Bit of an old thread, but here goes......

Does anyone have any contact details for where to buy insurance in Colombia (ideally a 1 month policy - not a year)? Apart from IronHorse's post above, there are no details in this thread, just enough scare stories to convince me that I need to buy insurance!

Thank you

SOAT can be bought almost anywhere. Gas stations, shopping malls etc. The problem if finding a place that is authorized to sell less than a year. Colombians have to buy minimum one year at a time now according to the law, but tourists are allowed to buy less if they demonstrate their temporary import document.
Most bike shops and car dealers sell the insurance to and many of them can call the main office and get permission to sell 1-3 month. Most commonly 3 month at about $40 USD!
Be sure to double check name and bike information on the insurance card!

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Keep On Ridin' In The Free World

- Mike

Yes, this is a bit irritating, I wish people would actually give the full detail of who, where and contact numbers when they have got the insurance.

We spent all yesterday searching for the fabled 3 month 40USD insurance (in Bogota) and the best we can find is 75USD,

I will post full info when we have sorted it, but 1st we need to find the bikes so we can get customs to give us a slip of paper to allow us to inure them.

The Panama office for Girag is run by a bunch of cowboys, they never respond to emails and it is impossible to talk to my contact, all we want to know is where the bikes are.

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http://www.ytc1.co.uk

just to update for 2012/2013

Chile - we bought motorbikes there and had to buy obligatory insurance till 31.March for about US $90, we met many tourist on bikes with foreign plates without insurance or some international bought in home country

Argentina - obligatory, controlled at the border and at police check up - we bought in Chile for US $40 for a month, but they had many options (7days, 2weeks, 1 month, 45 days, 3months...), not every insurance company sells papers for bikes, but in border cities there are many offices

Bolivia - didn't have

Peru - didn't have, were asked for a US $10 bribe at Copacabana/Puno border (payed US $2 finally), inside country, while controlled we were showing our chilean insurance, because on paper wasn't written, that it's chilean so you need to have 'some paper' with 'seguro' written...

Ecuador - obligatory at aduana, we bought in Huaquillas (it's a city after passport control, but before aduana) for $3 for 1 month (but it covers also medical costs!)

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our travelblog http://wandergryszki.blogspot.com

I know this is an old thread, but thought I would try anyways.
3 of us just got off a boat in Cartagena with our motorcycles (came from Panama). Unfortunately, we haven´t done too much research on insurance in South America yet. We were told insurance in Columbia is mandatory and is about $60 for 60 days. We are only planning on being in Columbia for about 3 weeks, but it doesn´t seem like a shorter term policy is an option.
Does anyone have information on 1 month policies in Columbia or the Andean community insurance (I think someone called it SOAT or SOAL in an earlier post)? We are headed south to Argentina so insurance that covers multiple countries would be great. Otherwise, we already have travel insurance that covers medical expenses so we really just want to have what is mandatory in each country. Thanks.

Find an office of Seguros del Estado, are many places in every city.

They can sell a one month insurance when you show your legal TIP document. The year price is $370.000 pesos in 2013, so the one month should be $25-35 USD.

And yes YOU NEED IT. if you do not have it the police can confiscate the vehicle on the spot and that will cost you not only a fine, new insurance, towing and storage in the police compound, plus a lot of paperwork.

Also the SOAT has an incredible medical coverage, so if basically any illness or injury occurs while riding the bike you are covered - including passengers and 3rd parties.

Chao
Mike - Casa Blanca Hostel, Cali

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Keep On Ridin' In The Free World

- Mike

Hi there,

just a quick word on Peru. I was driving my motorcycle from Ecuador to Peru in January 2013, and crossing the border in Macara.

Right on the border there was an insurance agent, who sold me insurance for Peru at the price of 30 USD. It was a SOAT insurance for one month.
I guess it sounds better than 500 USD for one year.

Apart from insurance, you also need a special "temporary import" paper from the peruvian customs.

I bought Peru SOAT in Puno, La Positiva (Calle Deustua 299), and I paid 80 Soles for 3 month (about 29 USD).
GPS S15 50.399 W70 01.623

They asked about the number of seats, and then said, that
1 month 60 Soles
2 month 70 Soles
3 month 80 Seles
I have Mazda Mini-van, and three seats.

However, in another place asked 240 soles per month

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Africa 2011-2012. From Estonia to Cape Town and now in South America
http://tarmo-rtw.blogspot.com/

My first overland experience by motorcycle was from Costa Rica
to Los Angeles, California in 1968. Yes, I attended the Olympic
Games in Mexico City 1968. I have been an avid over lander in Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, Morocco and Turkey
and currently reside in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Anyone who, on their own volition, or by following the advice of
the few, who have negated the absolute need for insurance in all
South American countries is risking the loss of his/her motorcycle/vehicle
and in the event of having an accident with personal injury and/or
property damage is also risking the loss of his/her freedom-JAIL.

Those one year policies in Peru can be set up on
monthly credit card installments and you can stop the payments once you have exited Peru. If, indeed it is true that you cannot purchase a short term policy in Peru. Last time I rode Peru, 2005, I was able to buy an inexpensive short term policy, but I could not buy it for Peru, while in Chile, I had to buy the policy in Peru.

I have posted my experience working for the International Red Cross in Mexico for three years and how I visited many North Americans and other foreigners in Mexican jails - because they had an accident, did not have insurance, or did not have a legal title to their motorcycle/vehicle. And, I have posted that South American street cops are not allowed to determine fault for an accident, that is up to a judge and court dockets are generally full for 6 months to a year. Everyone goes to jail until the accident is sorted out before a judge, or proof of insurance coverage is provided by an attorney from your insurance company, not by YOU.

With insurance, you walk - that is if your motorcycle/vehicle is actually legally registered in your name and you have a valid TVIP for the country. And, I might add here that even if you have purchased insurance, it is null and void if the title of your motorcycle/vehicle is illegal in any way.

Yes, the insurance company will do title research on your motorcycle/vehicle before they tell the judge that you have insurance and can be released from jail. The insurance company will ask where, when and from whom you purchased your motorcycle/vehicle, and I feel sorry for those who must try to convince the insurance company and a judge that there exists a "no man's land" between South American countries where foreigners can exchange ownership of motorcycles/vehicles. This is legally not true.

Eat, Drink and Buy Insurance xfiltrate

Great thread. Thanks all.

Going South through SA Dec 2013- to Peru so far.

Columbia, Cartegena 12 Dec 2013. Seguro office, N 10°25'14.63" W 75°32'13.70" It was for 1 month and it was for peanuts (I cannot remember how much but it was very low - under $20 equivalent). Obligatory but not required for customs.

Equador, Tulcan E35 (Pan Am) crossing 19 Dec 2013. Small office to left of customs office marked SOAT, IIRC. Cost was serious peanuts, $5 for 1 month. It is required for customs clearance.

Peru, Tumbes. (Pan Am). Legally required but the office at border was shut on Sun 29 and Mon 30 Dec 2013. I bought 1 months insurance, 30 Dec 2013, from an office in Tumbes at S 3°33'55.5" W 80°27'16.0". It was $35 or 96 Soles. Other offices would only sell me one years insurance for 390 soles. It was not required for customs clearance but I was stopped at a customs check point about 200 km south on the Pan Am and asked for my papers.

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New bike, Retired Nomad.

Insurance and temporary import of ur vehicles are perhaps the most essential documents one need to carry before entering cointries. Just did a ride from India to Uk on my indian 1994 bike. THE SILK ODYSSEY on FB. Any help pl let me know

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