Car insurance in Malta: cover types, renewal and what insurers ask

This guide explains how motor insurance works in Malta so you know what to expect when you ask for a quote or renew a policy. It is general information, not advice about which cover or insurer is right for you.

What the law requires

Every motor vehicle used on the road in Malta must be insured at least against liability to third parties. Insurance is also checked when the vehicle’s road licence is renewed, so a lapse in cover causes problems beyond the risk of driving uninsured.

The three types of cover

• Third party only: the legal minimum. Covers injury or damage you cause to other people, vehicles and property. It does not cover your own car.
• Third party, fire and theft: third-party cover plus cover if your car is stolen or damaged by fire.
• Comprehensive: also covers damage to your own car, for example after an accident, subject to the policy’s excess and terms.

Policies differ in their extras, such as roadside assistance, windscreen cover or a protected no-claims discount. Read the policy wording before you buy.

What affects the premium

Insurers price each driver individually. The main factors are:

• The type of cover, and for comprehensive or fire and theft cover, the vehicle's market value.
• The vehicle: make, model, age and engine size.
• The drivers: age, years holding a licence, where the licence was issued, and who else will drive.
• Claims history and no-claims discount.
• How the vehicle is used, for example social and commuting use or business use.

What insurers and brokers ask for

Having these details ready makes a quote quicker:

1. 1Vehicle make, model, year of registration and engine size in cc (on the logbook).
2. 2The registration number, if the car is already registered.
3. 3An estimate of the car's current market value, unless you want third-party cover only.
4. 4The main driver's age, years holding a licence and where it was issued.
5. 5Any other drivers, and the age of the youngest.
6. 6Your no-claims discount and any claims in recent years.
7. 7When you need cover to start.

At renewal

• Note your renewal date and start asking for quotes a few weeks before it, so you are not rushed.
• Check that the insured value reflects the car's current market value if you have comprehensive or fire and theft cover.
• Confirm your no-claims discount is correctly applied, and ask for proof of it if you are changing insurer.
• Tell the insurer about changes such as new drivers, a new address or a change in how the car is used.

Regulation and complaints

Insurers and insurance intermediaries in Malta are authorised and supervised by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). If you have a complaint, raise it with the insurer first. If it is not resolved, you can take it to the Office of the Arbiter for Financial Services.

qabbel.mt is an independent referral service. We do not provide insurance advice, present quotes or conclude policies.