Does my car insurance cover me in Mexico?
Your Texas policy stops at the border. What Mexican law requires, what to buy, and what happens after an accident down there.
Almost certainly not. A standard Texas auto policy covers the United States and usually Canada. Mexico is excluded, and the exclusion is not a technicality. Mexican authorities do not recognize a US liability policy.
What Mexico requires
Mexican law requires liability coverage from an insurer authorized in Mexico. Driving without it after an accident can mean your vehicle is impounded and you are detained until responsibility is settled. This is the part travelers underestimate, because it is not how a fender bender works here.
What to buy
- Mexican liability, which is the mandatory piece and the reason to buy at all
- Physical damage for your own vehicle, which your US comprehensive and collision generally will not cover in Mexico
- Legal assistance and bail bond coverage, which is what actually gets you home after a serious accident
- Medical payments for you and your passengers
Policies are sold by the day, the trip or the year. If you cross a few times a year, an annual policy usually costs less than four or five day trips.
The limited exception people misremember
A small number of US policies extend physical damage coverage a short distance into Mexico, often 25 miles, for a limited number of days. That extension never satisfies the liability requirement. Do not treat it as coverage.
Before you cross
- Buy the Mexican policy before you leave, not at a booth in a hurry
- