Hi all.
I'm from Chile and I'm pretty shure that the foreign bikes with foreing drivers don't need insurance here. Otherwise it will be asked when you get into Chile.
Regarding Argentina, all the chilean bikes that cross the border from Chile to Argentina need an insurance. It will cost depending on how many days are you planning to be there. This is a specific insurance that is not sell everywhere. Only in some places. I know that near the border (Portillo/Uspallata) you can buy it. So you have to ask for the insurance needed to use in Argentina, not the obligatory for Chile.

PLEASE HELP ....PROBLEM crossing from the Chile border into Argentina in Sico ... I didn't get my leaving immigration stamp in San Pedro (I didn't know to get it there its usually at the border when you pass through) when I got to the border they wouldn't let me through they told me no stamp no get through and also then if my bike is not insured in Australia not allowed in and also if its not registered same thing...

What can you suggest...

Do you need insurance to get from Chile to Argentina??

I came from Santiago into Mendoza on Chile reg bike with no Argentina insurance and the border guard in Argentina just shrugged his shoulders, at the aduana which is combined AR/CL they were more than pleasant both to me and the Colombian biker I was riding with....I have Argentina insurance now...but maybe it's just that border in San Pedro is nasty now ???

We have just crossed from Bolivia (via Ollague) to Chile and then to Argentina (via Paso de Jama). We looked for insurance in Calama, Chile but couldn't find anywhere that would insure our UK registered bikes (including Aseguradora Magallanes).

We weren't asked to show insurance when we crossed the borders at Ollague or San Pedro de Atacama/Jama just a few days ago.

Today we bought insurance in Salta. It was 270 Argentine Pesos (about 60 USD) for 3 months. It's also valid for Chile, Bolivia, Brasil, Paraguay and Uruguay (the paperwork we were given explicitly states this).

The insurance office was
Federacion Patronal Seguros
Avda Belgrano 819
Salta, Argentina.

It was very easy (even with our limited Spanish). I think they must've done the same thing for other foreign bikers before. They used our hostel address in Salta for the paperwork.

We don't know whether or not insurance is a legal requirement for foreign bikes, but we're happy to have the piece of paper now!

Mark and Claire

Hi Mark.

I am planning to make the border crossing at Ollague in 2-3 days. Was there any complications there that I should be aware of? I am a US citizen so I am pretty sure I will be hit with another $140USD reciprocity fee. I am trying to find insurance that I can buy online for Chile and Argentina. Do you have an email address for the office in Salta where you bought your insurance?

Also, I'm assuming that you toured the Salar de Uyuni. Can you ride straight across it on your bike or do you have to be part of an organized tour?

and if I'm not mistaken, you only pay the recip fee once every few years (10?)

Maybe someone can jump in on that one

There may be an insurance kiosk or store selling same at or near border...IF they ask, you probably can tell them you are headed straight there AFTER they stamp you in...............................

don't offer any info , smile, be pleasant, if you are going into AR just mention how sad it is that River Plate manager got busted, going into Chile mention how those Argentines Football Club "Los Milionairios" are so poorly managed....they will understand, either side

Zig

This info is a few years old, but in 2006 the fee only applied to entry by air. I crossed from Chile to Argentina several times and never paid it.

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Andy Tiegs
https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/ts...lsouth-america

In response to Everson65...

I am planning to make the border crossing at Ollague in 2-3 days. Was there any complications there that I should be aware of?
Not as far as we (British passport holders) were concerned. It's a very remote border crossing - definitely no insurance kiosk! - with friendly officials. Had to pay a small fee to exit Bolivia. Can't remember exactly how much - might've been 30 bolivianos for both of us. Had heard about this elsewhere on the HUBB so you might be able to find the info with a search. You may already know that you can't bring fresh fruit, veg or meat into Chile

I am a US citizen so I am pretty sure I will be hit with another $140USD reciprocity fee.
Don't know anything about this, sorry.

I am trying to find insurance that I can buy online for Chile and Argentina. Do you have an email address for the office in Salta where you bought your insurance?
No email address on our documentation, sorry. Just the website for the insurance company - Federacion Patronal Seguros SA | Home | Home - don't think that will help you though. We've now done three border crossings in Chile/Argentina (Ollague, Paso de Jama and Paso San Francisco) and been stopped by police in Argentina for a roadside routine documents check and have not been asked to show proof of insurance yet.

Also, I'm assuming that you toured the Salar de Uyuni. Can you ride straight across it on your bike or do you have to be part of an organized tour?
No need to be part of a tour. When we were there, the salt was a little damp in patches at the access point near Colchani (just north of Uyuni) but it was easy to avoid the wet bits if you went carefully and it was only around the edges - that was the second week of September this year. We rode out as far as Isla Incahuasi and camped near there. We also rode up to Isla Pescado, but found more surface moisture there and so retreated. A friend of ours was there more recently (9th October) and found puddles of surface water and slush. He actually buried his back wheel up to the swingarm at one point. I would definitely ask around in Uyuni about the latest conditions of the Salar before venturing onto it. We found the tour drivers very friendly and happy to share route information with us.

Hope this helps
Mark

At least in what to Argentina involve.


Reciprocity Fees: you only have to pay it landing by airplane into an International Airport like EZE in BA. Only to USA people and other countries that ask visa to us. Is valid for 10 years.

• Australia: US$ 100.-
• Canada: US$ 70.-
• USA: US$131.-
  (Not checked)

3rd Party Insurance: Usually as a physical verification is required they don’t issue it by internet, distrust if you find one to do it online as can be fake and not valid.


Saludos

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Javier...
Dakar Motos “ ”

We´re in Mendoza, Argentina now and I'm replying to the post about 3rd party insurance.
We spent an entire day in Santiago Chile looking for insurance and could not find any. We ended up risking crossing the border and while the Argentenian police at the check point weren´t happy, they let us through. In Argentina we´ve found 3rd party insurance for our New Zealand motorbike, but covering Argentina only. We´re starting to drive South this weekend so will update on insurance and how it all plays out. We will try get Chilean insurance at border as it is apparently required

We entered Argentina on our Dutch insurance (the hell the officials at the Bermejo border don't read English let alone Dutch ;-).

We bought seguro in Salta today. Easy operation and it's valid for Bolivia, Chili, Uruguay and Argentina of course.

Beware that Federacion Patronal moved to Av Toledo 442 though...

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www.bajatwin.com

In Valparaiso awaiting my motorcycle arrival by sea.

Since this is an old thread, has there been any movement on the topic of US nationals requiring insurance in Chile?

Should I try getting insurance through Magallanes? Just wing it, and get Argentine insurance at the border?

Any new info out there?

I believe it is still the same, they will not/cannot insure the foreign vehicle. However Chile can sell insurance for Argentina for the bike (you must buy before crossing the border).

If in doubt, get to the 1st large town in Chile, find a Falabella superstore and ask at their insurance counter.

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http://www.ytc1.co.uk

Just a quick update on these topics as we have just played the game twice coming into Argentina :

#1 - the reciprocity fee is required for land border crossings, (BUY IN ADVANCE ONLINE and bring the printed receipt) no negotiation, they have signs up in even the smallest checkpoint (we just crossed at Paso de San Francisco)

#2 - insurance IS REQUIRED to bring a foreign registered vehicle into Argentina. If you cross without being asked then you are lucky. Do not count on your luck as we did and were turned back at Aguas Blanca (with Bolivia). They would not let us enter with the bike even to buy insurance which we could not have purchased in Bolivia (we tried!) We came back the next day with a bit of creative photoshopping in hand and got through.

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Mark and Carlie - a three year jaunt around the third rock.
www.rtwbymotorbike.blogspot.com.au