General bike insurance question - Africa

[Wheelie]

My wife and I are heading for Africa (South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya). Our Norwegian insurance doesn't cover south of sahara and obtaining insurance from the traditional Norwegian insurance firms proves impossible.

I'll probably be able to aquire insurance from some foreign firm, like Loyds or some similar company, but I have some concerns regarding my wife as she will just have obtained her motorcycle licence at the start of our trip, Will this pose a problem? Will insurance companies be willing to issue insurance to a fresh license holder?

To what degree is it necessary for me and her to hold insurance for travelling in these countries? Will I experience hassle from officials?

Other issues?

How can or should I go about these issues?

Both bikes are in my name. Will an insurance company issue one person coverages for two separate bikes to travel through Africa? Will my wife be able to ride on my coverage or will she need her own?

Any recomendations? Any recomended insurance companies?

How much should I expect to pay?


I know I am asking to be spoon fed here... sorry

[Matt Roach]

You haven't actually mentioned what insurance coverage you want?

if it is comprehensive motor vehcile insurance, forget it. i doubt anyone will give you coverage for Africa.

if all you need is third party insurance, which is generally what is required to cross borders, most of the countries you list are covered by the Comesa scheme. Just turn up at your first border crossing and buy temporary 3rd party coverage. Then just make sure they validate it for all the countries that you intend to cross.

There are further posts about Comesa in the sub saharan section.

[PanEuropean]

Matt's right on the money with his reply - it will be a hopeless task to find a company that will insure any private vehicle for theft, comprehensive, etc. south of the Maghreb.

This kind of insurance is available for very large companies or organizations with huge fleets of vehicles, but typically the deductable is 'half a dozen thefts a year', which kind of rules out insuring a single private vehicle.