COMESA / Yellow Card Insurance
 

Howdy folks

Has anyone managed to purchase COMESA / Yellow Card Insurance before they hit Africa or can it only be purchased when you get there?

Lots of talk on the HUBB about the usefullness of it but none on where it can be purchased....

Thanks

Niallo

Any news?
 

Hey Niallo

I've been looking into this too, haven't found anything out, have you since this post?

I've asked the AA in South Africa, who referred me to a crowd in the UK called 'Locktin' but it turned out to be a dead end as they don't offer it anymore.

Not yet
 

Howdy Mark - just saw that post now...

Have just started looking into it.

I think you might need an address in SA for those boyz to sort you out. Will let you know how I get on

Niall

Valid in: ANG; BOT; BUR; DRC; DJI; EGT; ERI; ETH; KEN; LES; MAL; MOZ; NAM; RSA; RWA; SOM; SUD; SWA; TAN; UGA; ZAM; ZIM.

You can't buy it in SA and so if you start there either buy in Zim or Zam.

The COMESA is not valid in the country in which you buy it. Therefore you have to buy LOCAL 3rd party insurance first - the COMESA is then an extension of this policy.

the only contact I have is in Kenya: Ring Mary Githinji at the AA in Nairobi - give her all your car details - tell her how long you want it to last and when you want it to start. She'll then sort out your local insurance and COMESA. Organise collection/payment with her...she is an honest broker, please pay her my regards.

MARY M. GITHINJI
BRANCH MANAGER-AA OF KENYA
SARIT CENTRE 2ND FLR-WESTLANDS
TELEFAX:+254 020 4449676
TEL: 3753481/3743196,0726 829851,0733 745692
EMAIL:mary.githinji@aakenya.co.ke

Has anyone since been able to arrange this before they get to Africa? we will be entering from Syria/Jordan/Egypt. Does anyone know if you can buy it in any of these countries?

Thanks

I wasn't able to arrange any in advance, but had no problems at all without it

(that was about 10 months ago)

The COMESA yellow card is only a replacement for buying 3rd party insurance everytime you enter a country at approx. 50 bucks a pop. Basicly it is alot cheaper than buying it individually on a long multi-country road trip. It also saves time at borders changing forex and getting squeezed. I have been specifically asked for it by police in TZ and Zambia and i always buy it as it just makes life easier.

Two days ago I was told the Comesa YC insurance is not valid in Egypt - even though the card says it is. I was told this in Wadi Halfa, Sudan - I'm in Aswan today and will know in another couple days when the bike gets here and I can get it through customs.

I entered South Africa in June - spent 4 months riding around SA, Namibia and Botswana and nobody asked about insurance (even got stopped a few times by the police for "infractions" and no one asked).

I was required to get insurance crossing into Mozambique - and the insurance agents at the border crossing all claimed ignorance about Comesa. Same at Malawi border. Finally in Tanzania they were able to provide Comesa YC - but then crossing into Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan, no one mentioned anything about insurance, cared if I had any.

I think its all a scam - all the insurance. Anyone ever see details of the "policy". What's covered? What's the limits? Or, what's excluded? (Ans: everything, especially if your a foreigner! but I'm such a cinyc :oops2:).

That may be because you're on a bike. A fully loaded 4x4 full of well fed whitey, in their air conditioned cocoon, will look a darn sight more "shakedownable" than a slightly soiled, solitary, biker.

I have travelled between Kenya and SA many times and I have oftened been asked for insurance (and often COMESA by name in TZ, ZW and ZM) by police road blocks. When you#re driving a vehicle you will often be asked for insurance during the border clearing process and sometimes you won't get your gate pass without it - think this happened to me in Botswana.

I resemble that remark, except I'm not "slightly soiled" - I'm way soiled. But at least I've washed my riding gear in the past year - unlike a cerain Irish guy riding this way (I won't mention any names) in a Black BMW Ralley suit.

In SA, Nam and Bots 3rd party insurance is covered by road tax and as a levie on petrol so you are paying it without knowing it.

