# Driving a rental car on gravel or unpaved roads: is it allowed, and are you still insured?

> Rental contracts can restrict driving on unpaved, gravel or off-road tracks, and damage there can fall outside the excess waiver you paid for. Underbody, tyre and windscreen damage, the typical gravel road damage, can be excluded from desk cover anyway. Read the territory and road clauses before you drive, ask the desk about the roads on your route, and keep photos of the car and the road if you have no choice but to use a gravel stretch.

Updated: 2026-10-22 · Source: https://scratchfair.com/en/blog/unpaved-roads-rental-car-insurance

The map shows a beach, a mountain village or a farm stay at the end of a white road. It looks short and harmless. But a few kilometres of gravel can turn into a costly discussion about who pays for a chipped windscreen or a scraped underbody. ==On an unpaved road, the cover you paid for at the desk may not apply, even if the road is open to traffic.== Here is how to check that before you drive, and how to protect yourself if you have to go anyway.

## Why gravel roads are a problem for rental cars

Loose stones get thrown up by your own tyres and by passing cars. They chip paint and glass, and ruts and potholes can hit the underbody and the tyres. That is exactly the damage that is hard to see at the return, and that rental cover does not always include.

When Which? checked excess waivers sold by car hire firms in 2024, it found policies that did not cover damage to the underbody, and others where cover for tyres was only available as an optional extra. So even on a paved road, this kind of damage can fall outside your cover. On gravel, the risk simply goes up.

## What your contract may say

Rental terms can limit where the car may be used. Look for clauses with words like:

- unpaved, unsealed, gravel, dirt or non-asphalted roads;
- off-road, tracks, beaches or fields;
- roads not suitable for the vehicle, or not open to public traffic;
- use in breach of the contract, which can cancel the excess waiver.

ECC-Net points out that the contract should detail what is and is not covered, including the excess. If your contract excludes unpaved roads, damage there may be charged to you in full, not just up to the excess.

| Situation | What can happen |
|---|---|
| Paved road, cover bought | Damage handled under the waiver, minus any exclusions |
| Gravel road allowed in the contract | Same as above, but tyres, glass and underbody can be excluded |
| Gravel road excluded in the contract | Waiver may not apply; full repair cost possible |
| Off-road driving | Usually excluded, and sometimes forbidden by law |

> [!TIP]
> Before you book, search the terms for ‘unpaved’, ‘gravel’ and ‘off-road’. Our [terms check](https://scratchfair.com/en/tools/terms-check) helps you find the clause and see what it means for your cover.

## Some countries are different

In Iceland, Safetravel explains that gravel roads and highland F-roads are not off-road driving, that driving off marked roads is strictly forbidden, and that no insurance covers damage while crossing a river. Our article on [renting a car in Iceland](https://scratchfair.com/en/knowledge/by-country/car-rental-iceland-gravel-damage) goes into detail. On Greek islands and in rural Spain or Portugal, the access road to a beach or villa can also be unpaved, so ask before you go.

## What to do if you need to drive on gravel

## 1. Ask the desk and get the answer in writing

Name the road or the destination. Ask whether the car may be driven there and whether your cover still applies. Write the answer on the contract or ask for an email.

## 2. Choose the right car

A car with more ground clearance copes better with ruts. If you know your route includes gravel, ask whether a suitable car class is available and allowed.

## 3. Drive slowly and keep distance

Low speed reduces stone chips, both from your car and from others. Keep well back from the car in front, and slow down when someone passes.

## 4. Photograph the car before and after

Take photos of the windscreen, the lower bumpers, the sills and the tyres at pick-up, and again after the gravel stretch. Our [pick-up checklist](https://scratchfair.com/en/tools/pickup-checklist) shows the angles, including the low ones people forget.

> [!WARNING]
> If your contract excludes unpaved roads and you drive on one anyway, the damage may not be covered at all. Breaking a contract term can cost more than the excess, so check it before you turn off the asphalt.

## If you get a claim for underbody or glass damage

A claim after a trip with gravel roads is not automatically valid. Konsumentverket, the Swedish consumer agency, explains that the burden of proof rests with the rental company to show you were responsible for the damage. Ask for photos from pick-up and return, the date the damage was found, and an itemised repair invoice. Our guide on [windscreen, tyres and underbody damage](https://scratchfair.com/en/knowledge/damage-claim/windscreen-tyres-underbody-damage) explains why this damage is often excluded and how to check a claim. To check the amount, use the [amount check](https://scratchfair.com/en/tools/amount-check).

## A short example

You rent a small car in Crete and book a villa reached by a 2 km dirt track. At the desk, you ask whether the track is allowed. The agent writes on the contract that it is, but that tyres and underbody are not covered. You buy separate excess insurance that includes both, drive slowly, and photograph the car's underside edges and tyres before and after each trip. At the return, the inspection finds nothing new.

## FAQ

**Is a gravel road the same as off-road driving?**

Not always. A public gravel road is still a road, while off-road means leaving the road altogether. Safetravel Iceland, for example, explains that gravel roads and F-roads are not off-road driving. Your rental contract may still treat them differently, so check its exact wording.

**What if the only road to my accommodation is unpaved?**

Tell the rental company before you book or at the desk, and ask in writing whether that stretch is allowed. Keep the answer. If the company says no, ask about a different car or plan to park at the end of the paved road.

**Does my own excess insurance cover damage on a gravel road?**

It depends on the policy. Some standalone excess policies cover tyres, glass and the underbody, but some also exclude use that breaks the rental contract. Read both sets of terms.

## Sources

- [Which?: Holidaymakers warned about car hire excess waivers (13 June 2024)](https://www.which.co.uk/policy-and-insight/article/which-warns-holidaymakers-to-avoid-rip-off-insurance-excess-waivers-offered-by-car-hire-firms-as-it-finds-them-charging-up-to-12-times-more-than-superior-alternatives-advIY9j0qYJ0)
- [Safetravel Iceland: Highland driving](https://safetravel.is/driving/summer/highland-driving/)
- [ECC-Net: Car rental, your rights](https://www.eccnet.eu/consumer-rights/what-are-my-consumer-rights/travel-and-passenger-rights/road-travel-rights/car)
- [Konsumentverket: Problems with your rental car](https://www.konsumentverket.se/en/articles/problems-with-your-rental-car/)