Is a photocopy or color scan of my greencard insurance all I need?
 

Will a photocopy or color scan printout of my european green card motorcycle insurance card be acceptable to customs and police? Or must I have the original that the company prints out? If the copy or scan has all the same information, does it matter if it isn't the original paper from the insurance company?
Thanks.

probably not.
 

The Original is much better.. make a copy by all means, as proof you had one, but most places want Original.
Only way i know where copies are as good as original is here in Spain where a Notary can copy & sign a document and it becomes good as the original in the eyes of the law.

Martyn

I agree with Martyn....

Take ALL of your original documents with you hand out photocopies but have your documentation ready to show people.

If you have 'home country' insurance issued within the EU it usually covers you for the minimum legal insurance in all member states - but check your own policy.

The usual Certificate of Insurance has a mulitlingual wording on the reverse to this effect, that would be accepted by all EU Police as proof of legal minimum insurance.

A green card is not so common or necessary for that purpose within the EU these days. Getting one is usually to extend the original fullest cover (ie comprehensive, theft etc sooner than the minimum) to the countries notified thereon - and paid for!

Going outside the EU it would be necessary. Note that Russia only accepts Insurance issued or endorsed by a Russian Insurance Company irrespective of Green Cards - obtainable at borders prior to entry (3 months bike, minimum legal cost £32). Possibly other countries follow this protectionist trade policy!

If you're travelling within the EEC then insurers don't bother issuing green cards anymore as all insurance provides minimum cover throughout the region (plus Scandinavia,Austria and usually Croatia). I've never been asked for any documents at border crossings in Europe other than my passport.
The only time I've had to produce my vehicle documents was when I was stopped for speeding in france last year.
I'd suggest taking all your originals and keeping them in a water tight bag somewhere out of the way.
If you're straying outside of the EEC then you'll definately need all your originals and they will be checked.

If you want to travel as far as the Ukraine, a European green card has UA listed as one of the countries its valid in. The bit of paper issued by the UK companies is not recognised as there is no list of countries its valid for.
The guy I was traveling with had to pay up for a policy at the border for this very reason.

J

J (redboots)
Yep, agreed - see my next 8 words following the part of my post you extracted.
Ukraine is not EU, although trying to get away from Russia and would like to be. It already has close links with EU.

Yup Tony, did read it all... EU issued green cards have had Ukraine on for a year or 2 now... as is Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Belarus, Hungary, Israel(!), Iran (really!), Lithuania, Morocco, Moldova, F.Y.R.O.M. (wherever that is:eek3:), Poland, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey and a couple of other places not actually "EU" .

Russia, as you say is not included but 44 countries are.... lost the whole point of this now....

Anyway, as you can see, a "proper" green card is accepted in more than the EU

Explanation of the system is here: EPA_Introduction

John.