Green card? Motorcycle insurance

[Rfothy]

Hello Im sure this has been asked before, but I am getting very confused with green cards due to reading different websites saying different things.

The green card isnt a form or insurance? As my understanding was originally that it was.

Insurance, there is no way of getting international motorcycle insurance? I have to purchase insurance at borders? Its available at every border?

Im doing Uk to Australia if this helps?

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Rfothy

Hello Im sure this has been asked before, but I am getting very confused with green cards due to reading different websites saying different things.

The green card isnt a form or insurance? As my understanding was originally that it was.

Insurance, there is no way of getting international motorcycle insurance? I have to purchase insurance at borders? Its available at every border?

Im doing Uk to Australia if this helps?

Green card is insurance, insurance cover for your vehicle and not personal accident insurance for instance.
The UK insurers used to physically issue green cards "back in the day when no one from the UK travelled overseas". With the EU coming into play, you can see on your insurance cover note/insurance policy document a list of countries where your UK ins is valid for those countries (it has to be in accords with the EU "common market" regs and not because the ins companies are being generous to you); this is your modern version of the "green card".

Yea, once outside Europe, look elsewhere for insurance cover, if you think it is all important.

One common misunderstanding is: "green card" cover is for the minimum legal requirements of any country in which the insurance is valid. So, for instance, if you have fully comprehensive cover for the UK it does not mean that you have this level of cover outside the UK.
Those are the basics.
There are lots of discussion threads in here, Trip paperwork, about green card insurance and I believe nearly all are accurate.
Why look anywhere else??

[Rfothy]

So I should just insure my UK bike on a UK policy that will cover me in europe too, then look elsewhere in the countries im passing through for insurance....

My dad has done some research into this and from what he has read the green card is needed for outside of europe, so once outside of europe Im looking for local insurance (available at borders?), and the green card coincides with this local insurance?

[Walkabout]

Yesssss, but it is not straight forward; have a look at the sticky thread in here that deals with green card cover - it goes off topic (as ever for the HUBB!) and deals with issues for other than those who don't live in Europe but ride on this continent.

Then there is this thread that you might wish to read:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...nsurance-68940

Yes, outside of where your insurance is valid you need to buy some in order not to be locked up by the local police when you kill or injure a third party - selfish individuals can lose sight of this aspect and think it is all about compensating them alone.
"Third party" insurance is what you need as a minimum.
Very occasionally, in some countries, there is no such insurance available but in most you will have to buy it at the border; in some cases it may be of dubious value.

You should also consider personal accident insurance which is useful for getting your poor, broken body back to a UK hospital when it is mangled in an incident - there is loads of discussion about that on here!!

[Warin]

Green card...

In the US I think this refers to some sort of working permit or is it immigration? .

In most European countries it refers to vehicle insurance.

In most other parts of the world ... it has no meaning.

Many decades ago when I bought my first green card you got to pick what countries it covered. However you could not pick all the countries of the world .. it was limited to western European countries.

-------------------
Some countries will insist that you have vehicle insurance before/as you cross their boarder, most of these will have some way of buying it there. Some of these will accept insurance given by 'international' insurance companies, some will not. Some countries require it, but don't check at the boarder! Other countries it is not compulsory!

Good Luck.

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Warin

Green card...

In the US I think this refers to some sort of working permit or is it immigration? .

In most European countries it refers to vehicle insurance.

In most other parts of the world ... it has no meaning.

.

Yep, "green card" WRT insurance is a European thing.
For others in this world, it is a means of working legally in the States, with the longer term objective of getting residency there.

[dcaussie]

Ok I've left this a bit late because I ASSUMED this insurance would be easy to buy online. But not so easy... and expensive.

Mototouring GreenCard

You can buy online but it says "Your Green Card will be waiting for you". They say they can email it, but not how long that will take.

Then on this page
How does the European Green Card Insurance work?
They say they need 2-3 working days, but then "The green card must be requested at least 15 days prior the starting date." I don't have 15 days. If they only need 2-3 working days, why?? Confused.

Cost is 118 euro for a month.

Any other ideas?

[garnaro]

Originally Posted by dcaussie

Ok I've left this a bit late because I ASSUMED this insurance would be easy to buy online. But not so easy... and expensive.

Mototouring GreenCard

You can buy online but it says "Your Green Card will be waiting for you". They say they can email it, but not how long that will take.

Then on this page
How does the European Green Card Insurance work?
They say they need 2-3 working days, but then "The green card must be requested at least 15 days prior the starting date." I don't have 15 days. If they only need 2-3 working days, why?? Confused.

Cost is 118 euro for a month.

Any other ideas?

Please let us know how this works out dcaussie. I'm in the same boat - left it too long and now a bit shocked at the cost and trouble for this insurance....I miss Africa already....

[wheatwhacker]

Originally Posted by garnaro

Please let us know how this works out dcaussie. I'm in the same boat - left it too long and now a bit shocked at the cost and trouble for this insurance....I miss Africa already....

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[garnaro]

sent them a message - thanks for the tip!