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Wandering to the Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro etc)

  • Author VXman
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DAY 1 -Set off yesterday for the 8.45pm Dover- Calais via Irish ferries. Arrived early to have time to cook some dinner before we boarded but boat times were alll over the place, not sure why but there were a lot of police and customs staff searching for the escaped prisoner from Wandsworth. Every vehicle searched.

Anyway, as a result we got an earlier delayed ferry so good result! First overnight stop at the lovely free Aire just outside Gravelines. Arrived at 11.00pm French time. Half a dozen vans or so already here. A nice night apart from a search for the mozzy session at 3.am. The Linda recieved half a dozen bites - I seem to escape but we found the annoying buzzer and he left a nice bloody mark on the ceiling after being splatted!!

Tomorrow- on through Belgium and Germany after a bacon buttie.
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Soycd
Looks like a great trip. We have been to Slovenia/Croatia on a number of occasions and it's beautiful. Can I ask you about insurance for Bosnia, Montenegro etc? Most UK insurers won't insure for those countries. The reason I ask is we are considering driving to Greece next year through The Balkans. I'd prefer to go, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, (Possibly into BIH) Albania and Greece.
 
VXman
Soycd said:
Looks like a great trip. We have been to Slovenia/Croatia on a number of occasions and it's beautiful. Can I ask you about insurance for Bosnia, Montenegro etc? Most UK insurers won't insure for those countries. The reason I ask is we are considering driving to Greece next year through The Balkans. I'd prefer to go, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, (Possibly into BIH) Albania and Greece.
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We are with Comfort Insurance (underwritten by Aviva) and Bosnia and Herzegovina are covered as standard under the green card system - fully comprehensive as in UK. So is Serbia. However, Montenegro is not apparently although the border staff and MiB (motor insurers bureau) say it should be. The option if you are not covered is to purchase minimum legal cover for that country at the border but it will only be 3rd party cover. Or...try and find specialist cover in the UK before you leave. I'm arguing Montenegro with my insurance company as I write. We may go onto Albania but that will definitely be a case of buying 3rd party cover. I risk I know but hey - there we go!
 
Soycd
VXman said:
We are with Comfort Insurance (underwritten by Aviva) and Bosnia and Herzegovina are covered as standard under the green card system - fully comprehensive as in UK. So is Serbia. However, Montenegro is not apparently although the border staff and MiB (motor insurers bureau) say it should be. The option if you are not covered is to purchase minimum legal cover for that country at the border but it will only be 3rd party cover. Or...try and find specialist cover in the UK before you leave. I'm arguing Montenegro with my insurance company as I write. We may go onto Albania but that will definitely be a case of buying 3rd party cover. I risk I know but hey - there we go!
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Thanks for that. We were with Comfort (between vans at moment) and I was planning using them again. I'll be interested to know how it goes with Comfort/Montenegro. Just found our old green card and as you say BIH included but MNE crossed out. Serbia is covered but only the bits under government control, so I guess regions like Kosovo are not covered. I'm not sure I'd personally risk Albania, as we will have a brand new van, but I'd love to go! I think our possible route to Greece once we get to Croatia, would have to be Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, unless things change in the next year.
 
TobyQuest
I just came back from everywhere a month ago. Bosnia is fine, only was asked to pay insurance in montenegro and North macedonia, albania doesn't require additional either.

It's approx 50 euro for the insurance and is made in 15 mins directly at both borders
 
VXman
TobyQuest said:
I just came back from everywhere a month ago. Bosnia is fine, only was asked to pay insurance in montenegro and North macedonia, albania doesn't require additional either.

It's approx 50 euro for the insurance and is made in 15 mins directly at both borders
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Odd..we were told at the border to Montenegro that insurance was not required. Montenegro became part of the European Green Cars scheme in 2021. However, Comfort insurance don't agree so won't cover here. Albania is a definite no go with Comfort. Basically only Bosnia and Serbia are covered.
 
TobyQuest
Ah sorry, you might be right. I saw so many countries they are a bit of a blur. I know it was only 2 around the Balkans where insurance was required. Macedonia was definitely one of them and the other was either Albania, Kosovo or Montenegro.
 
