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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 21 Jul 2011
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Green Card available at Bulgarian border?

Hi there,

Soon I will require the Green Card insurance for Europe. I have read many posts on here and I think the price increase from 22 EUR to 105 EUR per months is ridiculous!

I remember reading something here that it is possible to purchase a cheap insurance cover at the Bulgarian border coming from Turkey.
Unfortunately I cannot find the thread anymore...

Which border is it and is there current info available?

Cheers,
Frank
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  #2  
Old 21 Jul 2011
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I was there a few months ago and didn't get asked about insurance. You have to but some kind of road tax but for bikes it's about 4 euros. At the Romanian border some scammers might try and tell you you need it for there too but it's free for bikes.

Unfortunately insurance has recently become ridiculously expensive
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  #3  
Old 22 Jul 2011
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Well I pay about 50 EUR per year for 3rd party insurance for my German registered bike. It includes a Green Card with no country exemptions.

Unfortunately I need to get a Green Card cover for my Australian registered bike to ride in Europe.
Even if they don't ask me at the border in Bulgaria I need to get it...
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  #4  
Old 21 Aug 2011
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I crossed yesterday at the easternmost crossing - Malko Tarnovo. Green card was available for 32€ for one month (minimum).
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  #5  
Old 21 Aug 2011
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I came from Romania two and a half weeks ago, and was not asked about insurance (btw. my green card covers Bulgaria), only thing was the €6 tax for bikes they ask "politely" about.



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  #6  
Old 22 Aug 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by casperghst42 View Post
only thing was the €6 tax for bikes they ask "politely" about.
Sounds like a scam. They were probably just hitting you up for some pocket money... Never heard about any 6Euro tax and I was never asked for money when we went through Bulgaria in 2009.
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  #7  
Old 24 Aug 2011
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Road taxe in Bulgaria and green card

Hi Fanck, nice to see you reach Europe safely ! I ll enter Malaysia tomorow, on my way to Australia to get a job... with tourist visa, no choice.
I remember when I entered Bulgaria last year they told me no need to pay road taxe for motorbike... but I haven't been check by police during the 2. months I tavelled in Europe.
So that's why my idea is just to stick your green card from your german bike on the bike you travel with... I m sure you can explain any cop that your insurance company made a mistake wih the registation number. if you drive safe and take care to avoid police check point, no problem, you will save a lot of money (worst case, it s not forbidden to bribe the police in romania, bulgaria...)!!
I wish I have a friend who can give me this kind of advice !!!
Cheers, it s 11pm past five s here in Thailande
Hope to see you agan in Australia
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  #8  
Old 8 Jun 2017
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Question Green card

Quote:
Originally Posted by Franconian View Post
I crossed yesterday at the easternmost crossing - Malko Tarnovo. Green card was available for 32€ for one month (minimum).
Does anyone know if this is still possible? I thought I could get a green card when entering Turkey but the insurance they sell there only covers Turkey itself
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  #9  
Old 10 Jun 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Franconian View Post
...I remember reading something here that it is possible to purchase a cheap insurance cover at the Bulgarian border coming from Turkey.
Hi Joe:

It is very simple and easy to purchase European 'Green Card' insurance at the Bulgarian border - I did exactly that about 2 weeks ago. I've attached a photo of the document below (it still has a few weeks validity left, but I'm back in Canada now).

There are small booths or kiosks run by private insurance brokers located just past immigration & customs control at most major border crossing points into Bulgaria. You ride up to Customs & Immigration, they will ask to see your passport, vehicle registration document, and insurance. Tell them that you have to purchase insurance. They'll ask that you park your moto off to the side (within sight of the customs booth) and they will retain your passport.

You then walk over to the insurance booth with your vehicle documents, pay the fee (it is listed in Bulgarian Lev, it's about €55 for a month), get the green card, go back and show it to the Customs guy - who will then give you back your passport - and then you ride off into the sunset.

In my case, two weeks ago, I already had Green Card coverage for Europe that I had purchased from another vendor, but unfortunately the actual physical document did not reach me before I set off on my trip. I had a scanned copy, but the Bulgarian Customs officials would not accept the scanned copy, so I had to purchase another (identical) policy at the Bulgarian border.

Fortunately, Bulgaria is the least expensive place in the entire EC vehicle insurance system when it comes to buying insurance. It was annoying to have to pay €55 for coverage I already had, but at least it was not double that price (as it would have been, for example, in Germany).

