Balkans - Green card update Sept 17

KTM_Chris

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Prior to a trip to Greece via the Adriatic, I read everything I could on this forum and elsewhere about getting Green Card Insurance for Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania. It seemed a bit hit or miss, so I tried to get it as an extra to new bike insurance. In short, NFU would have done it if I had other policies with them already. Bike Insure also would, but at extra premium of about £120 over the best quote for ordinary EU cover. I had a quote from an EU insurer, but that was over 300 euros for a month minimum !

So I set off knowing I would have to get it at the borders, with the view that if there was a whiff of being ripped off by being quoted say E50, I would turn back and enjoy Croatia some more. I had printed out a sheet in English, with Croatian, Bosnian, and Albanian translation ( thanks to Google ) saying that I was only passing through their country for 2 or 3 days. Need not have worried as they all speak enough English.

First experience was crossing into Bosnia towards Mostar from the coast road in Croatia. Parked up the bike, as has been described elsewhere on here, and walked with V5C to the stall, which I think was being manned by a policeman. The charge was E10 for 6 days. Showed document with passport at Police/customs control, and I was through.

The next day I tried to cross into Montenegro on a minor mountain crossing, on my way to the Tara River Gorge. It was about 1 pm, and I was told both insurance salesmen had gone off together to the local cafe. Another chap who dealt with truck freight, rang them and said he could write the chit, but that it would be E20 for fortnight minimum. Tried to negotiate, saying E10 would be fair for a week, but no dice. Now twenty may or may not be the charge there, but my 'rip off' antennae were twitching, so I decided to turn back and cross at a main point on the coast, near Podgorica. Cost here was only E10. So I had won, but it was a Pyric victory - it had cost a lot more in time and mileage.

Passed into Albania on another main coast crossing, and was charged E13 for 2 weeks minimum, which was fair and was the best document with a gold seal. Quite a relief to be just waved through when I got to Greece.

So the moral of the story is, use the main route crossings, where they are more used to bikers using the coast road, unless the odd E20 or more doesn't matter to you. Also remember, you are dealing with Johnny Foreigner. Now, as has been stated elsewhere on these forums, 99% of whom are very welcoming, straight and want to show off their English. Just be a bit on guard when not dealing face to face, but through "colleague" on phone.

Oh, the most important bit. GO, the riding and scenery are fantastic. :thumby:

Chris
 
Thanks for that. Its answered my question about Balkan insurance.
 
Main issue in the Balkans and Turkey for that matter is the fake insurance scheme that is offered.

Only Albania and Kosov have the computorised system, that is issuing real policy, that you can rely on in case of accident.

On borders of Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia it's very often that you buy policy where the price ranges 100-200 % up and down. This is very risky, buying a worthless paper and riding around because in the case of accident it's not going to be valid policy.
Macedonia has their thing sorted, policies issued are genuine.

Turkey on the other side is a long time issue, where local insurers down there had more then 800 mln eur losses in the last 6-7 years because of the green card scheme with fake policies.

So all in all, plan smart, be informed, because consequences can be big.

Cheers
dooby
 
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Prior to a trip to Greece via the Adriatic, I read everything I could on this forum and elsewhere about getting Green Card Insurance for Bosnia, Montenegro and Albania. It seemed a bit hit or miss, so I tried to get it as an extra to new bike insurance. In short, NFU would have done it if I had other policies with them already. Bike Insure also would, but at extra premium of about £120 over the best quote for ordinary EU cover. I had a quote from an EU insurer, but that was over 300 euros for a month minimum !

So I set off knowing I would have to get it at the borders, with the view that if there was a whiff of being ripped off by being quoted say E50, I would turn back and enjoy Croatia some more. I had printed out a sheet in English, with Croatian, Bosnian, and Albanian translation ( thanks to Google ) saying that I was only passing through their country for 2 or 3 days. Need not have worried as they all speak enough English.

First experience was crossing into Bosnia towards Mostar from the coast road in Croatia. Parked up the bike, as has been described elsewhere on here, and walked with V5C to the stall, which I think was being manned by a policeman. The charge was E10 for 6 days. Showed document with passport at Police/customs control, and I was through.

