ZORBAS TERMS & CONDITIONS

Welcome to Zorbas Rent a Car. To ensure a smooth, transparent, and safe rental experience across Crete, please review our comprehensive rental terms and conditions below. These conditions are legally binding upon signing your rental agreement.

1. What is Included in Your Rate

We pride ourselves on offering clear, honest pricing with no hidden surprises. Your rental rate automatically includes:

  • Unlimited Mileage: Explore the entire island of Crete with no distance limits.
  • Taxes: All local taxes and V.A.T. (24%) are fully included.
  • 24/7 Roadside Assistance: Free emergency support anywhere in Crete through our partner, Intersalonika (Direct Mobile: 11555). We recommend calling our office directly first so we can fast-track assistance to you.
  • One (1) Additional Driver: Registered completely free of charge. Up to 3 drivers total are allowed per vehicle (the 3rd driver costs €3 per day).
  • First Child Seat Free: We offer Infant Seats, Baby Seats, and Booster Seats. Your first seat is completely Free of Charge (must be booked in advance). Extra seats are available for €2/day.
  • Complimentary Road Map: A recent, detailed physical map of Crete provided at vehicle delivery.

2. Insurance Coverages

Your rental comes with highly competitive, robust insurance protection:

  • Third-Party Insurance: Covers property damage and bodily injury to third parties up to the maximum legal limits.
  • Personal Accident Insurance (PAI): Covers medical costs for both the driver and passengers in the event of an accident.
  • Fire & Theft Protection: Fully included with NO excess (zero deductible).
  • Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): Fully included with NO excess (zero deductible). You are fully insured for accidental damage to the vehicle body with no obligation to pay a deductible.
  • Full Damage Waiver (FDW): Available depending on the specific car category booked. Please verify your final voucher for your category's specific FDW setup.

3. Strict Insurance Exceptions (Negligence Clauses)

Please note that insurance becomes completely invalid, and the renter accepts direct financial responsibility, if any of the following occur:

  • Off-Road Driving: Operating the vehicle on unauthorized, unpaved, dirt, or non-asphalt roads (e.g., the rugged road to Balos Beach).
  • Traffic Violations: Damage caused while violating Greek traffic laws (e.g., running STOP signs, speeding, illegal U-turns, or driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs).
  • Unauthorized Drivers: The vehicle must only be driven by persons explicitly named and validated on the rental contract.
  • Specific Car Components: Underbody damage, damaged car locks, antennas, interior upholstery stains/rips, extreme interior dirtiness, lost or damaged keys, dead batteries caused by forgetting to turn off electrical devices, and loss of personal belongings inside the vehicle.
  • Tire Rule: Non-repairable or burst tires are not covered by insurance. If a tire suffers a minor puncture and is repairable, the client may repair it locally, and Zorbas will fully refund the cost upon presentation of the receipt.
  • Failure to Report: Moving the vehicle from an accident scene or failing to file an immediate police/company report.

4. Mandatory Emergency Protocol

In the unlucky event of an accident, mechanical breakdown, or vehicle theft, you must follow these steps immediately. Failure to do so will invalidate your insurance coverage:

  1. Stay Calm and prioritize safety. If someone is injured, administer first aid and call emergency services immediately.
  2. Do Not Move the Vehicle from the scene of the incident.
  3. Contact Zorbas Rent a Car Immediately via our emergency numbers.
  4. Call the Police: A formal police report is mandatory for all accidents, vandalism, or thefts. You must obtain a copy of the written police report to hand over to our staff. If the vehicle is damaged while parked, you must report it to us before moving it.

5. Driver Age & License Requirements

We do not automatically verify your age at the time of online booking. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet these criteria upon arrival:

  • Age Requirements:
    • Economy & Medium Categories: Minimum age 21.
    • Intermediate, Full, Family, Automatic, & Mini-Vans: Minimum age 23.
    • 9-Seater Mini-Buses: Minimum age 25.
    • Maximum Rental Age: 75 years old. Drivers aged 76+ are welcome but require a senior driver insurance supplement of €35 payable upon delivery.
    • Note: There are no hidden "Young Driver" fees if you meet the category minimums.
  • License Validation: Drivers must have held a valid national driving license for at least one (1) full year. National licenses from the EU, UK, US, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Israel, Ukraine, and Russia are accepted in Latin/Cyrillic scripts. All alphabets non-compliant with the Latin alphabet (e.g., Arabic) require an accompanying International Driving Permit (IDP).

6. Payment, Bookings, and Fuel Policies

  • Payment Structure: A 30% secure deposit is required at the time of booking to lock in your vehicle. The remaining 70% balance is paid upon delivery in Crete via cash or payment card. A valid credit/debit card is required at delivery as a company security guarantee.
  • The 24-Hour Rule: Rental days are strictly calculated on a 24-hour basis from your selected pickup time. We offer a 1-hour grace period for delayed returns only if specified during the initial booking.
  • Flight & Ferry Deliveries: You must provide your accurate flight number or ferry name at least 3 days prior to arrival. Our representatives track your arrivals in real-time. Delayed pickups falling into "Out of Office Hours" may incur a local late-night service fee, which will be detailed during your booking process.
  • Vehicle Class: Bookings guarantee a vehicle category, not a specific model. While we try our best to accommodate model requests, we reserve the right to upgrade you to a larger category at no extra charge if your selected category is unavailable.
  • Fuel Options:
    • Option 1 (Return as Collected): Return the car with the exact same fuel level you received it with.
    • Option 2 (Collect Full & Return Empty): Pay for a full tank locally upon arrival and return the vehicle as empty as possible. Unused fuel under this option is non-refundable.

7. Cancellation & No-Show Policy

All cancellations must be requested directly through the Zorbas Rent a Car website portal (cancellations via telephone cannot be officially processed):

  • More than 120 Hours (5+ Days) Notice: Your 30% booking deposit will be fully refunded to your card (excluding minor variations caused by bank exchange rates).
  • 120 Hours or Less (Within 5 Days) Notice: The booking deposit is non-refundable, up to a maximum capped retention of €100 to compensate for fleet preservation costs.
  • No-Shows & Early Returns: No refunds or compensations are issued for no-shows, failure to present mandatory legal documents at delivery, or returning the vehicle earlier than your contracted date.