Insurance & protection
Every Ring Road Cars rental already includes Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and mandatory third-party liability cover. CDW caps your personal liability for accidental exterior damage at one excess amount — and you can buy that cap down to zero. All cover levels and day rates are shown transparently during booking — in the booking flow itself, not in footnotes.
Coverage at a glance
Your excess at a glance
Each tier reduces the maximum you can be charged for covered accidental exterior damage. Choose at booking — no desk hard-sell.
Standard. Cap on your liability — you pay up to this amount if accidental exterior damage occurs.
Optional upgrade. Same cover, significantly lower excess — less at stake if something happens.
Covered-damage excess to ISK 0. Exact card authorisation rules are confirmed at booking.
↑ Ladder narrows as excess falls — each step represents a lower maximum exposure.
Figures are indicative — your exact excess is confirmed at booking. On Essential, gravel, sand/ash and tyre damage need separate add-ons; Plus includes Gravel & Glass, and Zero Excess includes all three. See the full matrix below.
Exactly what's covered — and what remains excluded
Even our top cover has limits — here's exactly where it stops before you commit. All figures are confirmed at booking — see Terms.
| Hazard | CDW | Plus | Zero Excess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collision / accidental body damageexterior panels, bumpers, doors | excess ISK 350,000 | ISK 120,000–150,000 | ISK 0 |
| Gravel & flying-stonewindscreen, lights, mirrors — needs Gravel & Glass Protection add-on | +GP: ISK 25,000 | ||
| Sand & ash storm damagepaintwork, glass, seals — needs SAAP add-on | +SAAP: ISK 90,000 | +SAAP: ISK 90,000 | |
| Wind-thrown door damagelimited — open doors into the wind at your own risk; often partially excluded | limited | limited | limited |
| Underbody / undercarriagedamage beneath the vehicle — commonly excluded; take care on rough terrain | excluded | excluded | excluded |
| Tyres & wheelsexcluded from CDW — add Tyre Protection; ISK 20,000–60,000 per tyre otherwise | excl. w/o TP | excl. w/o TP | |
| Towing / recovery (at fault)chargeable at ISK 500/km plus a recovery start fee; not included in any damage waiver | chargeable | chargeable | chargeable |
| Water / river crossingExcluded under Ring Road Cars cover rules | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Off-road & F-road misusedriving where the car isn't permitted can void cover — and is illegal in Iceland | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
| Wrong fuel · DUI · gross negligenceexcluded under Ring Road Cars cover rules | Excluded | Excluded | Excluded |
All figures confirmed at booking; see Terms. How damage works & the 360° evidence rule → Fees & charges → F-roads guide (what voids cover) →
Your excess (own-risk) tiers
Your maximum exposure depends on which cover level you choose at booking. Your exact excess is confirmed in your quote before you commit.
| Level | Excess | Card pre-auth hold |
|---|---|---|
| Essential (CDW) | ISK 350,000 | Equal to excess |
| Plus (Super CDW) | ISK 120,000–150,000 | Equal to reduced excess |
| Zero Excess | ISK 0 | No standard hold — card rules confirmed at booking |
The pre-auth is a temporary hold on your credit or debit card — not a charge. It is released automatically on a clean return. More on how the pre-auth works →
Protection options
Included as standard with every rental. Caps your financial liability if the vehicle suffers accidental exterior body damage during your rental. An excess (own-risk) amount remains — this is the maximum you pay in the event of a claim. The exact figure is confirmed at booking.
- Accidental exterior body damage
- Reduces your liability to the stated excess amount
- Included in your base rental price — no extra charge
- Card pre-authorisation hold equal to excess amount
Reduces your body-damage excess to ISK 120,000–150,000 (by car size) AND bundles in Gravel & Glass Protection. Tyre and Sand & Ash stay paid add-ons on Plus (Tyre is included in Zero Excess).
- Body-damage excess reduced to ISK 120,000–150,000 (by car size)
- Gravel & Glass Protection included
- Reduces the card pre-authorisation hold accordingly
Brings your covered-damage excess to ISK 0. The day rate varies by vehicle class and season; the exact figure and card authorisation rules are confirmed at booking before you commit. No desk hard-sell.
- Reduces excess to ISK 0 across covered damage categories
- Card authorisation rules confirmed at booking
- Includes Gravel & Glass, Tyre and Sand & Ash Protection
- Day rate and remaining exclusions shown in the booking summary before confirmation
Icelandic roads — including long stretches of the Ring Road — include gravel surfaces where loose stones chip windscreens and bodywork. Standard CDW does not cover this. Gravel & Glass Protection adds cover for windscreen and bodywork stone-chip damage. Excess for gravel damage without this cover is ISK 25,000.
- Stone-chip damage to the windscreen and painted bodywork
- Damage from loose gravel on paved or unpaved roads
- Gravel excess ISK 25,000 without this cover — waived with it
- Highly recommended for any itinerary including the Eastfjords
Wind-blown volcanic sand and ash can act like fine sandpaper, abrading paintwork, glass, and seals in a matter of hours. This is a year-round risk in Iceland and is not covered by CDW or Gravel & Glass Protection. Sand & Ash Protection covers wind-driven particle damage. Excess without this cover is ISK 90,000.
- Damage from wind-blown sand and volcanic ash particles
- Paintwork, glass, and seals affected by abrasive particles
- SAAP excess ISK 90,000 without this cover — waived with it
- Relevant across all of Iceland, especially the South Coast and Highlands
Tyres are excluded from standard CDW — a tyre replacement in Iceland can cost ISK 20,000–60,000 per tyre. Tyre Protection caps your liability for tyre damage. The exact day rate and residual excess are confirmed at booking.
