Iceland is one of the most expensive countries in the world, and when it comes to taking a car to a workshop, it’s really expensive.
Nobody likes to deal with damages and claims, not the customer or the staff. So to avoid any misunderstanding, we have made the damage and insurance part very clear and simple!
In case of a collision you want to be covered.
We strongly recommend that you take time to read through this and make your decision, so you can have worry-free travel.
In the overview below you should find answers to all your questions regarding this matter.
We take multiple photos of the camper before rental; we also ask the customer to do the same before he leaves.
If we find damage on the camper that doesn’t have a sticker on it we go to the computer and look at the photos that were taken before rental
If we can’t see any damage on this spot, we tell the renter that we have found new damage and show him the photos that were taken before the rental.
We then ask the renter if he took some photos of the camper that can be used for comparison, if all the photos are NOT showing this new damage, then we have proven that this damage was NOT on the camper before this rental.
Then the renter must compensate for the damage no matter how small it is.
However, if the renter has purchased extra insurance, he will never pay more than his own risk 0 – 2.300 EUR. as long as the damage is within the terms of what insurance covers.
CABAS is founded in Sweden. It was built to streamline repair processes. It’s used by
workshops all over the world, but mostly in Scandinavian countries. It has a database of all
types of cars and parts, and how long it takes to change or fix each part.
CABAS was made mainly for insurance companies so that they could get actual repair costs no
matter what workshop would fix the car. So now it doesn’t matter what workshops are used, the
It comes down to the cost of running a workshop. Salaries for licensed painters and car
mechanics are high, chemicals and parts, and other imported items are expensive because of
tolls and taxes.
We personally don’t know of any workshop owner in Iceland who is rich, so we can’t blame
anyone for their pricing.
What if there is damage on the same part after someone else?
For example, if there is a dent on a door, and then you will have another damage on that same
door, then you will only be charged 50% of the CABAS evaluation cost.
During the high season, the cars are usually fully booked so we try to wait with smaller damage
like dents and scratches until the low season starts, we still get the CABAS evaluation from the
workshop for each damage to evaluate the cost.
Our employee does a thorough inspection of the camper before each rental. He must fill in two
checklists and sign them both before the camper is handed out to the customer.
Checklist #1
The first checklist has 43 things that need to be checked, If something is not working or missing
in the camper, the employee has to fix it or get it fixed before he can clear that list.
Checklist #2
Damage inspection: The employee looks for dents, scratches, and damages. If he finds
something, he has to mark them in the vehicle condition report and put a sticker on the damage
he then takes more than 30 pictures of the camper.
The last step.
When the renter picks up his camper he will get access to the vehicle condition report through
manage booking.
He can then also do his own damage inspection before he leaves.
It’s enough to take photos of the damage he finds and that is proof that this damage was on the
car before he took it.
Note that if the photos that are taken are taken later than 30 minutes after pickup time then, then they are too old and can’t be taken as a prove.
4 Most Common Types of Damage and How to Avoid Them
Gravel damage is the most common collision, and the reason is probably that there is not much
that can be done to prevent it from happening.
It is, however, more likely to happen on the road’s section were paved and gravel meet. So
when a car drives on the paved road and runs over a small rock that comes from the gravel
section, the car can easily spit the small rock at high speed into the air and hit the car behind it or another passing vehicle. It’s usually the front windshield or the hood that gets hammered by
the gravel.
What falls under gravel damage?
Hudd/ Bonnet: Dent or chip
Front bumper: Chip
Front Guard: Chip and if there is a dent it has to be on the front part.
Front window: Chip or crack
Front headlight: Chip or crack
NOTE! We don’t take it as gravel damage if there happens to be a dent on the side of the car.
That would fall under door dings.
2. Scratches Collision (A) (B) (C)
Scratches on the paint are also really common, but they are usually easy to prevent.
A) Driving close to trees
Usually, small scratches happen when the vehicle is driving too close to trees, and the branches
scrape the vehicle’s paint.
How to prevent: Be careful, and keep your distance when driving near trees.
B) Writing on the car
People sometimes use their fingers to write or draw something simple like a heart in the dust or
mud that is covering the vehicle.
Even after the car has been washed, the scratch writing or drawing will be stuck into the car
paint. In most cases, it’s not possible to remove it and that element on the car has to be
repainted.
How to prevent: Never write anything on a dirty vehicle with your finger!
C) Cleaning the car with a brush
If the car really looks dirty on the outside, don’t use a brush with water to clean it. You will rub
the mud with small stones and sand in it and end up scratching the paint.
How to prevent: Just use a water hose and spray over the car to wash off dirt and mud.
