Visa, Balkans
 

I traveled through Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria on my way to Egypt and only got a multi entry visa for Syria.

The first time I needed the green card was for Turkey. After that you buy it on the borders.

well after speaking to a few people at Swinton..... no green card- they just wont cover me outside the EU. Seems mental that in the UK we cant get a green card but say in Germany they can and their underwriter is a UK company half the time, sounds like RIP-OFF BRITAIN

I've been looking for the last month six week's. If any one find's a company that will give you cover. I can see a flood of people going to them.
John933

Swinton is a Broker.
That means they are the 'middle man' between the public and whatever Insurers with which they have a commercial relationship that suits them. They also appear to operate on a 'mass-market call centre' basis. They probably use lower cost no-frills Insurers to be attractive to customers, and not really prepared to consider anything that involves more time or effort (i.e. time/cost) to arrange.

Other Brokers have relationships with other Insurers. And some Brokers work much harder than others for their commission.

Try others. It's a competitive market and fundementally Insurers want your premiums and the Broker wants the Commission built in to their quote!

You don't need a greencard but I would really really strongly suggest getting one. Not all borders sell insurance, it will be cheaper to get the right paperwork here and not buy it enroute, and the hassle isn't needed.

Groupama underwriters do it via Carole Nash.

Maybe you don't but:

In October 2009 I needed green cards at the Greece/Macedonia, Macedonia/Kosovo and Kosovo/Montenegro borders. I suspect I should have needed one at the Montenegro/Croatia border but we were waved through by a bored guard at 8pm.

The other borders all required either a literal green card with their country name ticked or that I trot over the road to the little shack and fork out EU50, EU20 and EU13 respectively before I could continue.

September 2010 at the Greece/Turkey border their own llittle shack was shut (it was a Sunday) and they were happy for me to fork out TL50 for a 10km taxi ride to the next available border with an open insurance booth.

The Balkan countries generally do require a green card and will sell you one on the spot.

Cheers,

Ian

Thats exactly my point, a green card is needed so that i can avoid these on the border insurance fees. just seems crazy that in the UK I can't get one, but in Germany it's readily avaliable

I do get a little annoyed at people quick to point out failings within whatever country they choose to live in. If other countries offer a better 'package' of life, liberties, services and lifestyle surely the answer is in your feet - not moaning through a keyboard!

OK. Rant over!

Swinton say they won't - tried any other 'mass market' insurance brokers?
- Or a smaller one who works harder?
- Or one who already handles your other insurances (home, travel, professional, etc)?
- Or the various owners clubs and specialist vehicle activity clubs which have insurance arrangements for members, more specific to the specialist needs of their members?

Looking at it another way, buying Insurance at borders may not be so bad if you have a bad insurance record, no NCD etc. They usually have a set flat rate tariff based on the vehicle and duration of stay.

And what are we talking about when added to the costs of equiping a vehicle and doing the trip? Probably not a very large percentage.