Så vidt jeg vet, gjelder reisegarantien etter innstillingen.

Yes, Så vidt jeg vet is a very common fixed expression. It means as far as I know.

A more literal breakdown is something like:

• så vidt = so far / to the extent that
• jeg vet = I know

But in normal English, you would usually translate the whole phrase idiomatically as as far as I know.

It is often used to soften a statement and show that the speaker is not claiming absolute certainty.

This is because of the V2 rule in Norwegian main clauses.

In Norwegian, the finite verb usually has to come in the second position of a main clause. Here, the introductory phrase Så vidt jeg vet comes first, so the verb gjelder must come next:

• Så vidt jeg vet, gjelder reisegarantien etter innstillingen.

If you remove the introductory phrase, the normal order would be:

• Reisegarantien gjelder etter innstillingen.

So the subject reisegarantien moves after the verb because something else has been placed first.

Gjelder is the present tense of å gjelde.

This verb often means:

• to apply
• to be valid
• to concern

In this sentence, it means something like applies / is still valid.

This is a very useful verb in formal and practical contexts, for example:

• Regelen gjelder alle. = The rule applies to everyone.
• Tilbudet gjelder ut måneden. = The offer is valid until the end of the month.

So here, gjelder is about whether the travel guarantee still applies.

Because Norwegian normally forms compound nouns as one word.

So:

• reise = travel
• garanti = guarantee
• reisegaranti = travel guarantee

Then the definite ending is added to the whole compound:

• reisegarantien = the travel guarantee

This is very common in Norwegian, and it is one of the biggest differences from English spelling. English often writes these as two words, but Norwegian usually joins them.

Compare:

• togbillett = train ticket
• reiseforsikring = travel insurance
• reisegarantien = the travel guarantee

Because reisegarantien is the definite form: the travel guarantee.

Compare:

• en reisegaranti = a travel guarantee
• reisegarantien = the travel guarantee

The definite form is used when the thing is already known from the context, or when both speaker and listener know which guarantee is being talked about.

In practical or legal contexts, Norwegian often uses the definite form where English would also use the.

Etter most often means after.

So in this sentence it connects the validity of the guarantee to something that happened earlier.

Common meanings of etter include:

• after in time
• according to in some contexts
• for / in search of in expressions like lete etter

Here, the natural reading is the time-related one: after / following something.

Because it refers to a specific, known instance of whatever innstillingen means in the context.

Compare:

• innstilling = an indefinite form
• innstillingen = the definite form

So the sentence is not talking about just any innstilling, but the particular one already mentioned or understood.

Also, innstilling can have different meanings depending on context, so the definite ending does not tell you the meaning by itself. The context does that.

It functions like an introductory clause/expression, and that is why a comma is natural here.

When a clause or clause-like expression comes before the main clause in Norwegian, a comma is often used before the main clause begins:

• Så vidt jeg vet, gjelder reisegarantien etter innstillingen.

The comma helps show the boundary between the introductory part and the main statement.

It also matches the pause you would often make in speech.

Yes. If you remove the introductory phrase, or place it later, the word order changes.

For example:

• Reisegarantien gjelder etter innstillingen.
• Reisegarantien gjelder, så vidt jeg vet, etter innstillingen.

But the original version is very natural because Norwegian often starts with a phrase like Så vidt jeg vet and then follows the V2 rule.

So the original sentence sounds normal and idiomatic.