Insurance requirements and preparation advice for motorcyclists visiting Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Eligibility depends on the motorcycle’s registration country, the rider and the planned stay.
Sources checked: 10 October 2026 · Recheck before departure and each border.
Start with the right cover.
Do not buy one regional policy and assume the borders are solved. Third-party liability pays covered claims by others; compulsory accident policies such as SOAPEX/SOAT address bodily injury under local rules. Neither automatically replaces the other, nor cargo insurance, theft/own-damage cover or rider medical/evacuation insurance.
Your registration country matters.
Regional insurance agreements have eligibility limits. Europe’s Green Card and the MERCOSUR Carta Verde are different systems. Obtain written confirmation for your registration country, motorcycle, destinations and dates, with proof accepted locally. Domestic motorcycles follow their country’s local policy rules.
Arrange cover before the motorcycle first circulates. If shipping it, confirm collection hours and the cargo agent’s release requirements in writing. Complete arrangements before weekends and holidays.
02
Before the first Chile crossing
Buy SOAPEX online; download proof. Include all planned Chile entries and allow for route delays.
03
Before each northern border
Confirm Bolivia’s exemption conditions, arrange Peru SOAT before entry, resolve Ecuador with authorities, and pre-arrange Colombia foreign-vehicle SOAT. These are separate steps.
04
At every crossing & renewal
Check dates, territory, plate/VIN and claims contact. Keep offline and paper copies for each bike. Re-buy only when a new policy or renewal is actually needed; do not rely on border vendors or connectivity.
Country by country.
Requirements are source-backed below. Purchase steps are planning recommendations, not guaranteed issuance or a border-service promise.
Required · issue before arrival
Argentina
Third-party liability must be active before riding in Argentina. Obtain a policy that accepts your motorcycle’s registration country and covers your arrival and any re-entry. If shipping the motorcycle, confirm the agent’s release checklist; the sources reviewed do not establish a universal air-cargo release rule.
How & when
Before departure, ask an insurer or licensed broker to confirm eligibility, required documents, territory, dates and claims contact. Obtain the policy and compulsory certificate. A regional extension or online quote is not proof that every foreign registration is accepted.
Foreign vehicles temporarily entering Chile need SOAPEX unless a specific applicable insurance agreement exempts them. Confirm whether an exemption applies to your registration country. It covers death and bodily injury, not motorcycle damage or general third-party property liability. CMF identifies a new policy wording for contracts from 9 February 2026.
How & when
Arrange SOAPEX before the first Chilean border. Select motorcycle and its actual registration country, enter the requested vehicle details and download the issued certificate. The HDI product page is verified; confirm your plate and payment eligibility during quoting. Cover every Chilean riding date and confirm repeated entries.
APS’s published DS 27295, article 5(a), exempts foreign-plated vehicles entering provisionally or temporarily for a maximum period of 30 days. Article 5 still places the SOAT-level indemnity obligation on those civilly or criminally responsible for an accident. An exemption is not accident cover.
How & when
Before crossing: carry the temporary-admission document, entry date and a saved copy of article 5. Ask APS/UNIVida or the border authority to confirm application to your stay. The available consolidated text is updated to November 2019; current application, extensions and re-entry counting need confirmation. Do not interpret this as a guaranteed free first 30 days of a longer stay. Ask UNIVida how to insure your foreign plate if the exemption does not apply.
SUNAT’s current tourism-vehicle guidance says accident insurance must be valid for the entire stay. Arrange SOAT before entering so you can ride legally from the border. An older SUNAT legal report distinguishes customs admission from the separate requirement before circulation; do not rely on that distinction to ride uninsured.
How & when
Before reaching the border, contact a Peruvian insurer or authorized agent and request issuance for your foreign-registered motorcycle. Send registration, plate/VIN and dates; ask whether the temporary-entry certificate is needed to finalize issuance. If it is, arrange the process in advance and do not ride onward until cover is active. Foreign-plate online checkout and a specific provider are not verified.
The 2021 foreign-vehicle provision requires a policy covering SPPAT risks and own/third-party material losses, for at least 30 days, subject to applicable international agreements. SENAE also publishes an older SPPAT fee provision; the regulator’s 2025 circular addresses foreign-vehicle policies. These sources do not establish a working purchase channel for all foreign-registered motorcycles.
How & when
Start before departure and follow up at least two weeks before entering Ecuador, earlier around holidays. Obtain written instructions from SENAE and the insurance regulator on the policy, issuer, payment and proof accepted for your registration country. This is a planning buffer, not a legal processing period.
SOAT is compulsory for foreign motorcycles. Circular 013/2024 introduced daily border-scheme policies; the older 15-day description is not a universal current minimum. The official border FAQ specifies RUNT preregistration 24 hours before entry for that scheme. Confirm eligibility and validity for the full route to Cartagena with the issuer.
How & when
Contact Seguros del Estado foreign-vehicle support about two weeks ahead: +57 601 432 4102, option 1, Monday–Friday 08:00–17:00 Colombia time. Aim to resolve eligibility and issuance at least three business days before entry, keeping the last business day as a backup. Verify activation and RUNT recording. Check Colombian holidays as well as weekends.
Confirm unresolved details before travel: Ecuador’s accepted issuer and payment procedure; Argentina’s eligibility for your registration country; Bolivia’s current exemption conditions; and Peru/Colombia’s issuance documents, effective dates and processing hours. A published requirement does not guarantee a working online purchase channel.
This guide covers six South American countries. Other destinations require separate checks. Use the language toggle above and print or save the guide for offline reference. Keep a policy certificate, receipt and claims contact for each motorcycle.
