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Sally Wilson

Sally is a key member of the MoneyMaxim editorial team. She is a frequent hire-car user and often goes on holiday with her family. With an interest in getting great value for money, Sally shares her hints and tips for travelling and insurance.

Sally Wilson is one of our Team of Experts

Iceland Car Hire - Protect yourself against the cost of volcanic damage

Compare car hire excess insurance policies which include cover for ash damage in Iceland

wooden iceland sign with gravel road in the background

Iceland has been a popular tourist destination for many years, with the chance to see the Northern Lights one of the biggest attractions. Iceland's tourism industry like everywhere around the world was hit hard by the Covid pandemic and the recent major volcanic activity had also seen the number of visitors fall.

But now Iceland is back and sparkling brighter than ever before!

With many changes, improvements and new building projects all over the country there is so much to see. Adding a rental car to your Icelandic holiday itinerary is one of the best ways of ensuring you can reach all the fantastic sights of Iceland.

The landscape of Iceland is unique and the volcanic elements can add that extra concern for car hirers. Some car hire companies will cover damage from sand, ash and gravel under their collision damage waiver, however, some exclude it which could mean an expensive bill at the end of your hire period.

If sand, ash and gravel damage is excluded from your hire then you may be able to take out a separate cover with your hire company - or for less than £2 per day can you can take out car hire excess insurance which includes cover for Iceland volcanic damage.

With excess insurance in place you can drive in comfort knowing that, if there is damage caused by ash, you can submit a claim to be reimbursed for any charges.

How can I find car hire excess insurance which covers Iceland volcanic ash damage?

Run a quote for car hire excess insurance through our comparison service and once your results appear, apply our special filter to ensure the quotes that are shown include cover for Iceland volcanic ash damage.

Volcanic ash filter











It is amazing to think that the population of Iceland has only just reached the 400,000 mark which is equivalent to about two large towns in the UK! So that means there are huge swathes of the country which are uninhabited and therefore still retain their natural beauty.

Iceland has worked hard to make the most of its resources. There are more lagoons opening which include thermal baths, saunas, swim-up bars, restaurants and other luxury services. Look out for the Forest Lagoon, the Sky Lagoon, The River Baths and the Highland Baths.

Much has been spent on improving access in canyons, installing wider walkways and footbridges. At the same time, Iceland will from time to time close some features to allow them to recover naturally but with so much beautiful and exciting countryside, you will not miss out.

There is also an expansion project at Akureyri airport in the far north of Iceland and with easyJet offering regular flights we expect to see an increase in the amount of passenger traffic. With an increase in visitors to the country, there has also been an uplift in hotel building. Some of these are near Akureyri airport and many others are located near to the lagoons or popular tourist attractions.