Because of the different legal systems there are some major coverage differences between United States and Mexican car insurance policies. I will outline some the the coverage differences by type of insurance. Please, do not confuse this with a complete list as there and far too many “minor” differences to list.
First of all, let’s talk about Liability Insurance. Civil Law, as defined by statute, determines liability coverage in Mexico. This can be really good or really bad depending on your point of view. Because of this system there is almost never a claim made for pain and suffering or emotional distress. The great majority of claims are paid under “Property Damage to Others” and “Bodily Injury,” these losses are settled on an actual cash value (acv) basis, and are dictated by law.
It is generally assumed (and assumed correctly) that Mexico does not have as many court cases and attorneys as the United States. Indeed it is uncommon to have a claim in excess of $100,000. Sometimes, with a very expensive car, Property Damage to Others claims will get near this limit, but it is not at all common to have a Bodily Injury claim that comes close to the $100,000 number.
Now what I am about to say may seem obvious to some, but not to others: Liability insurance purchased from a Mexican Insurer will not cover any law suits against you in the United States, it will only cover law suits brought against you in Mexico. Therefore, if you are sued, in the United States, for an accident that occurred in Mexico, there will be no coverage under your Mexican policy.
The Second thing that I want to address is car insurance, because there can be quite a big difference in the various rates, coverages, limits, and deductibles that the various Mexican Insurance companies offer. Let’s take a look at some of the things that you should pay attention to. First of all, you will want a combined single limit coverage, as opposed to a split limit, because some insurance companies will reduce the amount payable with the use of split limits. The standard used on a Mexican car policy is a combined single limit of one hundred thousand dollars. I encourage you to stay away from split limits. Another coverage to take very seriously because it is very important is Legal Aid and Travel Assistance. Sometimes these are listed as as additional coverages, but they are not they are essential, and without both of these coverages you will be paying your own legal expenses until liability is determined.
The last thing is that a Mexican car policy has exclusions for both Vandalism and Partial Theft, but in the United States policies are generally “all risk” policies. Not so in Mexico, because Mexican policies are “named perils” policies. These policies provided coverage for collision, fire, total theft, some natural occurrences, and other perils. In the United States almost all insurance companies use a fixed deductible, but in Mexico insurance companies will often have a deductible as a percentage of the value of the car insured.
Learn more about Mexican car insurance. Stop by Luisa Navarrete’s site where you can find out all about car insurance for Mexico and what it can do for you.
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