Car insurance and Motor bike insurance

Hi

I wondered if anyone could let me know the situation regarding insurance for motor bikes as well as insurance for cars.

We both currently have full no claims insurance for our cars and also full no claims insurance for our motorbikes.

Could you please let me know on moving to Spain whether our full no claims will be taken into account with the insurance companies.

Thank you.

Hi, yes I believe so - certainly I received the full discount immediately and they didn't even ask for any proof.  More trusting than UK insurers.

yes your no claims will count in Spain. I insured a car in August, I gave them details of my British insurance, they checked it up in minutes and did the deal.

The broker was Spanish Insurance in La Zenia, next to Mercadonna. They've got adverts in Murcia today and Le@der

M/C insurance in Spain can be expensive. (when I came  to Spain in 1988 I had a Honda RS 125cc I had to shop around to get full comp and it cost the equivalent of  £400 and that was with full NC.  At that time in UK I had full comp on any bike up to 350cc for £73).   I currently have a 600 cc bike insured, 

Anything more than third party is difficult to get.   

For my 600 cc bike I am at present with Linea Directa (196€ 3rd party). They were 100€ cheaper  than the 'best company ' i.e. the one I was with last.   They also accept NC bonus.  I would say shop around and recheck each year when you get the renewal.  Be aware that in Spain 'legally' you need to give 2 months notice to cancel insurance, so if you have a direct debit think ahead.

Also most (all) policies are for any-driver, with varying excess according to the experience of each driver.  Usually breakdown assistance (from home) is included in the policy. In Spain your policy does not cover you driving any other vehicle (as in UK) and, finally, if one is over the limit, or their DL has expired, they are not insured.

I would like to warn people about using Linea directa for car insurance

i have been with them for 5 years have 3 cars with them, each year they usaully call me to let me know that the car insurance is due soon, not a porblem because then you get to haggle and get a better price or go else where

Well this year they didnt even send me the paperwork , no phone call no email, it wasnt until i checked my bank that i noticed that they had taked the money

i call them to ask why they had taken the money, their reply was your car was due, i asked about why they had not contacted me , they said that they sent paperwork that was all they had to do, then i asked why would i agree for you to take money on a car , one that i don't use any more, two i am selling, and three you charged me even more than last year for a car that is a year older, no answer

 they said send paperwork to cancel, i did, asked when i would get refunded....................no we will give it back when you renew your other cars, i asked what if i don't want to renew with you, no answer no reply

i have in formed my bank that they are not allowed to just go and take money, what i want to call them,( no different to somebody wearing a stocking over their face)

I do know that they will not be getting any thing else, so behware they are not the best by far

Robbers yes by far

Words can not explain my feeling, i will insure else where that is for sure
 

Don't know if all insurance companies are the same but I had much the same happen to me, noticed an uncountable large amount gone from my bank account, after a bit of tracking it turned out to be my insurance company who had taken the years premium out even though I hadn't asked them to re-insure me, seems that, and this is what they told me, you have to "Untick" the box that lets them roll over the policy, and any payments if you don't inform them that you are not going to renew with said same company, I did get the money back though.

I suppose in one way, depending on how you look at it, it can be a good thing, supposing you had an accident and had forgotten to insure, okay larger amount then normal but still covered.

Another thing is maybe once you are insured with a company they are legally bound to make sure you stay covered, they wouldn't have known if you didn't want the new policy so presumed you did and insured you.

I too had a row with Linea Directa a few years ago.  When I got my renewal, after several years with them, it seems on the high side. I called them gave a false name but all the others details correctly and asked for a quote. It was 20% less than the renewal fee had been asked for.  (NB they now have a data base which shows who you are if you use  the telephone number you have used before).  After a few back and forths they offerred me cover at the 20% less.  Needless to say I did not renew with them.

That said, the same has applied to all insurance companies I have dealt with 1956, they all edge the premium up year by year for their ‘loyal’ customers.  One should always shop around at least every couple of years.

In Spain one has third party cover (minimum cover) for one month after the policy has expired; however, as I wrote earlier, one must cancel cover at least 2 months before the expiry date otherwise the company can insist you pay for another year. 

A Direct Debit is paid at the demand of the person /entity  being paid.   So if an insurance company demand payment the bank will pay, although one would usually have , I believe it's 21 days , to cancel that payment and get a refund.   But as I said the company could still insist you pay unless the 2 months’ notice has been given.

This is the European system - it seems to apply to all classes of insurance, but yes quite often unless you tell them not to renew and give the required notice they will just take the premium at renewal.  I forget but I think it's either 2 or 3 months notice required for household insurance. 

It's not just Spain, it's quite common across Europe.

When I insured my car four years ago with a Spanish company in Quesada, they offered me three wys to pay; one single payment at the start of the policy (16th Sept), three payments on the same date of the first three months by debit card, or twelve monthly payments by D/D. I chose the second option and gave them authorisation to take three only payments (after which they do not keep the debit card details).

Every August, they call and say 'your insurance is due next month and it will be XYZ euros'

I say 'oh, no no no, far too much!'

They say 'ok, we can do it for UVW euros' 

I say 'ok', give them a new authorisation for three card payments on fixed dates.

No need for cancellation period, no over-payments or unauthorised deductions. No problems.

Steve