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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
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  #1  
Old 29 Jan 2005
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Comesa Yellow Card Insurance
Hi,

I am in Zimbabwe at the moment and considering purchasing the Comesa yellow card third party insurance for about US$130, which covers Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

My questions are....

1. Is it cheaper to buy in one go, or otherwise just buy third party insurance at each border?

2. How strict are these countries in enforcing the requirement for third party insurance? So far, I have taken my bike through South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and Mozambique is the only country that has requested to see any 3rd party insurance.

cheers
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  #2  
Old 29 Jan 2005
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cheapest place to get it is tanzania, but 130 isn´t silly money for avoiding the hassle at each border such as Namanga or bribes/fines when you´re caught. ie its the cheapest and easiest option.

I crossed into tanzania via a remote border where insurance wasn´t available and was fined a couple of days later when I was stopped.

I have no idea what would happen if you had an accident without 3rd party. actually, I´d guess it would be expensive!

[This message has been edited by RichLees (edited 29 January 2005).]
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  #3  
Old 31 Jan 2005
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Thanks for the tip, Rich

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  #4  
Old 2 Feb 2005
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We got the Yellow Card insurance in Ethiopia when heading south, and I'm glad we did. Saved a lot of hassle, and most likely money in the end. Things go a lot smoother when you can just show that all your documents are in order, giving the officials no excuse to ask for bribes etc.

Erik

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  #5  
Old 2 Feb 2005
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Hey Matt

Are you on a bike? $ 130 sounds very expensive to me, in Blantyre (Malawi) you can get COMESA for about $35 and (for a landrover Im told) and in Uganda for about $30 for a bike (I know).

I think insurance is proably a good idea, although i just did Cape to Cairo via East coast with none and never paid a fine. I am however a cheapskate South African... I did have an accident involving another person in Ethiopia and nobody asked to see insurance. I may have been lucky...

Enjoy the trip mate and call me when you reach Cape Town!
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  #6  
Old 3 Feb 2005
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i agree with the above post. i think i only paid about 30 or 40 US$ in 2000 in Nairobbery.

ChrisB

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  #7  
Old 3 Feb 2005
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Hmm, seems like they saw me coming.

I did shop around a lot and this was the only agent I found in Zim who would actually issue the Comesa for a bike that wasn't registered in Zimbabwe. For coverage for each country for a month, it works out to be about US$15, but when you add all those up for eight countries for five months it is about US$130....and that was using black market zim dollars, it would probably have cost me about US$240 using offical exchange rates!

Jim,

I am actually heading North, but when I do eventually return to SA some time in the future, I will definately look you up for a or two (just as long as it is not Castle or Black Label...I have had far too many hangovers from the stuff you brew down there).
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  #8  
Old 4 May 2005
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Can't remember the name of the place I bought mine in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, but it definately wasn't ZIMNAT.

Guy didn't know how to fill in the card etc and I got away with only paying for one country although my YC is valid for Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi and Kenya (my truck is Zim registered)

enzo
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  #9  
Old 15 May 2005
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As long as the price in whatever country is reasonable then I say the Yellow Card insurance is invaluable.

It is the first thing that police roadblocks ask for in Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya.

A rather angry policeman in Nairobi stopped me at night and asked for it. He was angling for a bribe and so he then tried to con me that it was not valid for Kenya and when I asked for his name and badge no. etc he became very agitated and very nearly blew my head off. I must say that I did not help matters, although I was very polite etc at the beginning, by losing my cool with the guy.

Just to say that it is worth every penny and saves much hassle especially as my Zim/UK registered vehicle sticks out a mile and seems to have become a target for every policeman wioth a chip on his shoulder.
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  #10  
Old 3 Apr 2006
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I understand that Sudan has now also signed up to the Comesa Yellow Card system...worth comfirming though
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