Insurance cover confusion!
 

I've started looking into policies to cover us for our RTW trip in November. We're going for about 4-5 years (all being well) so we're after a policy which can be renewed/extended on a year by year basis. The longest extendable policy I've found is for 2 years. We're after cover for health and equipment etc. (not looking to insure the bike).

I've talked to a few companies following recommendations on the HU but they have all said a similar thing - that we can only take out a new policy (after the 2 year extension)if we are in the country we're registered in. i.e. We can't start a new policy while we're on the road. We have to take it out before the trip begins. Odd!

Maybe I'm missing the point or haven't thought round it yet but has anyone else come across this? Did you get round it somehow? I suspect I'm just being thick, so if I am - take pitty and share your info. Just don't seem right to me!

Cheers

Chris

Chris

I'm having the same issue, but also finding it difficult to find a competitive premium for both personal and bike cover. Campbell Irvine have quoted me £580 for personal cover and about £1,100 for the bike. If you find anyone any cheaper could you please post a message.

Simon

Hello,

I am planning for a RTW starting in 2005/2006 and am a little courious about the insurances. Are there any insurances for the bike being able to abtain for the world? I just found insurances continent by continent or even worse country by country.

The insurance sould just cover collisions, no thefts or other things and of course should be cheap.

I travelled for four month through South America without any bike insurance, which went well but it is more comfy to have one.

If anyone has a link or company for RTW coverage, please state your comments here.

Ciao,

Jan

------------------
Travelling is living twice, and no money can substitute the impressions of the world expirienced while travelling with the bike.

Chris,

Did you ever get your insurance sorted out?

Cheers.

We are about to leave on our second RTW type journey. Long time insurance is a problem it doesnt matter where you leave from. Leaving from Australia creates all the same type problems. Long time insurance is the problem, as it is difficult to renew on the road.Most companies do not want to know you. Last time we took insurance that covered everything excluding the bikes. This time we are only taking a medical insurance.Covers evacuation as well should it be necessary. In fact it is the same medical coverage as on the full policies. Really cannot see the need for the missed flights and delay type cover. It is renewable every 6 months while we are on the road. The only one we have found like that. Not insuring our luggage as we have discovered it is not covered while the bike is being freighted. Something about not being part of our luggage but a seperate freight deal. Only the luggage that comes on the same plane as us would be covered. Also a lot of policies have small print that says that luggage is only covered in vehicles if it is locked in the trunk of the vehicle. I think that they could get out of paying a claim for things lost off a motorcycle, but that is just an opinion not gospel. . . .A lot of our gear is older and not worth the insurance premiums. . . and not replaceable. Our helmets etc we guard with our lives and even if insured are not really that easy to replace in a lot of places.It is a huge worry and I am sure you are never sure that you have taken the correct type of cover. All the best, Cheryl.

Renewal whilst on the road can be a problem - some companies just will not do it.
Try getting quotes before hand from several different companies and change company when the previous runs out - obviously don't tell them you are already on the road - could be a problem latter.
Also if you return part way through a trip some companies will cancel the policy.
During our trip, I returned to the uk for a medical check up - unrelated to the trip. Later as the policy was due for renewal we contact the company from abroad they not only refused to renew but stated that as I had returned during the trip my cover was infact cancelled - had I needed to claim for bagggage or illness/accident reasons they would have refused to assist!
Make sure you check all this type of info before agreeing to take out cover and read all the small print and clauses etc.

------------------
ChrisC

In responce we went with Navigator Insurance in the end. (Tel: 0870 241 0576. Web: www.navigatortravel.co.uk) They offered the best policy for the 2 of us. The cover is for personal losses, injury and liability WHILE NOT ON THE BIKE.

One reson we chose them is that should you return to your home country during the life of the policy it is not cancelled but continues to run once you resume your trip. We have infact had to return to the UK due to an illness in the family and it has proved worth taking out the policy as the insurers have paid for our flights home. In addition they are paying for our flights back to the USA to continue our trip in a couple of weeks. The joint policies cost approx. £660 for 18 months. Our flights both ways come to £2100 so the policy has paid for itself twice already!

Posessions are covered on the bike if using lockable panniers but single items are only covered upto £300. i.e. our laptop and cameras have seperate insurance. (Talk to Jessops if in the UK for this).

Re: Policy renewal on the road, Navigastor have told us that they will extend our policies for a further 18 months when the time comes. I don't know if that still stands now we have made a claim though. We'll see! I did ask how they would know if we were already travelling when we come to renew our policies and they said that in the event of a claim they would check our passports to see when we left the country so be ware.

Re: Bike insurance. We get liability at the borders but don't bother with insuring the bike as the policies aren't worth the paper they are writen on by all accounts. Bottom line seems to be - don't take what you can't afford to loose.

Hope this helps.
Chris