AUTO INSURANCE ARTICLE

Crossing the Border TO MEXICO: Is Your US Auto Insurance Valid?

By: coppeneur

This spring or summer, where are you headed? If travelling to the south is your pick, and not to Canada, which we have written about previously, then this article is for you. Unlike in Canada, where your US auto insurance keeps you covered across the border, travelling to Mexico requires you to get a Mexican car insurance, a tourist card and a temporary vehicle importation permit, which you can get at the border.

Getting a temporary vehicle permit will cost you $15 and you must pay with a credit card. Paying by cash would require you paying a bond and a processing fee of $15. Have the permit on your windshield while you're in Mexico.

A tourist card is something you can get at the border with a US driver's license and proof of citizenship. Fill out a simple form at the border immigration office declaring information and pay $15. Hold on to the card and don’t lose it, or you might seriously have trouble when you leave.

Don’t ever think about driving without insurance in Mexico! If you meet a road accident and you don’t have auto insurance, you might just find your butt in jail. No kidding! The Mexican authorities will take you into custody until such time that it can be determined who is liable, and whether you have the ability to pay any penalty. Not only that, driving without a valid Mexican auto insurance can keep you stranded in the country, as you may be prevented from departing. Cases have been documented that Americans who failed to show a valid insurance coverage were not allowed to leave even if they require life-saving medical care.

Now, now, this is not supposed to scare you out from crossing the border to Mexico. Just knowing the facts and enough preparation will make you all set to go:

Minimum Requirements of a Mexican Car Insurance

The minimum coverage required for your car to be street-legal in Mexico is a civil liability insurance which covers you in case you cause injury or damage. Again, your US liability insurance is not valid in Mexico for bodily injury although some American insurance policies might cover you for physical damage.

When you rent a car in Mexico, your credit card might provide you insurance. But go and buy Mexican auto insurance anyway. You may request for a reimbursement from your credit car company when you get home. Or better yet, arrange this reimbursement arrangement with your credit card provider before you take the trip.

Finding Mexican Car Insurance

A couple of sites can provide you Mexican auto insurance. Some insurance practitioners recommend mexinsure.com or mexpro.com. If you are not comfortable buying online, then don’t worry. You can buy insurance as well at several American border towns..

At the US-Mexico Border Booth

If at the border crossing, you get a green light, then it’s a signal for you to proceed. Getting a red light, on the other hand means, you head to a specific parking area where a Mexican customs official may ask you some questions or search you and / or your car. Nothing to worry if you have all your papers in order.

Enjoy the tequila and the mariachi and scale the Teotihuacan, or else lay down in the beaches of Puerto Vallarta or Cancun. It’s your summer getaway, enjoy!

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