Soycd
VXman said:
Odd..we were told at the border to Montenegro that insurance was not required. Montenegro became part of the European Green Cars scheme in 2021. However, Comfort insurance don't agree so won't cover here. Albania is a definite no go with Comfort. Basically only Bosnia and Serbia are covered.
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Did you have any luck with Comfort and cover for Montenegro?
 
VXman
Soycd said:
Did you have any luck with Comfort and cover for Montenegro?
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No, first reply was 'you are not covered'. Then I asked them to escalate and to explain why but not response yet. I also contacted Aviva and they just said - we cannot comment on Comfort policy even though we underwrite it. All I want is a general explanation of why they include Serbia and Bosnia but exclude Montenegro. It just doesn't make sense. But, as with all large companies they are just not interested other than robbing you off with 'thats what it says'.

So we are driving uninsured and very carefully! Heading for Serbia now when fully comp cover will kick in. Not letting it spoil Montenegro though!
 
Soycd
You are a braver man than me! Hope all goes well. I'm running through some possible routes at the moment, nothing firm decided but would like to end up in Greece. Thanks for the information.
 
VXman
Soycd said:
You are a braver man than me! Hope all goes well. I'm running through some possible routes at the moment, nothing firm decided but would like to end up in Greece. Thanks for the information.
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Well, logically thinking - I have done 24000 miles in the last 2 years or so, mostly abroad, and not had an incident. So statisitically....
 
VXman
VXman said:
Well, logically thinking - I have done 24000 miles in the last 2 years or so, mostly abroad, and not had an incident. So statisitically....
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Just to update. Out of Montenegro and into Serbia. No accidents or incidents in Montenegro while uninsured :rolleyes: but now back to Fully Comp in Serbia!!! :giggle:
 
Soycd
Hi again
Meant to ask you, what did you do about phones/data in non EU countries? I've just looked at the roaming charges for Montenegro, Bosnia Herz. and Serbia and they seem pretty steep. Thanks.
 
VXman
Soycd said:
Hi again
Meant to ask you, what did you do about phones/data in non EU countries? I've just looked at the roaming charges for Montenegro, Bosnia Herz. and Serbia and they seem pretty steep. Thanks.
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Definitely don't use you UK roaming. That might be ok in EU countries but not in non EU. I tend to buy a sim just for travel. Lebara, Smarty, RWG, ID mobile and others will all do no contract data sims that you can just use for a month or two and then close the account.

In non EU countries just buy a local sim. Montenegro was something like 7 euros for 500GB for 2 weeks! bosni and Serbia were cheap too. They are easy to buy. They sell tourist sims in kiosks on street corners.

To be honest - it's probably the cheapest way to do it in the EU to.
 
Soycd
Thanks for that. I’ll probably be switching to Smarty anyway. They have a 12gb cap for EU unless I can find one that does more. Presume the non EU local sim will come as data only? I don’t suppose you need a phone number for iMessage, WhatsApp etc. thanks again very useful info
 
VXman
Soycd said:
Thanks for that. I’ll probably be switching to Smarty anyway. They have a 12gb cap for EU unless I can find one that does more. Presume the non EU local sim will come as data only? I don’t suppose you need a phone number for iMessage, WhatsApp etc. thanks again very useful info
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RWG don't have any limits on their EU data. Well they do but I think its 100GB on their 200GB package
 

Table of contents

Event Details 4 countries in one day Urm - Germany Gollin - Austria River Camping Bled - Slovenia Ljubljana Slunj and Radstoke - Slovenia Bosnia and Herzegovina - Page 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina - Page 2 Bosnia and Herzegovina - page 3 Bosnia and Herzegovina - Page 4 Bosnia and Herzegovina Page 5 Bosnia and Herzegovina Page 6 Montenegro - The first 5 days Skadar Lake - Montenegro Final few days in Montenegro - Ostrog Monastry, Durmitor National Park (Black Lake, Curevac Peak, Tara Bridge) Serbia Days 1 and 2 Serbia Days 3 and 4 Serbia days 5 and 6 and across the border to Croatia. Chilling at Krk, Croatia . Isola, Koper, Piran - Slovenian Coast Northern Italy. - Mantua, Sabbioneta and Cinque Terra Rapello, Santa Margherita, Portofino and Italian Riverera Turin France - Final few days heading home View full entry

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