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Morocco 3rd Party Insurance
I'm hoping to visit Morocco in the summer for 4-5 weeks and am confused about 3rd party bike insurance.
I can get annual 3rd party insurance (that's all I want for being at home in the UK as well) that covers me for Morocco but it's quite a bit more than excluding Morocco... Would the 3rd party cover offered by travel insurance be likely to cover me for damage done while on the bike, meaning that "normal" bike insurance would be enough? Or, I've heard that it's possible to buy 3rd party insurance when I get there. Is this likely to be a major hassle or prevent me getting into Morocco in the 1st place? Or, could I just get special bike 3rd party insurance just for the duration of my time in Morocco for a reasonable price? Anyhelp would be appreciated, as I'm determined to make this trip, but am determined not to bankrupt myself in the process! Thanks, Matt |
Hi Matt,
I'm having exactly the same problem. I'm heading to Morocco in May. Have you came to a decision? I'm going to try and buy 3rd party insurance when I get there but I've no idea how! I'll let you know what happens, Paul |
Acccording to Chris Scotts Sahara Overland book insurance for a mercedes in 2004 cost 490dh for 10 days or 815dh for a month. it is simple to get it from the border (see pg 419)
Andy TLC H60x2 landy 101 Ambie 1968 morris minor traveller www.plymouth-dakar.com |
If you're entering through Ceuta it's straightforward - there's an insurance office about 30m from the immigration windows. Two years ago it was about 50 € for a month on a bike.
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British citizens don't need a VISA or Carnet for Morocco, but must have the original motor registration document (V5) plus your passport. If you don't have green card cover for Morocco you can purchase it per below.
When purchasing your ferry tickets at Algeciras, ask for white Moroccan immigration forms. You need two varients of these, one for entry, one for exit. Use the time on the ferry to complete them. As you leave Spanish Morocco, you will be directed into a holding area for processing your entry into Morocco. You can safely ignore anyone not wearing either a gun or a pale blue customs uniform. There are lots of touts who are there to relieve you of money in exchange for smoothing your entry, but it's much more of an achievement to get through without 'help'. Also it's often quicker as the touts make everything seem very complex to show you how you need their help. As of May 2005 the holding area consisted of admin buildings on the left and parking on the right, per plan below (you are entering from the bottom of the plan). ^ | | Assurance | Frontiere | ^ | | B.M.C.E. | (bank) | ^ | | Passport | windows | ^ | | Portacabin | offices | | 1. Go to the portacabin and get a temporary import form for the bike (Declaration d’Importation Temporaire de Moyens de Transport). This is green and in triplicate. Write down your name (first, family), your nationality, passport number, and number of nights you are staying. Then the bike registration and country (GB), the manufacturer and model, and the chassis number from your V5. 2. Go to the passport window and hand in your passport and white immigration form. You will get a stamp and a number in the passport. Add the number onto the green import form after your nationality (second line). 3. Go to the BMCE bank and change some money. If you don't already have green card cover go to the Assurance Frontiere office to arrange. This will cost 59€ or 558MAD for 10 days and about 80€ for a month. 4. Now go back to the portacabin and hand in the passport, green import form, your V5 and either the green card or the border insurance. The forms will be stamped. 5. Now find the head honcho in the pale blue uniform (probably sitting down somewhere in the shade) to let him see and initial everything. 6. You can now ride forward to the actual customs post, but don't put anything away as you'll need to show everything again. The return trip is much easier. You need to queue with your passport and white exit form. Then queue again to hand in the two remaining sheets of the temporary import form, one of which will be returned to you. Tim |
Tim brilliant description, very helpful.
Is that describing entry via Ceuta or Tangers? |
Thanks for the replies everyone, it's really helpful. Buying it on the border it is then! Has anyone been in through Melilla like I'm going to? I'm also going to leave from Tangers: hopefully leaving from somewhere different won't be a problem?!?
Thanks, Matt |
Hi everybody,
Does anybody know what it's like coming in from the other side (Western Sahara)? Especially concerning insurance. Thanks, Mana |
Entering from Melilla
Meililla is easy and not so busy as Cueta. Try the pages I have on my site:
http://www.roamingyak.org/morocco/di...y2melilla.html |
We entered through Melilla and exited at Cueta. I think what was nice on entering via Melilla is that we were immediately in Morocco. The boat ride over was an adventure in and of itself!
Mellila had roughly the same setup as Tim described. Maybe more Moroccans used this entry point (it was a Morrocan boat) so we were shown some special treatment and ushered to the head of the line. When we went to the insurance office we were put off a bit by the price (80 euro per bike sounds familiar) so thought we could bet a better deal in town. Everything in town was still closed at 8:00 AM on a Sunday morning so we rode to Fes and eventually forgot all about the insurance. Good thing nothing bad happened! |
I went through Ceuta again last week and they've changed the layout, so the offices are in different places. But the procedures are the same. I'm doing a better write-up as part of my presentation at the HUBB meeting in the UK in June and will post it when it's ready.
