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Green card insurance in Europe with comprehensive UK insurance Green card insurance in Europe with comprehensive UK insurance
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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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  #1  
Old 18 Jun 2009
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Green card insurance in Europe with comprehensive UK insurance
Hi all,

I've read the extensive sticky on green cards in Europe but sadly still can't get past one basic point. I've got comprehensive insurance (bought in the UK) that covers me for European trips of up to 60 days, so do I need green card insurance at all? My apologies if I missed this in the mega-thread.

Alex
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  #2  
Old 18 Jun 2009
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The green card is just the unified method of proof that you have insurance. In France and the UK you've got these stickers on your bike or car to prove you have insurance, due to a completely different system in Germany these are unknown and the coppers wouldn't know what to make of them.
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  #3  
Old 18 Jun 2009
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There are no physical green cards in Europe anymore except for non-EU policies. Your UK certificate will be recognised throughout the EU. EU law requires all insurance companies to extend the basic cover throughout the union, the only bit to ask about is if your theft cover is extended. It usually is for the 60 days.

Now if you are going outside the EU, then you are in trouble, UK insurers just won't want to play.

Andy
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  #4  
Old 18 Jun 2009
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I have just complteted London to Istanbul in the last few weeks.
I had my UK insurance and they sent me a green card for Turkey and some of the Baltic countries, However I still got stung for insurance going into Turkey, and passing through Serbia, it was just easy and less hassel to pay it.
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  #5  
Old 18 Jun 2009
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Hhmmm, I'll just be tootling around France, doesn't seem like I'll need it...
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  #6  
Old 2 Jul 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Speeding Stag View Post
I have just complteted London to Istanbul in the last few weeks.
I had my UK insurance and they sent me a green card for Turkey and some of the Baltic countries, However I still got stung for insurance going into Turkey, and passing through Serbia, it was just easy and less hassel to pay it.
Just to confirm, I will leave on my trip to India in the next month and I also have full comp Irish insurance that covers all EU countries. I intend on traveling through Crotia, Bosnia+Herz and Macedonia (all non-EU contries) can I just buy insurance (I assume 3rd party) at the border like I was expecting to have to do in Turkey, Iran etc.

Cheers

Liam
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  #7  
Old 2 Jul 2009
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Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
There are no physical green cards in Europe anymore except for non-EU policies... Your UK certificate will be recognised throughout the EU.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandarax View Post
In France and the UK you've got these stickers on your bike or car to prove you have insurance, due to a completely different system in Germany these are unknown and the coppers wouldn't know what to make of them.

Andy/Mandrax,

Every policy issued in France and Germany comes with a physical green card valid for the life of the policy! 1 year normally.

In France, the green card comes with a portion that you remove and stick on the bike... Keeping the green card proper about your person.
In Germany they do not have this tear-off part and you should have your green card on you.

The green card will "ease" your passage as opposed to the incomprehensible, to Johhny foreigner, bit of paper the the UK passes off as an International Certificate of Insurance.

John
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  #8  
Old 2 Jul 2009
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Never had any problems at checkpoints or when discussing my riding style with law enforcement, they either know UK paperwork or work on the basis that anyone who hands over papers is either insured or a good bluffer. Never crashed anything seriously enough to need to compare paperwork with another driver mind. I guess at that point the Gendarmes call DVLA or somewhere just like Plod would. Give me ten minutes with photoshop/paint and I could make a passable German green card, so I'd guess the boys in green really don't trust bits of paper beyond using then as a test of character.

The fact is, the cheap and cheerful UK insurers simply will not issue a physical green coloured card. If you talk to the right people you can get a green card for Morocco, the non-EU Balkans, Turkey ect. but pay through the nose for the insurance. For France and Germany, just go, you are covered and legal.

Andy
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Old 2 Jul 2009
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Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
The fact is, the cheap and cheerful UK insurers simply will not issue a physical green coloured card. If you talk to the right people you can get a green card for Morocco, the non-EU Balkans, Turkey ect. but pay through the nose for the insurance.
Almost. I've spent all of this week trying to find someone to do it. You can get fully comp coverage in EU and Albania/Macedonia/Serbia/Bosnia/Montenegro/etc (unsure on Kosovo) for basically no extra money on your normal bike insurance if you have a specific underwriter. They will do a real green card for you too.

I will amend the sticky on here in a week if/when this comes through so it moves from hearsay to 100% fact. I hope it does come through too...
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Old 3 Jul 2009
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I have spoken to my insurers ( Carol Nash ) and they will issue me a green card for the countries i'm passing through, same as you guys, for no extra cost.
They need to know when,where and for how long, so not blanket cover but FOC.

Pete
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  #11  
Old 21 Jul 2009
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Carole Nash are issuing me with a green card for most of the countries I'll be covering but for some reason no cover is available for Serbia and Montenegro - yet Albania, Macedonia Ukraine etc are all no problem.

Can you buy insurance at the border for these countries?
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Old 21 Jul 2009
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I have my green card in my hand issued from CL about a week ago, it includes Serbia but not Montenegro.
May be worth a phone call.
HTH

Pete
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  #13  
Old 23 Jul 2009
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KTM Martin : Did the Insurance Come Through?
KTM Martin posted the following two weeks ago;

Almost. I've spent all of this week trying to find someone to do it. You can get fully comp coverage in EU and Albania/Macedonia/Serbia/Bosnia/Montenegro/etc (unsure on Kosovo) for basically no extra money on your normal bike insurance if you have a specific underwriter. They will do a real green card for you too.

I will amend the sticky on here in a week if/when this comes through so it moves from hearsay to 100% fact. I hope it does come through too...
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  #14  
Old 30 Sep 2009
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European/UK insurance for Americans
My current insurer is not issuing new policies for Europe. I will need insurance when I return to my US registered camper in April, 2010. It is currently stored in the UK but I will need Europe insurance as well. Anyone know any companies writing policies?

Thank you
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  #15  
Old 1 Oct 2009
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i was forced to switch insurance companies this summer to get a Green card which covered me for all of the Balkans and Turkey. i used a broker 'Direct Choice' and the policy was with AXA insurnce. This was double what i was paying but saved a lot of hassle buying insurance at each border. Andy B
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