Mexican Auto Insurance

[RVGRINGO]

Mexliving has given you good advice and I concur. Crossing at Laredo is not a problem. It is folks who drive at night or are looking for trouble that generally find it. Thousands cross there every day without incident. Enjoy your trip; it is a beautiful country.

[WAXIEDOS]

Originally Posted by dstan

I am driving to Mexico and will be there for 2 months. What is the best company to buy from, both economically and reliability? Is it best to buy in advance over the internet or at the boarder? I will be crossing at Nogales. thank you for any recommendations you can offer.

I have always shopped our car insurance for Mexico on the internet. This year I found the best rate
with Lewis & Lewis. You can find them online. One problem you might have is the minimum of 6 months coverage.

Good luck!

[kbrinner]

Originally Posted by dstan

I am driving to Mexico and will be there for 2 months. What is the best company to buy from, both economically and reliability? Is it best to buy in advance over the internet or at the boarder? I will be crossing at Nogales. thank you for any recommendations you can offer.

We have been using Sanborns insurance during our travels through Latin America for the last year and they have been great. It took them about a week to write our Mexican policy, so it would be a good idea to contact them ahead of time.

[arturo_b]

One of the nice things about liviing in Tijuana is that I no longer have to buy car insurance.

Ooops -- that might have just branded me as a pariah. Sorry. But it's true.

Great thing about the Internet, you can always speak the truth. You might get banned for doing so but you can always speak the truth. In real life you either get fired or killed.

Here in Tijuana, car insurance is for those who want to cross the border into San Diego. The rest of us think it's a dreadful waste of money. That's why our cars are so beat up, "tijuaneados" we call them.

[RVGRINGO]

That seems to indicate that you are not protected from going straight to jail until you can prove financial responsibility in the event of a serious accident.
I can't recommend that anyone drive in Mexico without insurance; very good insurance.

[arturo_b]

Very, very few accidents around here are serious. Those that are tend to be alcohol-related and, as such, your Mexican policy is automatically invalid.

I got sideswiped a while ago and pulled over to exchange information. The guy who hit me slowed until I stopped and then took off as if the Devil were behind him. That's the extend of my accidents on this side of the border. And that's how most of them are settled.

No, I don't recommend to most ex-pats or occasional visitors that they drive without liability insurance. Most of the three million people in Tijuana are not ex-pats or occasional visitors and among them auto insurance is a rarity. This is one case where you probably don't want to do as the Romans: even so, it should be of some help to know what the general behavior is.

If I were to buy Mexican auto insurance and I already had valid comprehensive coverage from the U.S., I would look to the liability coverage only. I would buy the policy from a company that includes "legal coverage" and I would carry a local cell phone such that, in the event of an accident, one need only call the appropriate number and the insurance company dispatches a (hopefully bilingual) attorney to the accident site. The rider for legal coverage tends to be very inexpensive and having an attorney at the crash site is worth more than the liability coverage.

If I were to spend money on Mexican auto insurance, I would certainly not throw it away by driving under the influence.

Incidentally, most (if not all) toll roads in Mexico include auto insurance as part of the cuotas.

[HolyMole]

Originally Posted by arturo_b

Very, very few accidents around here are serious. Those that are tend to be alcohol-related and, as such, your Mexican policy is automatically invalid.......No, I don't recommend to most ex-pats or occasional visitors that they drive without liability insurance. Most of the three million people in Tijuana are not ex-pats or occasional visitors and among them auto insurance is a rarity......
If I were to buy Mexican auto insurance and I already had valid comprehensive coverage from the U.S., I would look to the liability coverage only. I would buy the policy from a company that includes "legal coverage" and I would carry a local cell phone such that, in the event of an accident, one need only call the appropriate number and the insurance company dispatches a (hopefully bilingual) attorney to the accident site. The rider for legal coverage tends to be very inexpensive and having an attorney at the crash site is worth more than the liability coverage.
If I were to spend money on Mexican auto insurance.....
Incidentally, most (if not all) toll roads in Mexico include auto insurance as part of the cuotas.

Car insurance coverage in Mexico continues to be a puzzle to me.
I don't doubt arturo_b's statement that many (most?) drivers in Tijuana don't bother with car insurance. I suspect the same could be said for much of the rest of the country. However, I think the statement: "....very very few accidents around here are serious" suggests a poor understanding of the reasons why insurance is usually a good idea.

If many Mexicans don't carry car insurance, what does that mean for those of us who do?

Liability coverage provides protection for damages to others resulting from an accident I cause. If an uninsured local causes the accident and me or my passengers are maimed for life, who pays then?

If I purchase collision, it pays for damages to my vehicle if I caused the accident. If the other party caused the accident, does my collision coverage pay for damage to my vehicle if the other party has no insurance?
As for "uninsured motorist" protection, a typical Mexican car insurance policy charges an extra $20 premium, but that just increases the amount of bodily injury protection....nothing about damage to my vehicle.
Another question: Many standard Mexican policies provide, say, $300,000 liability, with an additional premium....say $40.... to increase that to $500,000. Any thoughts on whether it's worth it to purchase that extra liability or is it unnecessary?

[RVGRINGO]

I think most folks go with the normal liabilities in Mexico. This is not the USA and your insurance companies will settle everything. Legal charges and suits are very rare in Mexico, where an accident is just that; an accident. In fact, the concept of blaming each other and getting angry is considered counterproductive. The traffic police aren't even involved unless there is blood on the ground or damage to the roadway, etc. The drivers are usually cordial and call their insurer for an adjuster to be sent to the site of the accident. They are usually prompt.....an hour or two. On heavily travelled roads, it is not unusual to see adjusters stationed near the high accident zones.
I would certainly not recommend that anyone ever drive in Mexico without insurance unless you have an urge to spend a few days in a Mexican jail and have your vehicle impounded; perhaps for a very long time.

[cookjmex]

We use Lewis and Lewis and Lewis, who are US brokers for a large Mexican insurance company. Here is their website: Lewis and Lewis - The Best Mexican Auto Insurance It is very comprehensive coverage and offers a number of options. You can do it all through the website. We have been very happy with them so far, after 3 years.

[safogel]

Originally Posted by dstan

Thank you for the reply. I know of Sanborns but have also heard that there is a range of prices and reliability from company to company....I thought maybe someone knew the "best" company, maybe to get online before my trip, to save me the trouble of shopping around....thanks again.

What the best insurance is, is totally subjective. There is a good company on Wilsh
ire Blvd in Beverly Hills that offers good coverage and good rates for tourist insurance in Mexico.
It is Lewis and Lewis. they do have a website, try looking them up they will pop.


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