You can't take photos at the border, but nobody told Google Earth, so if you want to see the layout from above, the coordinates for the Ceuta (Fnedeq) customs are N35 52.167 W5 20.695 I've found Tanger a good alternative to Ceuta, however I exited from Tanger this trip on Easter Sunday and it was complete and utter bedlam. One guy in the passport queue had 40 passports to be processed and I missed my boat--which had been grossly oversold anyway! Tim |
Insurance
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Mauritania - between Nouakchott and Nema is tarmac (bad but ok) Insurance you buy in Nouakchott (AGF is there too) Mali - again you buy insurance in the country (AGF bureaux) If you are in Bamako then go to AGF mali insurance- Avenue de la Nation, BP E 4447 Bamako, Mali tel 222 4165 or email agf.mali@agf-ml.com (best write in French!) Western Sahara - I just rode through (had my green card which covers me for Morocco but did not find anywhere to get insurance there- not exactly the most polulated area!) In most cases, insurance, is seldom worht the paper it is printed upon- but it is mandatory nevertheless. You being the foreigner are most likely to be 'in the wrong' no matter who is...:wacko: I know...Just don't hit anything! |
Insurance in Morocco
Hi again,
When I posedthe question above, what it is like coming from the other way, I think I didn't make myself very clear, I think. I meant to ask about buying my insurance papers for Morocco, but coming via Maurentania and the western Sahara. Since western Sahara is 'part of Morocco' (according to some..), does that mean that I formally enter Morocco when I enter the western Sahara? And does that mean that I buy an insurance for the 'two countries' at that stage? Mana |
Buy Insurance
In Mali for Mali
In Mauritania for Mauritania If you have insurance from a European Insurer you should (but check with your insurer) be covered for Morocco third party only- you need ask for a Green Card. Technically, you don't physically need it, practically, I'd advise you have it. If you don't have insurance to cover Morocco, you can buy it at the first opportunity (like Nouakchott - 5 minutes walk from Hotel Halina/ Sweedish Embassy/DHL office) In the meantime- don't hit anything like people, goats, camels etc etc as you'll always be in the wrong- :rolleyes2: |
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Andy TLC H60 landy101 anbie/camper 1968 morris minor traveller |
Does anybody have any idea how much 6 months worth of insurance is if you buy it from Morocco when you enter? I hope it's not 6 times 80 euro's ;-)
My UK insurer won't cover me and it will run out when I'm there anyway... |
One additional consideration for the UK travelers is some UK insurance companies have time restrictions on the amount of European travel they will cover.
I have experienced one company had a maximum of 30 days per year, some stipulate 30 days per trip. I am currently with Equity Red star and they allow 90 days per trip but will not issue a green card for Morocco. It may not get picked up in a police check but if you have an accident the insurance company will duck out if they can. Steve |
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When you get on the ferry pick up a white form from the rearmost cafe desk(don't ask me...??).You'll need to fill this in with your details as you wait in the first que for the police/passport desk.Here they'll stamp your passport with your visitor number.Then go to the vehicle registration desk(one guy on his own with a laptop)and fill in the temporary vehicle registration paper(triplicate copy as mentioned above) as you'll need your visitor number they have just given you for this.Once you've done this on the boat you can relax a bit and get a coffee....you'll need it when you get to shore! We were in a group so all passports were processed by one of the guys who's been there before,but we met a Dutch guy who had come on his own and just asked the coppers what to do and where to go.Seems they were very helpful and actually took him to each individual desk and he was cleared within the hour.It's a hectic and very inefficient system but if you are patient you'll get there. |
I seem to have got side tracked a bit....
Insurance.I got mine through Carole Nash for my trip.Norwich Union do a week at a time for about £15 a week for the green card,though you can get cover at the border anywhere.At Tangier the insurance kiosk is on the left as you leave the passport holding area,and they take Euros so no need to change money at the port.You'll get a better exchange rate if you go into the city centre to either the Banc du Maroc or the Banc Populare.One tip is take GBpounds and not Euros as the exchange rate is quite a bit better for sterling(we didn't know this).Another thing to note is that when you leave the country you'll need to re-change all your remaining Dirahms back as you won't be able to do this anywhere outside of Marocco.And Banc du Maroc is the only place you can do this,the other banks won't want to know.Opening times are 8.30am-3pm only.You can do it via the black market at the exit port but you'll get a really crap rate. |
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Are you sure about needing extra Carol Nash insurance ? I went to Morocco recently and 3rd Party insurance was already included -so I think you wasted your money there. Are you sure you get a better rate for sterling? I dont think so; I believe youre wrong there. Also the rate changes only by a tiny amount as you move around Morocco, so you may want to revise your comments about exchange rates. Maybe not. Next time you go to Morocco, consider avoiding going in a group. If you go in a group, you talk to the group; if you go on your own or with one other, you speak to the people. Only if you want that, of course; possibly you may not wish to speak to Moroccans. Do you speak French or Arabic?-I cant remember. Was Dolly your girlfriend with you this trip? Anyway, Ill catch you later! A salaam o alaikum your pal Denis |
I think Carole Nash are just brokers - I'm insured with them and I DON'T have any coverage for Morocco with my policy's underwriter... ask me how I know lol..!! Like a burk I declined the policy that could have given coverage in Maroc - all for the sake of 35 quid ..ah well, we live and learn!
Greg |
Maroc Insurance
Hi Matt
Insurance is easy to buy on the border; don't worry too much about finding where to buy it, it will probably find you. I entered Tangiers 14 months ago and 30 days bike insurance cost me about £60. It seems to be a lottery as to how much it costs, I'm not sure exactly what you're covered for but it will keep you legal. I'm crossing into Ceuta next week; this trip I've arranged insurance through my UK broker "Devitt" underwritten by Norwich Union, £26 for 30 days. Good luck and have fun Kev |
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