Car insurance
It is vital to insure your car whilst in Bahrain. If you’re renting a car, the company through which you have rented will offer such services, if insurance is not included in the price. If you have bought a car, then you can use an insurance broker. It is important that you check out a few offers and quotes, as often the first figure you get won’t be the best one.
Buying a car
The majority of expats in Bahrain opt to purchase a car. In order to do that you will need a Population Registration Card (CPR). Many cars for sale tend to be parked at obvious locations: for example, many expats who are returning home park their cars for sale along the road into Juffair. Another good place to look for cars are ads in newspapers. The most visited car showrooms are located on the highway in Sitra. If you are buying or selling a car why not check our classifieds section for Bahrain.
Car rental
There are many car hire companies in Manama and at the airport, with an average daily price of 15 BHD (around €30) and per week, 72 BHD (around €144), for a small four door sedan. These rates include car insurance and unlimited mileage, however exclude petrol.
It is often advised to pay 2 BHD (around €4) per day for a collision damage waiver in order to avoid huge costs in case of an accident. A renting driver needs to be over 21 years old (or over 25 if the car model is very expensive) and an international driving permit is often required for foreigners, even though it is sometimes enough to just have a driving license.