Every single year, thousands of Americans cross the border and drive into Mexico for an incredible international vacation and road trip. With that being said, many may not know that their American car insurance – while crucial within the border of the United States is crucial –
will not help drivers once they are in Mexico.
Whether you enter Mexico in a rental car or a car that you own, you are going to want to take the time necessary to get the type of
car insurance to make sure that your fun trip through the beautiful and culturally rich country does not get turned on its head because you get in a crash, have a mechanical issue or something else.
So, if you are planning a road trip to Mexico in the relatively near future, you have come to the right place. Let’s break down what you need to know together.
Why do you have insurance in Mexico?
Simply,
the country of Mexico does not recognize American auto insurance policies. If you get into an accident anywhere within the country, you will not be able to depend on your American car insurance to cover the damages that your car endures. As a result, Mexican authorities may arrest your or impound your vehicle in order to cover the damages.
Without a way to pay for the damages from an accident, the process could take quite some time.
Getting into an accident is already going to mess up your vacation enough as it is. Avoid further complicating the issue by getting the insurance you need in order to protect yourself and your property.
How to get Mexican insurance?
The best way to get Mexican car insurance is basically the same way that you get insurance in the United States. You can get coverage online through a trusted and reputable insurance Broker company.
At AmigoMexInsurance.com, we represent AIG and CHUBB, two of the most reputable Insurance carriers in the world.
Overall, the insurance policies are much like those in the United States and will depend on a very similar list of criteria when it comes to the amount of money you can expect to pay for comprehensive auto coverage:
- What type of care do you drive?
- What is the total value of your car?
- What limits do you want?
- How long will you be in the country of Mexico?
- Where are you driving in Mexico?
- Are any of the drivers under the age of 21?
- If you are towing anything behind your car?
One important difference to keep in mind is that unlike insurance in the United States, the Mexican insurance companies are not going to ask you to provide much information about your previous driving record before your purchase Mexican auto insurance.
Coverage options will include the ability to get lump-sum liability limits, some sort of first-party medical insurance benefits and uninsured motorist insurance. The top options will also allow you to add on other valuable endorsements that you may want to consider such as rental car insurance, roadside assistance and even coverage to pay for plane tickets.
What you’ll need to try drive in Mexico?
It is important to know that in order to drive in Mexico at all,
you are going to have to have Mexican car insurance. If you are involved in an accident while driving Mexico, the maximum amount you may have to pay out if another party is either hurt or killed in an accident is going to depend on where you drive.
For that reason, you need to make sure to check all of the laws of the Mexican state or states that you plan on driving in so you can be sure that you are adhering to all of the federal and state laws.
In order to protect yourself as much as possible,
it is recommended that you get a minimum liability limit between $250,000 USD and $300,000 USD worth of Third-Party Liability Damage Coverage. That may be well more than your limits in the United States, but the extra protection is certainly worth it considering the number of added complications that you may have to deal with if you do unfortunately find yourself in an accident or other vehicle-related issue in Mexico.
Conclusion
In the end, you are going to want to do whatever you can to be safe during your trip in Mexico. Getting car insurance if you plan on driving a car is crucial. All you must do now is find the right policy for you to keep yourself protected.
