info needed about car hire insurance please?

Yes you can. Ours is from https://www.insurance4carhire.com/ but I've never actually had to show it.

Rob
Los Gallardos/Palomares

All car hires should have normal insurance included. The top up insurance is the one that they ask you to buy but it is not compulsory.   We always have the annual insurance 4 car hire recommended above (which covers any excess)  and say no thank you to the top up insurance at the desk. As long as the car is insured to drive which should be included in any price quoted then you are not obliged to take out the hire cars top up insurance at the desk and do not have to show them any proof that you have the excess insurance already. It only costs about £43 per year and covers all car hires in that year. www.insurance4carhire.com

  (read about it on this link above).

Hi,

Just from my senile recollection there have been cases reported, & I recall Goldcar which is Europcar, where a booking is made and then when the client turns up to collect then the Ins. Policy is refused & a hard sell to purchase theirs. Hasn't there been a recent damming report in UK press?

Whichever you use then at collection photograph every panel, sills & rooff in close up including the windscreen in case of chips. Repeat when you return & remember if they are closed & you drop off the key, etc, you are still responsible for any 'alleged' damage.

Best Wishes,

Bob and Sandra

Mojacar Playa and Puerto Lumbreras

If you have excess insurance then that insurance pays for the damage. All decent hire car companies are insured in the price quoted but all will have an excess policy that they will ask if you want to buy it ......it is not compulsory and if you have a separate annual excess insurance then there is no need to buy it as you are covered and in theory would be paying twice for the same cover.

Always worth taking photos though before and after the hire period.

Yes, you can, as long as you buy it to cover Europe. I buy mine for 12 months from a British company using my Spanish address.

Absolutely, we took out for years before we moved here .... try Questor Ins £35 per annum 

Excellent service

One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that it is nothing to do with the car rental company if you have excess insurance You are liable and they will block out a sum in excess of 1000 euros on your credit card and you will have to pay for any damage and hopefully your insurance will pay you back. I have used three companies at alicante and the return inspection has been fair in each case

"They will block out a sum in excess of 1000 euros on your credit card"

Not always they won't. If you use Centauro's Premium plan as I do from Murcia/Alicante/Malaga nothing gets blocked and with Avis Preferred Plus (Almeria) I also get nothing blocked off the card. Similarly you won't from Al Andalus at Almeria as they don't accept cards and only accept cash so CAN'T block anything.

Rob
Los Gallardos/Palomares

Have just used Clara car hire from Murcia airport, 265 euro for 2 weeks Hyundai I20, incl excess insurance and full tank of fuel, return empty.

Met us at airport, paid with mobile card reader, no problems whatso ever. Downside is they are Alicante based and wont be covering new airport.

James