All participants MUST be in possession of a valid 25 page Carnet de Passage en Douanes for their vehicle in order to clear it through customs en route.

This is an internationally recognised customs document drawn up by the FIA/AIT, the world body for motor touring organisations, and administered in each country by its national automobile club or association.

RAC Motoring Services have agreed to issue carnets to all Inca Trail participants irrespective of the nationality of the driver, or country of registration of the vehicle.

The purpose of the carnet is to enable tourists to bring their cars temporarily into a country without having to pay full import duties, by guaranteeing that these will be met by the issuing national automobile organisation (in this case, RAC Motoring Services), if the vehicle is not re-exported within a certain time limit.

The owner of the vehicle has to indemnify RAC Motoring Services against this contingency. He or she can do this in one of three ways:

1. By depositing a large sum of cash with RAC Motoring Services (equivalent to 300% of the vehicle’s market value); or
2. By providing RAC Motoring Services with a bank guarantee to this amount; or
3. By taking out insurance covering themselves against this contingency

This last is the commonest means. For a single individual vehicle, the normal premium for this insurance is 10% of the car's retail value in the country concerned, of which half is refundable when the car is returned to its country of origin. As cars are typically sold in South America at up to twice the European or North American price, the net effect of this is likely to be a final cost of about 10% of the vehicle's value - e g £3,000 for a £30,000 car.

However, HERO have set up a group package insurance scheme with RAC Motoring Services for a group carnet package, through their brokers R L Davison. Their premium for this insurance is expected to be about £100.00 per vehicle. RAC Motoring Services's fee for the carnet itself is an additional £65.00.

For this to be set in hand, RL Davison need to know the full extent of their liability, and have asked us to find out the value of the vehicles entered. Can you therefore please complete the following form fully and return it by post to HERO, The Town House, Leigh, Worcester, WR6 5LA, England by 28 February, or by fax to +44 1886 833144? Many thanks.

Fax this form back to HERO at (+44/0) 1886 833144

Name:___________ ___________ ___________

Classic Reliability Trial

4x4 Adventure Drive

Vehicle make and model:___________

Year: ___________ Chassis no: ___________ ___________ ___________

Vehicle registration number:___________ Country of registration: ___________

Estimated value of vehicle: GBP/USD*___________ (*delete as applicable)

Signature___________ ___________ Date___________

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