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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.
Chris
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.
Chris