Why is it so difficult to find insurance for driving across Africa?

I'm travelling through France and Spain to drive around Morocco for two weeks in early May with a 9-year-old Nissan X-Trail. Initially, I could not get any insurance cover for Morocco. You suggested trying Moroccan insurers but they will not insure me unless I am resident in Morocco. Eventually, after perseverance with Swintons Insurance brokers, they managed to persuade Aviva to cover me for the 2-week trip if I took out a full one-year policy with them. I've done so, as my policy was about to need renewal anyway. It’s amazing how inflexible most companies and brokers are when it comes to what should be an easy thing to arrange. It’s not as if I was planning to cross the Sahara.

Asked on 19 April 2013 by JG, via email

Answered by Honest John

Well done. Thanks for the information, which may help other readers. I asked Philip Young how he managed to get cover for his recent record breaking derive from Cape Town to London in a Fiat Panda. He told me it's almost impossible to get such cover in the UK, but that you can usually buy insurance for individual countries at small offices at the borders. After crossing from Spain to Tangier you will find a find a wooden hut on the right of the main gate going out where you can buy road insurance.

Tags: insurance driving abroad

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