INSURANCE
 

WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I CAN GET GOOD INSURANCE? AND WHEN THE TREK GOES TOTALLY PEAR SHAPED! WHO DO YOU CALL? WHO GETS YOU OUT?

MAYBE CHRIS S HAS THE ANSWER......Please

Dave,

hopefully going in JAN, UK to TIMBUKTU via France,Spain,Morocco, Mauritania, Mali

Insurance...what's that?

Who's going to to bail you out when it all goes wrong? No one unless you're very lucky. The only person who's going to help you out is you. Being self reliant and having a positive attitude are prerequisites for such a trip. You can significantly reduce risk of things going wrong by ensuring your machine is in good mechanical condition, you have enough mechanical knowledge, and the necessary tools, to diagnose and rectify faults the machine may develop and that you are in good physical shape, with enough food and water for each leg of the trip you intend to undertake but, things can still go wrong.

Having said all that, things usually work out alright in the end. If you go with the right attutude you can turn even bad situations into something positive, probably! It'll certainly be an experiance. Relax and enjoy the ride.

Sure sounds like a great trip. LB.

[This message has been edited by mcdarbyfeast (edited 01 October 2005).]

Thanks for reply, But While I agree with your vehicle prep and spares etc, It can all go very wrong, you cant carry spares for serious accident or illness. It was suggested that GOOD insurance is good, as you can call the insurance company who might find it cheaper to get a Rescue going than pay out if you die. assuming you got sat phone?.. any further replies welcome..............

Dave, sounds to me as though you've got a touch of the pre trip nerves? Nothing wrong with that(I suffer from it big time!) It gets you thinking about every eventuality, some that you have absolutely no control over. I'm a big worrier and however many times people tell me not to worry, I still do. Once I'm on my way though it seems to just evaporate as all the planning comes together.

I haven't heard of such an insurance company but, would be interested to see any positive replies.

Good luck LB.

Thanks LB. Dont know that Im worried too much, might be nearer the time? Im just hopefully planning for all eventualities, from puntures to disaster, I will agree that vehicle preparation is paramount and being able to fix it. lets see if there are other reples,Thanks

Dave, Dorking

This may not be very helpful but I have to say the Sage of Gubblecote's first reply closely reflects my opinion on travel insurance and my attitude to desert travel.
We are better equipped, informed and educated than ever for this sort of travel and it is much easier and less dangerous than you think once you get underway. To paraphrase the Sage, a positive attitude and self-reliance may only be concepts but IMO, along with travel companions and knowing one's limitations, still have more tangible benefits in the Sahara than the promise of travel insurance.

Chris S

Whilst I agree about the vehicle aspects of the trip, nobody in their right mind leaves their own country without medical/liability insurance. To even suggest that such insurance is unnecessary is bordering on the criminally irresponsible.

Try www.flexicover.co.uk or for a list of various companies with different levels of coverage www.splut.com

Many thanks for your comments from Chris and Wilco,and all, This forum is great, It very helful to get different input from people, I will look at your insurance thing, Thanks Wilco. and thanks to you chris, I have totally read your book, made me very aware,very keen to go! and I altered my route after reading the first few pages, Keep it going Chris, starting to feel I belong to big Family...Good luck to you All, hope to see some of you in the "sand"

Hi Dave,
Try http://www.worldwideinsure.com/
They won't insure the vehicle against breakdown in Africa AFAIK but they look good for personal insurance, medical etc.
On the vehicle breakdown side most companies won't even insure my Discovery for Europe now as it is over 10 years old.
As others have said, you are really the only insurance that your vehicle has to come back home.
Best of luck, hope it all goes well.
Kevin, green with envy.
PS I guess you've got the name of a supplier that will ship parts worldwide, Matt Savage springs to mind, they got a water pump to me in Marseille when LR France couldn't get one for 10 days.

Thanks Kevin, all noted Guess your right about one being the Best insurance for your own vehicle, The shipper for parts is interesting. I will look into that, perhaps another good reason for Sat phone?

many thanks, Dave

All well and good in theory. Certainly when we set off you couldn't get insurance for Algeria, Mauritania etc. One insurance company actually laughed at us. Sure they'd sell you 'Wordwide cover' as long as you don't go anywhere out of the ordinary. Still that was couple of years ago, so maybe things have changed. As for vehicle insurance, if you need it you can buy it at the border but, it's probably not worth the paper it's written on and no UK inurance company would insure our vehicle beyond Morocco. LB.



[This message has been edited by mcdarbyfeast (edited 02 October 2005).]

Thanks again, so is it pos to get insurance for Morocco?

Yes you can get insurance for Morocco. I think insurance companies count Morocco as part of Europe for some bizaar reason, though I'm not positive. It may even be covered on your current motor policy. It's worth a call to your current company to find out. Remember though that they will probably put a limit on the period of cover outside the UK. My policy says 30 days but, yours could be different. LB.

[This message has been edited by mcdarbyfeast (edited 02 October 2005).]

yes that could be as I was told I dont need visa for Morocco,but will check with my Ins/company Thanks again,
Dave

Been sitting here with a glass of wine, listening to the radio, pondering over the subject of travel insurance, it's value, relevance and validity within the context of travel in remote areas of the world, such as the Sahara. There's nothing much else to do on a cool autumn evening here in Gubblecote. I don't have a TV and the wife is upstairs working on her thesis on 'Pulminary Stenosis' What? Don't ask me!

In the first place it's highly unlikely that any insurance company would insure a person riding a motorcycle on their own across the Sahara, the risk for them would be too great. However, let's say you found a company gullible enough to do so. You've paid your money for your travel insurance secure in the knowledge that whatever illness or accident befalls you, your covered for every eventuality. Your lying in the desert, somewhere between A & B with a broken leg. The likelihood is that your bike is knackered. You make a call to your insurance company (presumably you have a Sat Nav phone which is working correctly) giving your exact location (also, presuming your GPS is still working and you can give the correct coordinates) and inform them that as a customer of theirs you require assistance. You tell them of your predicament. What are they going to do? Send out a rescue party, a helicopter? I think not. The premium for such cover,if available, would be far beyond the reach of all but, the wealthiest of us. If your lucky they may put in a call to the local (within, say 500 miles) police who would have absolutely no idea what a GPS coordinate is. Sure, if your found in time and subsequently treated and survive your injuries the insurance company will pay for repatriation but, you have to be found first and insurance isn't going to help you there.


[This message has been edited by mcdarbyfeast (edited 02 October 2005).]