Coming from the North the first place you can buy Comesa is in Addis. They won't ask for it in Metema or Shehedi but just don't ask them either. Once in Addis go to "Africa Insurance"(one of the big insurance companies in town) or something like that and they will direct you on where to go.

I actually got through Ethiopia and all the way down to Nairobi without it. At Mojale I asked the customs guy and he said I can't get it at the border but can ride through and buy it in Nairobi. Bought it from an insurance company 200m from Jungle Junction. (Ask Chris for directions). This will though cost you more in the end because insurance for Kenya is much more expensive than Ethiopia I am led to believe.

Again I think the Comesa does indicate Egyp but their agreement with the "Development Zone" was not agreed or withdrawn or something like that so it might not count. Anyway I'm sure the Egyptians will find a way of sucking that money out of you one way or another.

where to buy comesa in southern africa
 

Hey folks,

we travelled down the african westcoast by 4x4.
For the east-coast-part of our trip we're now trying to buy the "comesa Yellow Card" .

Does anybody know where it's possible to get?

The South African AA just sells Insurance for Mocambique and Sambia, but not the whole thing. Is it possible to buy the Yellow Card in MOZ or in Sambia - and, where?

Cheers,
robin

Not sure about Moz although they are a signaturary.

Jupiter Insurance Bulawayo
Zimsure Bulawayo or Harare

Any major insurer in Francistown or Gabs in Bots.

Ditto in Livingstone.

Just ask any local.

Comesa
 

I have been asked for insurance and for Comesa in particular on many occassions, defo take it out as Bundubasher says, saves time and hassle.

Beware Moz border, they will deny knowledge and say they are no longer a signatory but stick to your guns and they wi give in - worked for me

ChrisC

Comesa
 

I have been asked for insurance and for Comesa in particular on many occassions, defo take it out as Bundubasher says, saves time and hassle.

Beware Moz border, they will deny knowledge and say they are no longer a signatory but stick to your guns and they wi give in - worked for me

ChrisC

I have two waypoints for the COMESA from other helpful sources. I hope they can be useful for somebody else too:
Livingstone, Zambia:
Zambia State Insurance Corp Ltd
S17 50.725 E25 51.497

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:
NIB Insurance
N9 00.287 E38 46.064

Stephan

SA insurance
 

Hi, Does anyone have a good recommendation for insurance as a foreign vehicle (4x4) in South Africa and the surrounding countries as I believe the comesa to only be a top up on that. Cheers, Ian

can anyone tell me where I can get Comesa insurance in Windhoek?

Cost of Comesa yellow card in Ethiopia for motorcycle
 

We bought a Comesa yellow card insurance for a Honda NX 250 cc motorcycle here in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The prices where as follows:

- 3 months insurance for only Ethiopia and Kenya: 160 birr

- 6 months insurance for Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe: 900 birr

The rate is now 17 birr to a dollar and 22 birr to a euro.

We have heard that 3rd party insurance is not needed for Botswana, Namibia and South-Africa, because the insurance is already in the fuel price. (great! :)

Hi,

If we are heading south, where is the first place we can pick up a yellow card? Egypt or Sudan?

Thanks

Arch

For Botswana and Namibia you purchase a cross border permit as you enter the country and that includes 3rd party insurance. In ZA the insurance is part of the fuel cost.

Margaret

You now need to buy standalone 3rd party insurance in Botswana.

In SA and Namibia limited3rd party cover is provided by the Road Accident Fund (SA) and Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (Nam) which are both funded via a percentage charge on fuel and therefore cover all road users automatically. However, they only cover 3rd party liability for personal injury/death not damage to a third party's property.

comisa ins can be bought in Gonder Ethiopia at nice insurance ring Wassie Negash tel 0114 66 11 29 or 0918 28 98 98 email nice@ethionet.et he said it may be possible to arrange before you enter but he said i was the first foreigner he sold it to so who knows, cost app £30 for one month

Thanks for the info.

it will be a great help !:cool4:

Comesa/Yellow Card Insurance
 

Same question, but I need new answers. Any news?
Thanks
Carlo