Michael

PS: Be aware that 'European Green Card Insurance' and 'a Green Card for Turkey' are mutually exclusive. The policies sold for all of Western Europe don't include Turkey, and the Turkish policies don't include the rest of Europe. I believe this has to do with Turkey not being part of the 'treaty group' that has been established for insurance purposes.

2017 Bulgarian Border Insurance ('Green Card')
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  #10  
Old 11 Jun 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PanEuropean View Post
Hi Joe:

It is very simple and easy to purchase European 'Green Card' insurance at the Bulgarian border - I did exactly that about 2 weeks ago. I've attached a photo of the document below (it still has a few weeks validity left, but I'm back in Canada now).

There are small booths or kiosks run by private insurance brokers located just past immigration & customs control at most major border crossing points into Bulgaria. You ride up to Customs & Immigration, they will ask to see your passport, vehicle registration document, and insurance. Tell them that you have to purchase insurance. They'll ask that you park your moto off to the side (within sight of the customs booth) and they will retain your passport.

You then walk over to the insurance booth with your vehicle documents, pay the fee (it is listed in Bulgarian Lev, it's about €55 for a month), get the green card, go back and show it to the Customs guy - who will then give you back your passport - and then you ride off into the sunset.

In my case, two weeks ago, I already had Green Card coverage for Europe that I had purchased from another vendor, but unfortunately the actual physical document did not reach me before I set off on my trip. I had a scanned copy, but the Bulgarian Customs officials would not accept the scanned copy, so I had to purchase another (identical) policy at the Bulgarian border.

Fortunately, Bulgaria is the least expensive place in the entire EC vehicle insurance system when it comes to buying insurance. It was annoying to have to pay €55 for coverage I already had, but at least it was not double that price (as it would have been, for example, in Germany).

Michael

PS: Be aware that 'European Green Card Insurance' and 'a Green Card for Turkey' are mutually exclusive. The policies sold for all of Western Europe don't include Turkey, and the Turkish policies don't include the rest of Europe. I believe this has to do with Turkey not being part of the 'treaty group' that has been established for insurance purposes.

2017 Bulgarian Border Insurance ('Green Card')
Hi,

Your insurance states category B, which is cars, but make is Honda I assume motorbike. I'm traveling with the car, so should I expect the same price? Which border did you cross? turkey has like 3 border crossings.

Do you know anything about prices in Greece?
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  #11  
Old 11 Jun 2017
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Category B is not cars, it is motorcycles.

Look carefully on the picture of the green card that I posted - about 20% of the document width to the right of the 'B' you will find the legend, which clearly indicates that 'B' is motorcycles. Cars are 'A'.

I have no idea what the price of the same insurance (for the same countries) is if you buy it in Greece. The prices are all over the map, they vary significantly depending on what country the policy is purchased in. I find this quite remarkable, considering that the product being purchased (basic liability coverage for 30 different countries) is identical.

Michael
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  #12  
Old 11 Jun 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PanEuropean View Post
Category B is not cars, it is motorcycles.

Look carefully on the picture of the green card that I posted - about 20% of the document width to the right of the 'B' you will find the legend, which clearly indicates that 'B' is motorcycles. Cars are 'A'.

I have no idea what the price of the same insurance (for the same countries) is if you buy it in Greece. The prices are all over the map, they vary significantly depending on what country the policy is purchased in. I find this quite remarkable, considering that the product being purchased (basic liability coverage for 30 different countries) is identical.

Michael
Ah another confusion to add to the bunch, Cat B is cars in driving license that's the reason I got confused. So green card insurance has different denomination, great.
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  #13  
Old 12 Jun 2017
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Munich
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Exclamation

Quote:
Originally Posted by PanEuropean View Post
Hi Joe:

It is very simple and easy to purchase European 'Green Card' insurance at the Bulgarian border - I did exactly that about 2 weeks ago.
It didn't work for me, I chose the biggest border coming from Turkey (Edirne) entering Bulgaria they did not ask me for insurance and just waved thought but I didn't saw any place I could have bought it either. My insurance (in Germany) keeps telling me that I don't need a green card in the EU each time I request one, maybe there is some truth in that
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  #14  
Old 16 Jun 2017
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On many borders in many countries (eastern Russia-Vladivostok is the last example) there are less options to buy insurance at the border.
I believe the insurance companies/brokers are cutting their costs and reducing the number of employees on broader level.

Cheers
Dooby
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  #15  
Old 8 Feb 2019
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I see that when you bought a frontier insurance policy in Bulgaria, it also came with a green card, which is valid in other european countries. Am I right?
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