Hire car · Insurance
Hire car insurance and excess in Mallorca
The price difference between rates almost always lies in the excess.
The deposit is usually blocked on a credit card belonging to the driver.
The short answer
Which hire car insurance do you need in Mallorca?
What matters is not fully comprehensive cover as such, but the amount of the excess. There are two clean options: fully comprehensive cover with no excess directly from the rental company, or a basic rate plus separate excess insurance. With the second option, any damage is first charged to your credit card and then reimbursed.
Insurance at a glance
- Third-party liability
- Always included by law – only covers damage to third parties
- CDW / fully comprehensive
- Covers the hire vehicle, usually with an excess
- Excess
- Depending on the rate, €0 to over €1,500
- Typical exclusions
- Tyres, glass, underbody, roof, lost keys, misfuelling
- Deposit
- With basic rates, equal to the excess, blocked on a credit card
- Reimbursement rate
- Damage is first charged, then reimbursed after review
The three components explained
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Third-party liability
Always included in the rental price and required by law. It covers damage to other vehicles and people – never the hire vehicle itself.
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Fully comprehensive with excess
The standard rate. In the event of damage, you pay yourself up to the agreed limit; exactly this sum is blocked as a deposit at pick-up.
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Fully comprehensive with no excess
More expensive per day, but with no extra payment in the event of damage and a considerably lower deposit. The matter is settled at the return station.
What is typically not covered
Even with fully comprehensive cover, many contracts exclude tyres, glass, underbody, roof, lost keys and misfuelling. This is exactly the kind of damage that occurs more often than average in Mallorca – on narrow mountain roads in the Tramuntana, on unpaved access roads to fincas and coves, and when manoeuvring in old-town lanes.
If you take out separate excess insurance, check whether exactly these parts are covered. The price difference between two providers almost always lies in this list, not in the basic cover.
Deposit and credit card
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A genuine credit card is needed
Many rental companies do not accept debit cards for the deposit. The card must be in the main driver’s name.
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Check your limit
With basic rates, the blocked amount can be several hundred to over a thousand euros and reduce the limit available for the rest of your holiday.
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Release takes time
After the return, the block is usually lifted within a few days; in individual cases it can take up to four weeks.
Always document damage
Photograph the whole vehicle at pick-up and return, including the fuel gauge and mileage. Have existing damage entered in the handover report before you drive off.
Compare & book · Hire car comparison
Check rates with and without excess
Do not compare the daily price, but the price including the insurance cover you want.
Comparable: station, dates, vehicle class, insurance and fuel policy.
Prepare for pick-up at Palma airport →
Transparent comparison & booking: some booking and comparison links lead to our partners. If you book or sign a contract through them, we may receive a commission. This does not cost you anything extra. How we are funded
Hire car comparison
Compare insurance cover directly
In the comparison, you can set vehicle class, station and insurance cover together – so the real final price becomes visible.
Compared: station, dates, vehicle class and insurance cover.
Prepare for pick-up at Palma airport →
Transparent comparison & booking: some booking and comparison links lead to our partners. If you book or sign a contract through them, we may receive a commission. This does not cost you anything extra. How we are funded
Frequently asked questions
What does excess mean for a hire car?
The amount you pay yourself if the hire vehicle is damaged. It is blocked on your credit card as a deposit at pick-up.
Is separate excess insurance worthwhile?
It is usually cheaper than fully comprehensive cover with no excess from the rental company. The downside: the damage is charged first and only reimbursed after review.
Are tyres and underbody covered?
Often not. Tyres, glass, underbody, roof, keys and misfuelling are typical exclusions – and in Mallorca these are exactly the most common types of damage.
Do you need a credit card for the deposit?
As a rule, yes, issued in the main driver’s name. Many rental companies do not accept debit cards.
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