Library Ticket

Do Spanish motor insurance companies treat male and female drivers differently with regard to cost? If so is it for policies with one insured driver only?

If when we move to Spain we take out a policy in my name with my husband as a named driver is it likely to be any cheaper than a policy in his name with me as the named driver?

We’ve reduced to one car in the UK as we don’t need two anymore. For practical reasons we’ve kept mine which means my husband no longer has insurance. Finding out how Spain treats drivers will help us decide whether to keep our current policy as is or to transfer it into my husband’s name to keep up his no claims.

Grateful for any help or advice.

anonimouse

Not sure If I have read this correct, if the car is English reg you may find it difficult to insure it in Spain anyway, there are specialist companies who will do it, usually UK based, although I do know of one in Spain. English companies usually only offer limited cover unless you pay a lot more for every month you're abroad.

Library Ticket

We will sell our car in the UK before leaving and buy a LHD when we arrive in Spain.

anonimouse

Ah, much better idea, sorry I don't know if they treat ladies differently

I doubt your English insurance will cover a Spanish reg car though.

megmet

It works a little differently here it's the car that's insured not the driver, by that I mean you don't have to be a named driver as it covers all.
Do make sure that you bring written proof of your no claims with you, as far as I'm aware they don't treat women different, but insurance is more expensive here, so shop around.

snikpoh

However, there are some Spanish companies (IBEX for example) who do offer no-claims-discount and who do not, as standard, offer cover for any driver. Because of this, it leads me to believe that they insure the driver and not the car.

tednsharon

We were recommended to go to our bank who could provide car insurance quotes for us - which we did (last week).

The bank said to put the car in my name as it should be cheaper. The bank phoned back the next day with the quotes - which were very reasonable - despite us having no history of motor insurance in Spain. So at least now we know a ball park figure. When I queried "is it the car or the driver?" the bank said the car, but if I would feel happier she could find out how much it would be to put my husband as a named driver and apparently the quote came back the same.

Hope this helps Sharon

PS Been told to try Linea Direct (Spanish Direct Line) too

Mitzyboy

When you insure a car in Spain some companies cover the whole family. So when I insured mine, I was told my wife and daughter could drive it also.

jimenato

I insure through IBEX (a Gibraltarian company BTW) and they insure my car with named drivers.

ETA actually I think it's any driver over a certain age.

jdr

I thought all companies insure the car and allow any driver of over 30 years old that has a licence.
i just had a clause on mine for named drivers under 30 years old of an extra excess of 200 €`s if they had a prang while driving.

snikpoh

No they don't.

You can add named drivers or ask for any driver but the basic insurance(with some insurers) is insured driver only!

I know the usual insurance in Spain is that you insure the car so anyone over 30 can drive it but my point was that you can get other types of insurance if that's what you want.

... horses for courses

Mitzyboy

I didnt get the choice, it was the car insured for my family, i.e. wife and daughter

jdr

Well we have insured 8 cars here with various companies and they have all been any licenced driver over 30, anyone under 30 had to be named and excess added if they had a prang.

Library Ticket

So if it's the car that's insured not the driver it shouldn't make any difference to the cost as to who is named as the principal driver, am I right?

If so why did tednsharon's bank tell them it would be cheaper to insure their car in Sharon's name?

jdr

Maybe cos she had a bigger no claims bonus, which you import from your last insurer.