News
Car fire
Three parked vehicles were damaged by fire in Nerja last month . Fire crews were rapidly on the scene behind the town centre Mercadona supermarket and managed to stop the flames causing serious damage to the two cars next to the vehicle when the blaze broke out . Witnesses said it began to burn , causing several explosions , shortly after a woman got out .
Hospital funding
Private funding will pay for the construction of Málaga ’ s new hospital which is to be built on land next to the Hospital Civil presently used as a car park . The regional government says the Health Ministry will operate the facility when it opens in 2027 . The Junta is believed to be about to offer a € 400 million contract for the building phase .
Frigiliana fire
A countryside fire in Frigiliana last month razed two hectares of land consisting mainly of fruit trees and reeds . The affected area includes scattered properties but no evacuations were required . A dozen ground crew were supported by three helicopters and the outbreak was reported stabilised within a few hours .
Beach assault
Andalucía ’ s Supreme Court has confirmed the sentences passed on two Granada men , one of whom abused a woman on Nerja ’ s Playa Burriana in July 2017 . The first , who assaulted the victim after she had passed out from drinking too much , had his prison sentence reduced from three to two years , plus five years ’ probation . His friend who failed to intervene and encouraged the assault was fined over € 4,000 , and the pair were ordered to pay the woman € 15,000 compensation .
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Watchdog warns on hire insurance
Car hire insurance sold by rental companies at Málaga airport can be up to 14 times more expensive and provide worse cover than policies bought online , according to new research published last month by the UK ’ s Consumers ’ Association . It compared the cost of insuring a week ’ s hire from major car rental companies with charges made by independent insurers available online .
The report says the most expensive policy at Málaga airport was offered by Europcar at £ 203 a week , while the cheapest policy from a major online provider was £ 14 a week , saving £ 189 . On average , it says , the six biggest car hire firms charge £ 147 for a week ’ s insurance , while the six top-rated independent insurance policies sold online cost an average of £ 23 .
It adds that the lowest price from a car hire company for a week ’ s insurance bought in Spain was from Enterprise at £ 115 , while Avis , Alamo , Europcar , Goldcar and Hertz ’ s policies were all more expensive .
In addition , the report found that the more expensive policies offered by the car hire insurance firms provide inferior cover when compared with the toprated independent insurance policies .
Vélez-Málaga has asked the government to suspend the new fishing management plan until it is fully evaluated , including its effects on the local fishing fleet . The resource management plan will regulate trawling in the western Mediterranean , and is intended to allow the recovery of species including hake , shrimp , lobster , and mullet .
The call from Vélez councillors comes after some boats based at Caleta de Vélez were allocated just 110 days work a year under the proposals from the Ministry of Agriculture in order to comply with European regulations .
Vélez is asking for a socio-economic study to be made in conjunction with
The best car hire insurance included cover for damage to a car ’ s tyres , windscreen and underbody , flat battery cover , administrative charges , car-jacking , towing cover and personal accident cover , among other features . Questor Insurance is cited as giving the best deal in cover which includes filling up with the wrong fuel , getting locked out , and losing or damaging the keys . The reports adds that Europcar , which costs £ 179 more , did not offer any of this cover as part of its policy .
On policy exclusions , the report gives examples of absence of cover for Avis customers who suffered a stone chip on the windscreen , Alamo customers who have flat tyre and Hertz customers who lock themselves out of the vehicle .
The only disadvantage of taking out an independent policy , the report adds , is that customers still have charges deducted from their credit card by the hire company , and then must claim the sum back from their insurer afterwards .
The report concludes by warning that the best insurance deal is not always the cheapest , and reminds customers to check the terms of the policy and the cover on offer before buying .
Vélez asks for fishing plan delay
the regional government of Andalucía into how the plan will affect the trawling sector in the Mediterranean . It says the Ministry should take into account the significant effort made by the fleet in recent years which has already led to a reduction in the number of boats presently operating .
There are presently 36 boats which engage in trawling in the five ports in the province of Málaga - Estepona , Marbella , Fuengirola , Málaga and Caleta de Vélez – and there are fears that the viability of the sector could be adversely affected by the proposals . Trawling by the Málaga fleet is multispecies making it the most attractive market for fish buyers , especially from the hospitality and retail sectors .
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