Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Planning, Trip > Trip Paperwork
Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 8 Nov 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: England
Posts: 338
Bike Insurance - Help Please

Can any one tell me which is the best company to go for RTW motorcycle insurance, ive tried some companys from the ABR magazine and the MCN none has been interested, i never bothered with insurance unless i could get it on the border of the country i was entering. So any advice please. Skip
__________________
Do the best you can with what you have,
A stranger in a strange land now heading North South East West to.....
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 9 Nov 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Bassett, Nebraska
Posts: 276
Hi Skip,

I am not aware of any one stop RTW insurance solution. Your technique works for me. I only buy insurance in countries that require it at the border. This has included a lady with a clipboard in the Nicaragua border parking lot, a cute young girl in a shack around the corner from the Panama border and a Sanbors office at the Mexican border. If insurance is required in a country there is usually an enterprising entrepreneur willing to sell it nearby.

Others may know more.

Best,
John Downs
__________________
South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 9 Nov 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Wessex, UK
Posts: 2,136
I think the companies that advertise in the mags you mention only offer medical insurance for motorcycle travel, which is not easy to find in itself, as John as said there is no worldwide cover for your bike, just yourself.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 9 Nov 2011
stephen.stallebrass's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Peterborough
Posts: 318
Have you tried Progressive?
__________________
www.AdventureVagabond.com Mongolia & Siberia 2012: Adventure Moto Madness
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 13 Nov 2011
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 2
Try Globelink travel insurance, they provide cover for a great number of activities, including motorcycle trips. I use them for couple of years already and they are always nice people to deal with. Here is the link Adventure Travel Insurance - Globelink Travel Insurance
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 14 Nov 2011
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 2,123
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Downs View Post
I am not aware of any one stop RTW insurance solution.
Hi Skip:

I concur with John, I don't think you are going to find any company anywhere on the planet that can underwrite a policy that is valid on more than one continent (their home continent).

In North America, insurance policies are normally valid in all of Canada and all of the USA. In Europe, you can get them for either all the EC countries, or all countries from Iceland to Israel inclusive - just depends on how much you want to pay.

I think that everywhere else (Africa, Central and South America), you pretty much have to do things on a country by country basis, although it is possible that some countries that have well-established trade agreements (e.g. Mercosur in South America) might also have provisions that allow underwriters to write coverage valid in all the countries that participate in the trade agreement.

Michael
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 14 Nov 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Helsinki
Posts: 1,731
Well, you could at least inquire here:

Assurantiekantoor Alessie | Horizons Unlimited

Another place to ask from:

TourInsure - Ihr Spezialist f�r Internationale Fahrzeugversicherungen, Autoversicherungen, Motorradversicherungen, Camper-Versicherungen

I doubt you can really get a worldwide insurance. And what such a policy might cost, would be yet another thing.

Also worth noting is, that you must be very clear about what the insurance covers. Usually (when you plan to ride outside of Europe, US, Australia, NZ and maybe South Africa, and you live elsewhere), the best anyone can offer, is often a 3rd party insurance.

Possible damage to our own vehicle (or if it gets stolen or otherwise destroyed) will not be covered, and usually you also need to have your own personal insurance for your own injuries sustained in a road accident. You must make sure your travel insurance covers you for such cases.

But even that 3rd party traffic insurance would be good, especially if it actually worked – I feel so lucky, that I´ve never had to test it in real life, and I´ll do my best that I never will..... but it is claimed, that in many countries, the insurances you buy at the borders, aren´t really worth the paper they are printed on. So they might only be good for showing to the bribe-hungry policemen, in case you get stopped. And even if border insurances were actually worth something, then the maximum amounts that can be payed from them, could be very low, so it´s not like back home, where insurance might pay everything.... and the rest would still be taken out of your wallet. In fact that last bit is where those companies like Alessie could actually be of some help.

Last edited by pecha72; 14 Nov 2011 at 12:53.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 8 Dec 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: England
Posts: 338
Bike Insurance

Hi
Many thanks for all the info on internationl bike insurance it is as i thought best to pick it up at the boarders as i go, my biggest problem is that i have an Australian bike in the UK with Australian reg that has now run out, ive not regesterd it in the UK because i'm not stopping here so with out an English registration number no insurance company will touch it and that go's for the Australian insurance companys as well, they would if i took it back to Australia and reregisterd it again.So i'm a bit stuck i don't want to ride around Europe with out insurance. Any one any idears. Skip:confused1:
__________________
Do the best you can with what you have,
A stranger in a strange land now heading North South East West to.....
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 9 Dec 2011
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: SoOrange NJ USA
Posts: 296
Quote:
Originally Posted by skip View Post
Hi
Many thanks for all the info on internationl bike insurance it is as i thought best to pick it up at the boarders as i go, my biggest problem is that i have an Australian bike in the UK with Australian reg that has now run out, ive not regesterd it in the UK because i'm not stopping here so with out an English registration number no insurance company will touch it and that go's for the Australian insurance companys as well, they would if i took it back to Australia and reregisterd it again.So i'm a bit stuck i don't want to ride around Europe with out insurance. Any one any idears. Skip:confused1:
You should be able to get the minimum legally required Euro "green card" insurance for an OZ-registered bike to ride, starting/ valid in the UK, across Western Europe from:
Green Card
or
How does the European Green Card Insurance work?
or
TourInsure - Online Application forms (already mentioned above).
You should be able to apply to any of the above by email/ online/ phone while you're still in the UK, and they will arrange/ send a valid policy to you in the UK before you leave.
Give yourself at least a week to arrange this paperwork with any of the above before you set out from the UK. Actually, if you buy it "now," you'll be covered in the UK, for however long you plan to remain there, until you leave (but you'll be paying on a monthly basis, or min 15 days from Mototouring.com)

It's confusing because, when you approach UK vehicle insurance underwriter/ agents, they don't write for non-UK registered bikes, and the UK auto clubs (RAC, AA) also don't write separate Euro green card policies for non-UK vehicles. Brits are peculiar that way (but then so are Americans)

After "Western Europe," it's "border by border."
Depending on your routing--if you ride across the Balkans (Croatia, Bos-Herz, etc) you're "supposed" to get country-specific cover starting at the Slovenia->Croatia border, but it's not always available depending on border crossing. Just ride thru with that extra risk, if necessary. Serbia may not allow your bike to enter without their extra 60Euro min 30 day Serbia-only cover; and it's available only at their major border crossings.
But if you ride Romania-Bulgaria, you're covered to the Turkey border; or if you ferry Italy-Greece, you're also covered to the Turkey border (where border insurance is again available & required).

good luck
p.s. above assumes you're planning to ride eastward thru Europe; if you're instead shipping to North America, you can get NoAm insurance for your OZ-registered bike from TourInsure.de, or MotorcycleExpress.com.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
200cc Chilean bike for sale in Peru/Northern Chile FatMeercat SOUTH AMERICA 4 18 Apr 2017 18:57
Buy a bike in Europe or store one of mine there? Marcus789 Welcome to HU 3 9 Nov 2011 17:42
Best Low-Budget Bike Bolivia to Patagonia collinstewart09 SOUTH AMERICA 8 30 Oct 2011 17:23
Khartoum to Ethiopia Birdy Ride Tales 2 26 Oct 2011 21:32

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:30.