Originally Posted by PanEuropean

Just a bit of information here, not necessarily for the benefit of Mike (the original poster), but certainly for the benefit of anyone from outside Europe who comes along reading this discussion to learn about how to get 'Green Card' insurance coverage within Europe...

'Green Card' insurance issued within Europe for motorcycles from outside Europe - in other words, tourist coverage - is pretty much a fungible commodity, much like 98 octane gasoline. The price is, for the most part, fixed within a very narrow band, because there are only a few underwriters at the very bottom of it all who write this cover.

There are, however, many different resellers who offer this insurance - along with a variety of value-added services, such as going to the local office and fetching it for you, posting it to you in advance, accepting credit cards as payment, and so forth. These value added resellers mark up the price of the basic insurance policy to cover the cost of the services that they add.

For many years, I bought my Green Card coverage in person at an ADAC (German Automobile Association) office. That's the same place that Knopf buys it. Because I was willing and able to buy it in person at the ADAC office, I didn't have to pay the mark-up that Knopf adds in exchange for going and getting the insurance for you and posting it to you.

Several years ago, ADAC increased their prices substantially - perhaps as a result of a run of losses selling this insurance due to claims payouts, etc. Around that time, we all discovered Mototouring in Italy, who were selling the same product for less than ADAC (and, obviously, less than Knopf), and most of us regulars switched to buying from Mototouring.

Remember, what you are buying is, like gasoline, fungible: It's the same thing, no matter where you get it and no matter what you pay for it. It is basic minimum liability insurance for the EU countries plus Switzerland. Unless you need something unique, such as theft coverage or collision coverage (offered by Motorcycle Express), extended country coverage for countries outside of the EC (also offered by Motorcycle Express), or personalized service available by email from overseas (offered by Knopf), just shop for your Green Card based on price. Because, like gasoline, you get the same product regardless of what the name of the vendor (Shell, Esso, Total, Mobil) on the company sign is.

Michael

Originally Posted by macfisto

Cheers again, it seems like I'll have to take the chance, did you send me a link on a route, as I'm unable to click on it?

Santander it'll have to be I guess.

I'm currently trying to make a ITV appointment in Ceuta or Algeciras, at least I have tried my best to be as legal as humanly possible.

read this Any way of getting a MOT in spain, or equivalent. it seems a MOT/ITV in Algeciras is possible on a UK plate. Can anyone confirm any truth in this?

In the above link, only an opinion but might be true:

I have friends who have had their UK plated car ITV'd.

Not all ITV stations can issue to UK plates, but some can. It is meant to cover you for your journey back to UK, although not to drive around on for months on end. Ask around at your local ITV stations. The one's I know that do it are based in Marbella and Algeciras so I don't think they will be any use to you.