Sudden Insurance

I have been an insurance agent for about fifteen years and because of this many people have come into the office or just call to ask a question about insurance. Most times these people don’t even have insurance with me; they just want to ask an insurance agent a question about insurance. I like to think that I know a thing or two about insurance. I have studied it and researched it and had daily experience with insurance for the last fifteen years. I still learn something new every day. There is a type of insurance that I sell that most insurance agents don’t offer to their clientele, and that is Mexican Tourist Auto insurance or to simplify it Mexican car insurance.

Most insurance agents don’t have the need to sell Mexican car insurance because it is a rather small niche market. Furthermore, it requires the agent to learn a little bit about a foreign country and their laws and procedures. Additionally, all of the literature is in Spanish and most insurance agents are not bilingual. I am bilingual and have lived in a Latin American country for a couple of years, and that’s why the niche is a natural fit for me.

Mexico is such gorgeous country. It has pristine beaches, and great deep sea fishing, or you can take time to discover all of the ancient Mayan or Aztec ruins, and I haven’t even mentions the snorkeling and scuba diving. The list of things to do is endless. I recall a vacation that I took there a couple of years ago, and my spouse and I tried to do something different every single day more than a week, but we didn’t get to do everything that we had wanted to do. Some people go for the dancing and the nightlife, or for the food and the culture. There is something for everybody, but before you book your trip plan ahead and purchase your Mexican car insurance before you ever get to Mexico.

Most states have adopted some kind of financial responsibility law. This is the law that requires you to carry proof of insurance in your car. If you don’t carry that little card with you the police officer can give you a ticket for failure to observe with the financial responsibility law. Failure to comply is usually a misdemeanor and carries a fine. In the United States it really isn’t that big of a deal. On the other hand, in Mexico it is a felony and not a misdemeanor to not provide evidence of financial responsibility.

There are some major carriers in the US that will provide limited coverage in Mexico. Usually this coverage is limited to within twenty-five miles of the Mexican border. There are some people that think that because they have chosen an insurance provider that provides this benefit that they don’t need to carry Mexican car insurance when they cross the border into Mexico. Remember that only a Mexican insurance company can provide acceptable evidence of financial responsibility in Mexico. It’s not much different than in the United States only a US insurance company can provide acceptable evidence of financial responsibility. We don’t accept their proof and they don’t accept our proof. That means that even if your insurance company will cover the accident in Mexico, but you don’t have Mexican car insurance, then you will most likely be going to jail for failure to comply with the local financial responsibility laws. Jail doesn’t sound like a very fun vacation. Personally, I’d rather stay home and go to work than go on vacation and end up in jail.

The list of things related to this subject is really endless and I am unable to exhaust them is this little article, but I will mention one other thing. Don’t think that just because drove up to the border and bought insurance from the first salesman that hung out a shingle that you are properly covered. Learn about what a variable deductible is, and why you need Legal Aid coverage or Travel Assistance coverage. Take my advice and spend the little bit of extra money to buy these coverages. Additionally, purchase a minimum of a combined single limit of one hundred thousand dollars of liability insurance.

Lastly, enjoy your vacation and to have all the fun that you can. Sweat the small stuff before you go so that you don’t have that hanging over your head while you’re on vacation. Buy Mexican car insurance online before you go.

Mexican car insurance . Check out the specialist when you are shopping for insurance for Mexico today.

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.