- Covers tyre damage excluded from standard CDW
- Replacement tyres in Iceland: ISK 20,000–60,000 per tyre
- Day rate and excess confirmed at booking
Gravel, glass & tyre — the loose-surface trio. Iceland's gravel and unpaved roads cause most stone-chipped glass, scraped bodywork, and tyre damage. Gravel & Glass Protection and Tyre Protection cover that group — many travellers on gravel-heavy routes (Eastfjords, Westfjords, highland approaches) take both, alongside Sand & Ash Protection.
There is no separate theft add-on to buy. Theft and attempted theft are covered in the base (Standard) cover, up to your chosen excess. Iceland has a low vehicle crime rate, and your maximum exposure in the unlikely event of theft is the same excess (own-risk) amount that applies to your cover level.
- Theft and attempted theft covered in the base cover, up to your excess
- Applies when all keys are returned and the vehicle was locked
- Keys left in the car and gross negligence are excluded
The Zero Excess option
Zero Excess is a single cover tier that brings your excess for covered damage to ISK 0 and includes Gravel & Glass, Tyre and Sand & Ash Protection. The exact day rate for your vehicle class is confirmed in your quote before you commit.
What is excluded — even with full cover
The following remain excluded under Ring Road Cars cover rules regardless of what you buy. We show them before booking so the limits are clear:
- Gravel and windshield chips — unless Gravel & Glass Protection is added.
- Sand and volcanic ash damage — unless SAAP is added.
- River crossings and ford driving — not permitted; not covered under any protection level.
- Underbody, wheel arch, and suspension damage — damage beneath the vehicle is excluded from CDW. Take care on rough terrain.
- Water damage and flooding — driving through standing water or fording streams is excluded.
- Tyres — unless covered by your chosen protection level.
- F-roads and off-road driving — F-roads require a suitable 4x4 in summer only; standard CDW does not apply on F-roads regardless of vehicle type. Driving off marked roads can void cover and is illegal in Iceland.
- Interior damage — burns, stains, tears, and contamination inside the vehicle are not covered by any damage waiver.
- Wrong fuel — misfuelling can result in significant repair costs and is not covered.
- Driving under the influence or negligent/intentional damage — any damage caused while impaired, or through recklessness or deliberate action, can void cover.
Add-ons & extras
These are the optional extras you can add to your booking. Selected extras are priced in your quote or booking summary before confirmation, and optional items are only added when selected or agreed.
- Additional driverISK 1,250 / day
Each named additional driver is ISK 1,250 per day. Register them on the booking before pickup.
- GPS navigation — always on boardISK 1,700 / day
In-car navigation for your whole trip. Add this and we make sure you have GPS one way or the other: your car comes with built-in sat-nav, or we fit a dedicated device pre-loaded with Icelandic maps — F-roads, highland tracks and named landmarks — if it doesn't. You’ll have navigation either way, with a reliable backup to your phone where mobile signal is patchy.
- 4G WiFi hotspotISK 1,700 / day
A portable 4G router with an Icelandic SIM card, giving you reliable mobile internet throughout the country — useful for real-time road conditions, navigation, and staying connected in remote areas.
- Baby seat (rear-facing)ISK 4,500 / rental
Rear-facing infant seat from birth. Must never be used in a front seat with an active airbag. Approved to current European standards (UN/ECE R129 / i-Size), within the seat's labelled height and weight range. Book by the child's height and weight.
- Toddler seatISK 4,500 / rental
Harnessed seat for after the infant seat. Rear-facing is preferred where the seat allows; forward-facing only when the child meets the seat label — never before 15 months on R129 seats. Book by height and weight.
- High-back booster / child seatISK 4,500 / rental
Positions the vehicle seat belt correctly for older children — the best default booster. In Iceland, children under 135 cm must use suitable child-restraint equipment. Approved to current European standards, within the seat's labelled range. Book by height and weight.
- Booster cushion (backless)ISK 1,000 / rental
A backless booster for bigger children only, used strictly within the seat's approved size range. A high-back booster is preferred when in doubt. Book by height and weight.
- Roof boxOn request
Extra luggage capacity for camping gear, ski bags, or large group kit. Subject to vehicle compatibility — request it with your booking and we'll confirm availability and price.
- Prepaid fuelFrom tank size × pump price
Pay for a full tank up front — priced from your vehicle's tank capacity at the current pump price, shown at booking. Return the car at any level with no refuelling needed; we don't refund fuel left in the tank.
- Snow chains (winter)Price on request
Available in winter months as a supplementary safety measure. Note that studded winter tyres are already included in season — chains are an optional extra for severe conditions.
Mobile network in 2026. Iceland is switching off its 2G and 3G networks during 2026, so older phones and devices can lose service — including for calls and the 112 emergency line. Check your phone supports 4G/5G, keep it charged, and remember coverage is limited in the highlands and some valleys. Our GPS device and 4G WiFi hotspot are reliable backups; the emergency number is always 112.
Child seats — safety & the law. We assign seats by the child's height, weight and age. In Iceland, children under 135 cm must use suitable child-restraint equipment, and children under 150 cm must not sit in front of an active airbag. All seats are approved to current European standards (R129 / i-Size), subject to the seat's labelled height and weight range.
Other items — roof boxes, camping equipment, satellite communicators — can sometimes be arranged on request. Contact us before booking and we will let you know what is available for your dates. Any agreed extras are shown with transparent pricing in your quote or booking summary before confirmation.
Ask about a custom extra →