Car insurance in Spain

Insurance Companies and Brokers in Spain

Elite Insurance Brokers Was established 5 years ago in their present office in Fuengirola. Our bilingual staff will explain everything you need to know concerning your insurance, with the certainty that you will comprehend your policy

BMI (Banner Murdoch Insurance Brokers S.L.) Provides brokerage services for contracting all kinds of insurance and financial products. BMI is located on the Costa del Sol, Malaga. Offices in Marbella and Fuengirola.

•   Third party liability insurance (seguro de terceros o de responsabilidad civil   obligatoria)
  
•   Full comprehensive insurance coverage (Seguro a todo riesgo)

Third party liability insurance

The third party liability insurance (seguro de terceros o de responsabilidad civil obligatoria) is mandatory in Spain. It is the minimum insurance required by Spanish law to drive a vehicle in Spain.

It covers the risk for causing personal injury and damage on third party's property (driver and passengers in another car with which it collided, passengers on the car who are not members of the insured family, pedestrians…).

The maximum indemnity this type of insurance covers is:

•   In case of personal injury: € 336,566.78 per victim
  
•   In case of property damage: € 96,161.94 per victim

This type of insurance does not cover:

•   Personal injury of the insurance taker, the driver or the owner of the insured car.
  
•   The damage caused to the insured vehicle, the things it kept in it, personal property of the insurance taker, the driver, the owner of the insured car and the spouse and relatives.

This type of insurance will not cover the damages caused in any of the following cases:

•   If the driver were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
  
•   Where the vehicle is driven by a person that the owner did not authorize
  
•   Where the driver does not have driving license

However, in any of these cases, the insurance company shall pay the corresponding indemnity to the injured party, which may be protested against the insurance taker.

Extra cover can be added to the insurance policy, driver and passenger insurance (seguro de ocupantes) is strongly recommended as the third party liability insurance does not cover the driver or his family and they must be insured separately.

Full comprehensive insurance coverage

The Full comprehensive insurance coverage (Seguro a todo riesgo) covers the injuries and damages non-covered in the third party liability insurance:

• The injuries to the insurance taker, the car owner, driver and the spouse, ascendants, descendants, relatives and the car passengers.
  
• Damages to the vehicle irrespective of how it is caused. This insurance also includes coverage against fire and breakage of glass.
  
• Damages of the car contents.
  
• Theft of the vehicle….

If the insured fails to pay the policy, he or she will have 5 months to pay it, when paid within this period of time, coverage will be recovered in 24 hours.

If you wish to contract an automobile insurance in Spain, it is advisable to bring proof of no claims from your previous insurance company, as this will help reduce your insurance premiums. If you have moved from another European country perhaps your old insurance company also operates in Spain, this might help you to get a better rate as they can check your claims history faster.

These are only general guidelines and not definitive statements of the law, all questions about the law's applications to individual cases shall be directed to a Spanish Lawyer.

Article by iAbogado Servicios Jurídicos SL (Madrid, Spain). Visit www.iAbogado.com for more original content like this. Reprint permission granted with this footer included.