Check engine oil and coolant at every refuelling. Call Road Bear RV On Road Care (24/7, 1-800-367-4707 or +1-562-661-9842) as soon as possible and within 24 hours of any incident. Repairs over USD 100 must be authorised in advance and are reimbursed on return against receipts and replaced parts. If an emergency that makes the motorhome undrivable, not caused by the renter, interrupts the trip for more than 12 hours after it is reported, VIP coverage reimburses the greater of the gross nightly rate or hotel costs of up to USD 25 per person per night plus car rental of up to USD 50 per day, up to USD 1,500 per rental agreement. Flat tyres and non-mechanical equipment (TV, generator, batteries, air conditioning, fridge, heater, water heater, awning, slide-out and similar) are not mechanical breakdowns. After an accident, obtain a police report, inform Road Bear RV within 24 hours and hand in the completed incident report at the latest at return. Refund or reimbursement requests must be sent in writing with all documents within 30 days of the return.

Winter and extreme weather. Freezing conditions can occur in spring and autumn at higher elevations. In some branches and seasons the water system is winterized with anti-freeze and cannot be used, including toilet and shower, until you reach areas consistently above 0 °C (32 °F). Damage caused by freezing, and winterizing or de-winterizing costs (typically up to USD 200), are charged to the renter. Roof air conditioning cools the interior to at most about 11 °C (20 °F) below the outside temperature, and system performance in extreme conditions cannot be guaranteed.

Events. Taking the motorhome to Burning Man carries a mandatory USD 1,000 surcharge that must be declared when booking and is charged automatically if the vehicle is tracked in the area. Pick-ups in Las Vegas, Los Angeles or San Francisco between 24 August and 2 September 2027 carry a USD 1,000 event surcharge. For other events (Coachella, Stagecoach, EDC, NASCAR, RAAM and similar) permission must be requested when booking, and additional deposits, cleaning fees or surcharges may apply.

Vehicle and other conditions. Specific models, floorplans and lengths cannot be reserved. If the booked vehicle is not available, Road Bear RV may provide a higher category at no extra cost; if a lower category is provided, compensation is limited to the retail rate difference. Tell us in advance if you need exact vehicle dimensions, for example for a ferry. Child and booster seats are not provided. There is no luggage storage at the branches, and items left in the motorhome cannot be mailed. Some vehicles have GPS and telematics, used for security, roadside assistance, restricted-area monitoring, recovery of overdue or stolen vehicles and claims.