3. Small Dents.
Small dents usually happen in parking lots or in areas where there are many cars, like those
outside supermarkets. Sometimes it’s because people are parking too close, and when they are
going in or out of the car, they open the door too wide.
This collision is a bummer because the damage goes unnoticed until later and by then you
wouldn’t know how it happened.
This is the kind of collision where people just drive away and don’t leave a note on the window.
The renter is left with this damage and has to pay for something he did not do.
How to prevent: Don’t park too close to other cars.
4. Door Blowing Open
The wind in Iceland can be really strong, its level of power can be similar to a hurricane wind.
This means that if there is some wind outside when you open the door, it can be ripped out of
your hand and cause major damage.
How to prevent: Park the car facing the wind — the wind is pressing on the doors when you try
opening, so it’s hard to open — instead of coming from the back and plowing it up.
This can be a little tricky because it’s hard to see the wind, but it’s possible to see the trees or
the grass moving. You can also roll down the window and put your hand out and feel where the
wind is blowing.
There is no magic marker or wonder spray that can fix dents or scratches.
We have had customers telling us that it’s easy to fix this damage, they have seen this done,
and it’s really no problem.
They are referring to video advertisements on social media like the magic marker that fixes the
scratch in one stroke or the liquid glue that fills the crack in the window or the dent remover.
The truth is none of those things work. There is no easy fix;
When a camper is returned damaged, the process will primarily depend on what kind of damage
it is and if the renter has bought extra insurance that covers most or all of the damage.
In the following scenarios, we will show the damage process for renters with and without
insurance.
A. Renter has extra insurance.
There is a crack or damage in the front window, or there is a dent on the hood because of
stones. The renter has PP (premium insurance) or GP (gravel insurance), so he doesn’t have to
pay or do anything.
Small or big dent
Car crash
The door has blown up
Scratch through the paint
It doesn’t matter which of these things occurred; the renter will never pay more than a self-risk of
0 EUR in PP (premium insurance) and 900 EUR in SCDV (super collision damage waiver).
If the damage will fall under minor damage, then the renter will just pay the cost based on the
minor damage price list but never more than self-risk.
B. Renter doesn’t have extra insurance.
If the damage falls under minor damage, then the renter will be charged for the price on the
minor damage price list. Please see the price list below.
Small or big dent
Car crash
The door has blown up
Scratch through the paint
It doesn’t matter which of these things happened. The renter will sign a paper that he agrees
that this damage happened in his rental.
Then he will be charged 2,000 EUR.
Plus the processing fee of 300 EUR.
In total, the renter will be charged 2.300 EUR.
If the renter doesn’t recognize the damage: We will take a look at the picture from the start of
the rental. And if there is no damage that can be found on the photos then it happened during
the rental.
NOTE! If the camper needs to be picked up after a crash/damage, the renter has to pay for the
transport to the workshop in Reykjavik.
It is damage that we are able to fix or parts we can change in our office workshop and don’t
require us to drive with the car to a workshop and do a CABAS damage valuation
NOTE! We don’t charge a processing fee for (minor damage).
Minor Damage list
Fixed Price
Part + work
Scratch that is NOT deep (not through the paint): 100 EUR for one element
Crack or damage to the front window: 800 EUR
Rear window 700 EUR
Tire: Highlander 300 EUR: All other cars 200 EUR
License plate 80 EUR
Rims 150 EUR
Damaged or lost wheel discs 100 EUR
Broken side mirrors 450 EUR
Plastic cover under the engine, 500 EUR
Plastic cover under the right side 300 EUR
Mudflap 100 EUR
Burned seat or sofa cover: 400 EUR
If the customer/renter is not satisfied with the price on the list, he can ask that the car
will be taken to a workshop for evaluation. In this case, the renter will be charged for his
full self-risk, from his credit card.
900 EUR for ( SCDW ) Super Collision Damage Waiver.
When the severity of the damage has been evaluated by a certified third-party workshop, we will
refund the balance between his self-risk and the price of repairing the damage.
Note! To tell him that the processing fee of 300 EUR will not be refunded.
Scratches That Are NOT Deep
(That are not through the paint)
If a scratch is not too deep, it’s possible to remove all or most of it. This requires some work
using massi and polish machines. We charge 100 Euro for each element that needs to be worked on.
One element is, for example, one (door). This means if there is a scratch going from one door to
the next, that would be two elements that need to be worked on.
Deep Scratches
(That are through the paint and into the primary or the metal)
The only way to remove deep scratches is to repaint the damaged element.
We don’t have a price list on how much this can cost.
Wrong Fuel
The severity of the damage depends on whether engine has been running.
For how long, how much has damage and also on where the car is located.
