Trust & Safety
Legal & Insurance
Every Grab It rental is protected by four layers: verified identity, escrow payments, photo evidence, and platform liability insurance. Here's exactly how it works.
The Trust Stack
Four independent protections on every transaction.
| # | Layer | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Identity Gov ID + selfie before any transaction | 100% of users |
| 02 | Money Escrow held until both confirm return | Every rental |
| 03 | Evidence Pre and post-rental photos required | Primary dispute evidence |
| 04 | Coverage Platform liability insurance | Up to $1,500 per incident |
1. Identity verification
Before any user — renter or host — can transact on Grab It, they must complete identity verification through Persona API.
Verification requires:
- Government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID)
- Live selfie matched against the ID photo
- A US-based phone number on file
Verified users earn a verified badge on their profile. Unverified users cannot rent, host, or transact. Verification data is encrypted at rest and never shared with other users — only the verified badge is public.
2. Payments & escrow
All payments flow through Stripe Connect, a PCI-compliant payments platform.
- Capture. When a renter books, their card is charged immediately. The funds are held in escrow — not transferred to the host yet.
- Confirmation. The host has 24 hours to accept the booking. If declined or unaccepted, the full amount is refunded automatically.
- Release. Two business days after the renter marks the gear as returned (and the host doesn't dispute), the host receives 95% of the rental value. Grab It retains a 5% commission. The renter's 15% security deposit is refunded.
- Dispute hold. If a dispute is opened, all funds — including the deposit — remain in escrow until Grab It issues a mediation decision.
We never see or store your full card number. Stripe handles all card data.
3. Damage tiers & coverage
Every Grab It rental falls into one of three damage tiers. Each tier has a specific protocol — no guesswork.
Cosmetic damage
Minor scratches, scuffs, normal wear. Host bears the cost — this is priced into the rental.
Example: a small ding on a surfboard, a scratch on a ski edge.
Functional damage
Broken hardware, structural damage, anything that makes the gear unusable or unsafe. Renter's security deposit is partially or fully forfeited based on repair cost.
Grab It mediates within 72 hours using pre/post photos as primary evidence.
Total loss or theft
Gear destroyed, lost, or stolen. Renter's deposit is fully forfeited, and Grab It's platform liability insurance covers replacement value up to $1,500 per incident.
Host must file a police report within 48 hours and provide proof of original ownership.
Security deposit
Renters pay a deposit equal to 15% of the gear's declared replacement value, capped at $300. The deposit is held in Stripe escrow and refunded within 48 hours of confirmed return.
4. Platform liability insurance
Grab It carries a platform-wide liability insurance policy through Oyster Insurance, covering catastrophic loss events on every active rental.
- Per-incident coverage: up to $1,500 (after deposit is applied)
- Covers: theft, total loss, third-party property damage caused by the rented gear
- Does not cover: intentional damage by the host, gear not listed on Grab It, rentals booked outside the platform
Coverage is automatic on every confirmed rental — no separate enrollment, no extra fee for the host. It's built into our 10% renter service fee.
5. Dispute resolution
When either party opens a dispute, our process is fast and structured:
- Submit the dispute within 24 hours of the return through your booking page.
- Grab It mediates within 72 hours. We review the pre/post photos, in-app messages, and transaction timeline.
- Decision issued. The deposit is released or forfeited per the damage tier. Funds settle within 2 business days.
- Escalation. If either party rejects the mediation, the case escalates to binding arbitration under the AAA Supplementary Procedures for Consumer-Related Disputes.
We don't take sides. We follow the evidence. Photo timestamps, message timestamps, and condition ratings are weighted heavily.
6. Terms of Service (summary)
By using Grab It, you agree to:
- Complete identity verification before transacting
- Provide accurate listings (misrepresenting condition by more than one tier results in account suspension after a single verified complaint)
- Treat rented gear with reasonable care
- Return gear on the agreed date and time
- Submit disputes through Grab It, not via card chargebacks
- Resolve disputes via binding arbitration (AAA rules) if mediation is rejected
- Not use Grab It for illegal activity, including renting gear known to be stolen
A full Terms of Service document will be published before our public launch. This summary is not a substitute for the binding agreement you accept at signup.
7. Privacy
What we collect and why:
- Name, email, phone: account and notifications
- Government ID + selfie: Persona verification only, encrypted at rest
- Card details: handled by Stripe; we never see or store full card numbers
- Listing photos & pre/post-rental photos: Supabase Storage, retained 90 days minimum
- Booking metadata: dates, locations, prices — used to operate the platform and resolve disputes
We don't sell your data. We don't run ads. Full privacy policy published before public launch.
Questions?
Email us at grabitgear.co@gmail.com or message the 💬 chat bubble in the bottom right.
Last updated: May 2026. Grab It LLC, Santa Barbara, California.