Car rental
Renting a car in Spain is possible from the age of 21, provided you hold a valid driving licence. In practice, insurers impose mandatory conditions on car hire companies. As a result, you may face surcharges in the following situations:
- If you are under 25 years old;
- If you have held your driving licence for less than 1 year (sometimes 2 years);
- If you are older than 70.
Where to rent?
Be sure to take a look at the following pages:
https://www.autoverhuurervaringen.nl/
https://www.skyscanner.net/autoverhuur
What documents do you need to hire a car in Spain?
Wil je een auto huren in Spanje dan heb je de volgende documenten nodig:
- A valid driving licence for at least one, sometimes two years;
- A valid pasport;
- A creditcard.
Rent a car in Spain without a credit card
It is hardly possible to rent a car without a credit card. Few rental companies can be found that allow this.
Don't get caught
1. Look carefully in the rental and policy conditions to see which damage is excluded and thus remains at your own expense. Sometimes it even states that damage following a traffic violation is excluded.
2. There are additional insurance policies available in Belgium that provide cover for certain exclusions. Check with an insurance company for the possibilities.
3. You can also take out temporary insurance that covers all risks when renting a car abroad.
see: https:www.rentalcover.com and https://www.allianz-assistance.nl/
4. If you have booked through an intermediary, be careful not to take out the same insurance again when picking up the hire car or unwittingly take out additional insurance.
Spending limit credit/debit card
Before departure, check the spending limit of your credit card and the required deposit for your rental car. When picking up the car, the rental company will block this amount on the card and only release it after returning it. So you cannot spend the reserved space during your holiday or road trip.
If your limit is not high enough to meet the deposit, you may find yourself with a problem. The landlord may then require you to take out an additional insurance option, reducing the amount of the deposit. This will increase the total rent.
The rental company requires that the first driver is also the owner of the credit card. Changing the first driver at the last minute can incur costs. Especially if this means you need an extra driver in the contract.
Pay attention to the fuel regime
There are various fuel regimes used by rental companies. Make sure you adhere to the regulations so you don't face nasty after-taxes.
Common fuel arrangements of car rental companies:
- Full-full. With the full-full arrangement, you get the car with a full tank and you have to return it full again. Take a photo of the fuel gauge as proof when you return the car to the rental company;
- Prepaid tank. Under this arrangement, you pay for a full tank of fuel when you pick up the hire car and it does not matter how full the tank is when you return it. Sometimes you get a refund if you return the car with a tank that is not empty. This is then stated in the terms and conditions;
- Same level. Under this arrangement, you return the rental car with the same amount of fuel you picked it up with.
Note any mileage limitation
Some contracts mention a mileage limitation. Take note of this when signing the contract. If you exceed the mileage limit, there could be financial consequences.
Print your reservation and don't get talked out of it
Car rental companies make money through all the extras in the contract, such as a GPS or extra insurance. The moment you pick up the car, the staff sometimes try to sell you extra things. Typical examples are:
- Additional insurance supposedly required by law. Sometimes it is said that your deposit is a high amount (higher than your credit card limit) and that you can reduce it by taking the extra insurance;
- An upgrade to a more expensive class. It happens that the clerk tries to ‘oblige’ that upgrade because they allegedly no longer have a rental car available of the class you booked;
- You have booked a rental car with a specific maximum mileage or age, but you get a car with higher mileage or a rental car that is too old.
In the above cases, don't get talked out of it. Read up on the applicable rules beforehand, print your reservation and stick to what you have rented. You are within your rights and often the rental company tries to make you pay for a problem they themselves have (such as no available cars in the reserved class).
Book online
Book the car online well in advance. If you arrive at your destination and have not booked a car, you are at the mercy of the rental companies. This means high prices, little choice of models and unclear insurance.
Check the car together on return
Always check the hire car together with the employee and have him sign the return confirmation. To be absolutely sure, take photos of the car's interior and exterior. Also take a picture of the fuel gauge.
Going to return the rental car and the rental company's office is closed? Take a picture of the parked car and the tank level. Send these photos via an email or text message to the rental company with the message that the car was abandoned at that time.
mportant traffic rules in Spain
- The maximum permitted blood alcohol level for experienced drivers in Spain is set at 0.5 grams per litre;
- Try to pay any fine within 20 days, which will get you a 50% discount;
- A general rule in Spain dictates that while driving you should always be in control;
- Wearing a headset is prohibited;
- In cities, park in car parks as it is not always clear where you are allowed to park;
- It is not allowed to park against the driving direction;
- In case of a breakdown, always put on a safety vest and use a warning triangle;
- Children up to 136 cm should not sit in the front;
- Keep 1.5 metres distance when passing cyclists
- Keep both hands on the wheel;
- Vehicles with a Spanish number plate are required to carry two danger triangles, for vehicles registered abroad this is no longer compulsory;
- The use of lights is mandatory in tunnels.