The next day I tried to cross into Montenegro on a minor mountain crossing, on my way to the Tara River Gorge. It was about 1 pm, and I was told both insurance salesmen had gone off together to the local cafe. Another chap who dealt with truck freight, rang them and said he could write the chit, but that it would be E20 for fortnight minimum. Tried to negotiate, saying E10 would be fair for a week, but no dice. Now twenty may or may not be the charge there, but my 'rip off' antennae were twitching, so I decided to turn back and cross at a main point on the coast, near Podgorica. Cost here was only E10. So I had won, but it was a Pyric victory - it had cost a lot more in time and mileage.

Passed into Albania on another main coast crossing, and was charged E13 for 2 weeks minimum, which was fair and was the best document with a gold seal. Quite a relief to be just waved through when I got to Greece.

So the moral of the story is, use the main route crossings, where they are more used to bikers using the coast road, unless the odd E20 or more doesn't matter to you. Also remember, you are dealing with Johnny Foreigner. Now, as has been stated elsewhere on these forums, 99% of whom are very welcoming, straight and want to show off their English. Just be a bit on guard when not dealing face to face, but through "colleague" on phone.

Oh, the most important bit. GO, the riding and scenery are fantastic. :thumby:

Chris

Just to ad more info to the story, to give value to others is that in Albania and Kosovo they use computers so their policies are legit. In Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia they fill the policy by hand, hence the price vary 100-200 % up and down, meaning loads of the papers you will get is fake. Prices are fixed defined by each countries national insurance bureau, and each time the price fluctuates upwards it means it's fake one.

Safe travels,

Cheers
dooby
 
I must have been lucky many times.

I have over many years purchased insurance in all Balkan countries where required for myself and guest. Never had an issue never had a fake price rise ect. In Macedonia its a hand written document. So if a computer is involved does that mean its legit? I am sure computers are invloved in quite alot of fraud. Can you imagine a johny foreigner coming to the UK and trying to bargain an official document ? what would happen ?
 
Well,...

Looking by your location your obviously can speak local language right, or please correct me if I'm wrong?

Official computers that are tied to the national insurance bureau system like in the rest of the EU I do not think could be used to create a fraud so often and in such a numbers as mentioned in these countries from my first post (maybe I'm naive but wouldn't go it will happen).

Speaking local language/languages when approach the border and start talking to the customs officer is for sure one dimension. In Albania knowledge of Italian is always a big plus, so I was always treated as local because of that and there was no attempts in last 14-15 years to not issue an official bill for buying anything.

We're in the business of insurance for global overlanders, so are quite into the little things that happen.

In Bosnia and Serbia + Montenegro price for green card insurance at the border fluctuates and that is a fact, not my opinion or wish. If the price is higher then official price list states, then it's shady policy.

In Macedonia I have never heard of nor experienced similar occurrence.

Cheers
dooby
 
Well,...

Looking by your location your obviously can speak local language right, or please correct me if I'm wrong?

Official computers that are tied to the national insurance bureau system like in the rest of the EU I do not think could be used to create a fraud so often and in such a numbers as mentioned in these countries from my first post (maybe I'm naive but wouldn't go it will happen).

Speaking local language/languages when approach the border and start talking to the customs officer is for sure one dimension. In Albania knowledge of Italian is always a big plus, so I was always treated as local because of that and there was no attempts in last 14-15 years to not issue an official bill for buying anything.

We're in the business of insurance for global overlanders, so are quite into the little things that happen.

In Bosnia and Serbia + Montenegro price for green card insurance at the border fluctuates and that is a fact, not my opinion or wish. If the price is higher then official price list states, then it's shady policy.

In Macedonia I have never heard of nor experienced similar occurrence.

Cheers
dooby

We are heading towards the Balkans soon. I can't get green card from my Insurer. Do you have any ideas what the official rate for Border purchased insurance for Bosnia is? Thanks
 
Its 40,00 EUR for 15 days.

Enjoy your ride, and if passing by Zagreb, stop by our place for a beer, brew or just a chat picking our brains for the best roads to ride,

Regards
Dooby
 


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