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Mexican Car Insurance Tips

Mexico, so near (to some places at least) and yet so far. The problem is - which you must be aware of if you’re thinking of driving down to Mexico – that your present car insurance is probably going to be invalid. You really do need to make sure that you’ve got the job covered before you cross the border, vehicle entry into Mexico is strictly regulated by the Mexican government – you have been warned.

Car Insurance Laws in Mexico

• Neither American nor Canadian insurance policies or companies are recognized in Mexico, so don’t assume that because you’re covered at one side of the border, you’re covered at the other – you’re not.
• The only legal insurance companies in Mexico are the Mexican ones.
• Mexican law considers any traffic accidents to be civil offenses, and also criminal.
• Mexico does try to be accommodating for visitors – they have a “border zone” which you can visit (around 20 – 30km), but if you want to travel further than that into Mexico you must obtain an import permit.

Mexican Car Insurance – What You Need for an Import Permit

• You’ll need to prove who you are – not with a mirror (yes, that’s me) but with a passport, birth certificate, that sort of thing
• You’ll need a tourist card
• You’ll need to prove that you are the legal owner of the vehicle. The vehicle must be registered in the drivers name
• If you’re driving a lease vehicle, then you need to show the leasing contract which must be in the name of the driver
• You must have a valid drivers license, which was issued from a country other than Mexico
• The driver of the vehicle must also have, in his/her own name, an international credit card which was issued in a country other than Mexico

You see, long gone are the days when the outlaws and cattle rustlers could ride across the border into Mexico and relative safety, things are not quite so simple these days. If you can provide all of this information then you can get a temporary import permit valid for a period of 6 months, then you can drive over as many times as you like within that time period – but be warned, you’ve then got to cancel your permit at the same place it was purchased or you could find yourself being charged a hefty fee. They’re a bit crafty these days you know, you’ll have to post a bond when you obtain your permit (hence the International Credit Card, although you don’t have to use it to pay the bond) and when you return your permit you’ll get the bond back. Clever huh? The amount of bond you pay depends on the make and model of your vehicle.

Driving a Hire Car Into Mexico

You must check with the hire car company that you are permitted to take it across the border into Mexico, before you set off. Different rental and leasing companies will have different procedures, so you must make sure that you are permitted to cross the border and have all of the relevant documentation needed for you to obtain a temporary permit.

How To Buy Mexican Car Insurance

Mexican Car Insurance can be bought at both sides of the border, in lots of different towns and cities so it’s well worth shopping around. Here are a few pointers:

• Liability Only - is the minimum requirement of car insurance in Mexico. This includes coverage for: property damage which is caused by your vehicle, legal liability cover for death or injury to persons who were not in your vehicle and the medical expenses for yourself and passengers in your vehicle.
• The types of insurance cover offered by Mexican insurance companies is pretty much the same as the car insurance offered by American companies.
• A good idea is to purchase car insurance with similar limits to the ones you have for your insurance in the United States.
• Watch out for any limitations or exclusions which may be included in your Mexican car insurance policy.

Driving in Mexico

You might think that driving in Mexico is similar to driving around the United States, well, think again, it can be an altogether more dangerous experience.  Drive slowly and be prepared to do an emergency stop at all times, you really don’t know what you might come across around the next bend:

• loose livestock can and does wander onto the roads at any time
• you’re rarely warned about road works and construction sites
• not all cars are up to the standards you might expect. Don’t be surprised of cars with only one working headlight and no brake lights at all
• bicycles are often not equipped with any lights or even reflectors
• not all driving signals in Mexico mean the same as they do in the United States

If You Are Involved in a Car Accident in Mexico

Things are not quite the same over the border as they are in the United States. As I’ve already said, road accidents are classed as not only civil offenses, but also criminal. If you are involved in a car accident in Mexico:

• you and anyone else involved could find themselves locked up in prison until the police are sure that there is enough car insurance to pay for damages and injuries
• additional legal aid cover is available so that you can have the help of an attorney
• if you have sufficient insurance cover then you must report the accident to the authorities in Mexico and follow the instructions in your Mexican car insurance policy
• if you don’t have sufficient insurance you can be imprisoned and have your car impounded until the authorities have sorted out the situation

Mexico is a wonderful country full of wonderful people and well worth the visit, but just make sure that, if you intend to drive there, you’ve got everything to do with your car insurance completely covered.