Balkans insurance
 

Hi. I'm passing through the west Balkans on route to Crete, leave in two weeks. Will go through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Albania.

Just received a ridiculous quote from my current insurers. Since I will only be there about a week, I am now hoping to buy insurance at the borders.

Anyone have any info on that: availability and price ?

many thanks

I'll be there at the same time and I was counting on border insurance - the threads that came up when I searched indicated that it was possible everywhere. I'll follow this but let me know if you'd like to meet up. I'll be coming from Greece and then wandering aimlessly for a month and a half within the Balkans.

Sounds like an excellent plan.

My timing is very tight (unlike yours, lucky you). I expect to have only five days or so to be in Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania but would be pleased to meet up.

I leave here 23 July so hope to get to Bosnia on around 26 July, then a day in Mont and two in Alb. More a quick look see than proper visit, and then I'll do it again with more time. Am hoping (expecting) to do some gravel roads in Alb.

What are your plans/dates ? We could sort a convenient place and date and then liaise by mobile ?

Alex

At the moment I'm expecting to be in Greece by mid-late next week to pick up a bike, then heading either through Macedonia into Bosnia or Bulgaria and Romania then Serbia. No dates are definite so it might be better if I get in contact with you once I have the bike and am mobile. I don't have a local number yet but I'll contact you through here once I have wheels.

Same goes for anyone else who will be in the region!

Ok do that, and I'll check on line
cheers
Alex

Alex,

I'm PMing you my mobile number now. I'm still in Greece, but will try to head to Macedonia tomorrow. Since you're the one with time constraints I suggest you just name a place and date and I'll try to meet you there.

Hi.
I've pm'ed my mobile number to you. also some idea of where I hope to be and when. How about we meet in Bosnia say Mostar on the tues night ? I'll text you on route with my progress so we can refine the plan as necessary.
cheers

Alex

insurance
 

I heard if you can get into Bulgaria you can get cheap green card insurance from Allianz, Bulstrad or others...there was a link on advrider from RTWDoug about this...I contacted via email a few of the companies there, and none were willing to do it over the internet...only in person,... but price was something like 70 euro for 3 mos ???
It would be nice to source and set up an insurance alternative for Green Card rather than pay the pirates now ist 170 euro a month ???

In the end, I made the following crossings:

Greece-Macedonia, Macedonia-Serbia, Serbia-Kosovo, Kosovo-Serbia, Serbia-Montenegro, Montenegro-No man's land (disused border, stranded, don't ask...) Montenegro-Bosnia, Bosnia-Croatia, Croatia-Bosnia, Bosnia-Croatia, Croatia-Montenegro, Montenegro-Albania, Albania-Montenegro, Montenegro-Bosnia before I finally sold the bike.

In all I was asked to buy border insurance going into Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia (just the once) and Montenegro (if I recall correctly) once.

A couple of times when I said I didn't have it they just waved me through. Montenegrans asked for a wheelie in lieu of insurance, and in Serbia they told me to go buy it but the salesman wouldn't sell it to me as I had my passport back from the guard and he said I should just leave if they weren't keeping my passport.

Bosnia Insurance
 

I organised a tour for 12 of my club members in September which took in Bosnia. I extended my H-D Carole Nash policy to cover me for £60, another member also did this with Carole Nash for £30. One of the companies underwriting BMW insurance refused to cover one member, the other company BMW use did it for someone else for £15. Three lads slipped through without any cover at one crossing but two lads at another crossing had their passports held until they had purchased cover, which came in at about 25 euros. At another crossing two lads were charged 35 euros for the same cover. I hope this makes it clear that the issue is not clear however you try to solve it.