the balkans - insurance
 

In a few weeks I am driving through the Balkans, specifically Croatia, Montenegro and Albania, or route to Turkey and ultimately India. Should only be in each balkan country for a few days max. I am trying to get a handle on the likely costs for buying insurance at the border in these three countries. My UK insurer will do Croatia for £15 (if I give exact dates), not Serbia & Montenegro or Albania. Does anyone know the likely costs for a few days travel for a 4X4 in these three countries?

Look here for Serbia:

http://www.mfa.gov.yu/Visas/custom.htm

Haven't a clue about Albania though, sorry...

What kind of insurance you mean? - liability? Last year I visited Serbia, Montenegro, Bosna and Hercegovina and Croatia. First question on each border was always about a green card. Nobody needed any other form of insurance. I didn't have any other.

Kris

to #2, its third party liability insurance. The problem is my UK insurer (Norwich Union) wont do insurance for Serbia or Albania, so I cant get a green card for these countries. I will have to buy local third party insurance on the borders, and want to know how much it will cost

That website states its 150 DEM (I think they mean euros) for one month, but I only need it for a day ot two. Anyone know if its possible to get for a shorter period?

I THINK 150 DEM means € 75.00!

Just ring the embassy and they probably will be able to confirm that...

Further web searching has yielded dividends, found a blog from 04 stating that Montenegro 15 days insurance at border for 15 euros, 30 euros for Albania for 2 weeks. Even allowing for inflation should be less than 75 (though that seems what you'd pay for Serbia). Thanks for the input.

I see this is a 2006 thread. Because I've used the search engine.

I'm off that way next year. Any one know if there is any change in what has been said. I know since then, some country that where out of the EEC are now in. So my UK insurance will cover for them. But the three that are out side the EEC how do I get cover. My Bike insurance will be needing renewing before I go. So I'll be trawling the net trying to find a company who can give me a half decent cover. Any idea's???
John933

My girlfriend and I have just got back from a trip from the UK to Petra in Jordan and back. Before leaving, I tried to get a Green Card from my insurer, Bennetts. They told me that it had been phased out and was no longer necessary. Well, we bypassed the Balkans on the way out (took the ferry from Bari in Italy to Igoumenitsa in Greece). But on the way back we decided to come via the Balkans. When we got to the Greece/Macedonia border we were turned back because we didn't have Green Cards. We were told that we could buy third party insurance for about 50 Euros, but someone would have to come out to sell it to us, and that would cost extra. And we would have to wait. The prospect of having to do this in five other Balkan countries as well was too daunting, so we hopped on the ferry back to Italy. The message for us was: Don't believe what your insurer tells you; find one who can supply you with a Green Card. Get it and go for it.

croatia and serbia were unreal!

Serbia is the main problem.
I crossed it earlier in the year in a minibus and paid €250 for a month even though I was only in the country for 2 days! The detour would have been more costly. €75 sounds about right for a bike because they won't sell you less than a month. I'd advise Croatia, monte Negro, Albania, Greece as the cheapest route through the Balkans into Asia if that's where your headed. Otherwise Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria which is the route I took to Turkey. All fine and cheap insurance on the border when needed except Serbia.

My wife and I rode through this way earlier in the year without any green cards (our insurers wouldn't give them out because they're 'unnecessary').

Serbia, if you want to do it, is €150 per bike at the border (we didn't go there!).

All the other borders were very straight forward. Albania (not EU) was around €11 per bike if i recall - they didn't ask, you have to find the shack to buy it. Croatia (not EU) didn't ask and we rode through without it. Macedonia was indeed €50 each - we bought it at the border, they won't let you through without it.

It's all dead easy but is a pain when you see other european riders just riding up with their green cards and getting through in 30 seconds. Uk insurers are basically 100% wrong and deluded on the whole green card issue. It's entirely relevant when you're at the borders.

If you want more detailed information on those border crossings go to my travel blog (below) and click on the 'border info' tab - it's all relevant for 2010.