Mexican Car Insurance

Do You Need Mexican Car Insurance?

Most U.S. insurance companies allow their customers to drive in neighboring countries without the need to purchase additional insurance. In other words, your regular insurance policy will probably protect you for car travel in Mexico and Canada.

However, these same insurers usually will not cover car travel overseas. So, if you also plan to go to South America, Europe, Asia, or some other country or continent that doesn't touch U.S. soil, you'll probably need to buy car insurance coverage for that trip.

Beyond this, here are two other steps to take:

1. Make sure your car insurance coverage meets the minimum auto insurance standards imposed by Mexico.
2. See if your current coverage applies when driving a rental car.

Check Your Auto Insurance Coverage Before You Leave

Preparing for a foreign trip can be exhausting, but it's imperative to confirm your auto insurance coverage before you step out the door.

Do this by any or some combination of the following actions:

• Read through your auto policy.

• Consult your insurance agent.

• Call your car insurance company directly.

If you discover your policy doesn't cover travel to Mexico, you can usually buy Mexican insurance through a third-party organization (just for the trip) at an inexpensive rate.

And, if your policy doesn't cover travel by rental car, you can purchase the needed protection through the rental agency, or see if any of your credit cards offer adequate car rental protection, including liability, comprehensive, and collision coverages.