Cover levels, deductible and deposit
Car hire insurance in Albania
Each car in our search lists its own cover levels, from free third-party cover up to Full Coverage Plus. They differ in which damage is covered and in how much you pay towards it. Here is what each level includes, what the deductible means, and what cancels your insurance altogether.
What the free cover includes
The base level is called "Minimum coverage". It is free and selected by default, and it is third-party liability only: it pays for damage you cause to other vehicles in an accident.
It does not pay for damage to the hire car itself. In the comparison table on each car's page, body damage from a traffic accident and damage to glass, lamps and wheels are both marked as not covered at this level, and the deductible reads N/A. If you want the car itself covered, you need Basic coverage or higher.
The cover levels, and what each one adds
On any car's page, open "Comparison of Insurance Policies" to see its levels side by side. The level names are the same across the fleet, but the price per day, the deposit and the deductible change from car to car, so we do not quote them here.
Minimum coverage
Free, selected by default (TPL)
- Included: Third-party liability
- Not included: Body damage from a traffic accident
- Not included: Glass, lamps and wheels
Basic coverage
Limited collision cover (CDW)
- Included: Third-party liability
- Included: Body damage from a traffic accident, with a deductible
- Not included: Glass, lamps and wheels
Full Coverage
Limited driver liability (SuperCDW)
- Included: Third-party liability
- Included: Body damage from a traffic accident, with a deductible
- Included: Glass, lamps and wheels, not tyre damage or punctures
Full Coverage Plus
No driver liability for accident damage
- Included: Third-party liability
- Included: Body damage from a traffic accident
- Included: Glass, lamps and wheels, not tyre damage or punctures
- Included: No deductible ("No franchise")
The deductible is the most you pay towards damage your level covers; the insurance company pays the rest. Not every car offers every level: some show "Not available" against Basic coverage or Full Coverage, and some offer only Minimum coverage and Full Coverage Plus. To see only cars with the top level, use the "Full insurance" filter in the search.
Some things are not rows in the table at any level. Undercarriage and interior damage are not listed, and the rental terms say standard insurance does not cover wheels, undercarriage, windscreen or interior. Theft is not listed either; on some cars, Theft Protection is sold separately under Additional services.
What makes the insurance invalid
Whichever level you pay for, the rental terms set conditions that cancel it. They apply to every car.
No police report after an accident
You must tell the rental agent straight away and get a police report, unless the agent agrees otherwise. Skip either and the insurance is cancelled and you are fully responsible. The comparison table also marks a police report as required at every level.
Deliberate damage
The insurance is invalid if the car is deliberately damaged through intentional vandalism or neglect.
Leaving paved public roads
Rental cars may only be driven on paved public roads.
The prohibited routes and regions
The terms name routes and regions where no insurance is valid, including Berat to Përmet through the Osumi Canyon, Theth to Valbona through the mountains, Lake Koman, Tomorri Mountain National Park, and unpaved exits to beaches.
The full list is in our rental terms, and the driving in Albania guide covers it for trip planning.
If you have an accident
- 1
Tell the rental agent straight away
The terms require immediate notice, and the agent can tell you if anything different has been agreed for your rental.
- 2
Get a police report
It is required at every cover level. Without it, unless the agent has agreed otherwise, the insurance is cancelled.
- 3
Keep a record
Photograph the damage and the scene, and keep copies of the police report and your rental agreement.
For damage your level covers, and as long as its conditions are met, you then pay up to the deductible on Basic coverage or Full Coverage, and no deductible on Full Coverage Plus. Minimum coverage does not cover the hire car itself.
The deposit is not the same as your cover
The deposit is paid when you pick up the car, and the comparison table shows it for each level. On some cars there is no deposit at any level, and the search can be filtered to "No deposit" or "Low deposit under 100€".
No deposit does not mean no liability. A car with no deposit can still carry a deductible on Basic coverage and Full Coverage, so for damage that level covers you can still owe up to that amount. Check the deposit and the deductible separately for the level you choose; our no-deposit car hire page explains the deposit side.
A physical embossed credit card in the main driver's name may be required at pickup. Some rental companies accept a physical embossed debit card instead, and your booking and voucher say which applies.
Before you drive off, photograph the car all the way round, including the wheels, glass and roof, so any damage already there is on record.
Standard insurance does not cover wheels, undercarriage, windscreen or interior, and no insurance is valid on the prohibited routes.
Insurance questions, answered straight
What is KASKO cover, and do I need it for a hire car in Albania?
KASKO (or casco) is insurance on damage to the car itself, as opposed to third-party cover. In our search, that is what Basic coverage and above add, since Minimum coverage is third-party only. Levels, prices and deductibles vary by car, and the fullest level is not offered on every car, so use the "Full insurance" filter.
Is insurance included in the price?
Minimum coverage is included free, but it is third-party liability only. It does not pay for damage to the hire car itself; for that you need Basic coverage or higher, chosen on the car's page.
What is the deductible, or excess?
It is the most you pay towards damage your cover level includes; the insurance company pays the rest. The amount depends on the car and the level and is shown in the comparison table on the car's page. Full Coverage Plus shows "No franchise".
Which cover level pays for glass and wheels?
Full Coverage and Full Coverage Plus pay for glass, lamps and wheels, but not tyre damage or punctures. Minimum and Basic coverage do not. Undercarriage and interior damage are not listed at any level.
Do I need a police report after an accident?
Yes. Tell the rental agent straight away and get a police report, unless the agent agrees otherwise. The comparison table marks the report as required at every level, and the terms say that without it the insurance is cancelled.
Does a no-deposit car mean I have no liability?
No. No deposit only means nothing is held as a deposit at pickup. On Basic coverage and Full Coverage the car can still have a deductible, so for covered damage you can still owe up to that amount.
Can I take a hire car on dirt roads or from Theth to Valbona?
No. Rental cars may only be driven on paved public roads, and the terms name routes and regions where no insurance is valid, including Theth to Valbona through the mountains, the Osumi Canyon road and unpaved exits to beaches. No cover level changes that.
Is theft covered?
Theft is not a row in the cover comparison. On some cars, Theft Protection is offered as a separate paid extra under Additional services on the car's page, so check there before you book.
See the cover before you pay
Compare live prices for your dates, then open the cover comparison on any car to see its levels, deposit and deductible before you book.
Search cars