Insurance for short ride in Nicaragua?
 

We will be in Costa Rica next week, then riding across the border into Nicaragua to stay at least a few days on Ometepe Island and possibly a couple more days to visit Granada and/or San Juan del Sur.

The bikes will have Costa Rica insurance, but I assume we'll need to buy a different policy for Nicaragua. I also assume this is available at the Penas Blancas border crossing. Is this correct? If so, how much should we expect to pay? Is it possible to get short-term coverage since we'll only be in Nicaragua for about a week?

Right on . the insuranc e for liability is sold right at the border at Penas Blancas , and at all the major entry roads to Nic.
It is compulsory and reasonably priced. You will be paying around $ 15 for a MONTH so no worries. Once you have it you can pop in and out of the country for that period.

Thanks again for your help, Sjoerd! That sounds perfect. We will look for someplace advertising seguro and will say, "Me gustaría comprar un seguro por un mes ... y tal vez también dos cervezas frias, por favor!" :)

You won't have to search too much as it is sold right in the customs
building .It is compulsory ,you can not complete the entry process
if you do not buy it.

Yup, for me, some lady came up to me at the parking area. She carried a clipboard and was ready to take all the information right at the bike. Simple stuff. $12 I think it was a few years ago...

As soon as you pull up, people with clipboards will approach you and sell you the insurance on the spot. As others have mentioned it is mandatory and you won't be able to get the import permit without it. But it is only liability insurance and will not cover the bike itself. As far as I know, there's probably not much, if anything, available to cover the bike.

Have fun on Ometepe ...very gnarly dirt roads :-)


...Michelle

I did a little write up of the border crossings during my trip in 2010. It's north to south, but you get the idea... A Few More Miles - Nicaragua

Thanks for that
 

Wow! Gnarly dirt roads...I will have go there on the way back up to Managua. You can wait until you get inside to do the paperwork at the border between CR and Nic. Saw the clipboard folks going south but haven't met one on the way back up. But I do avoid "helpers" so maybe I missed the clipboarders too.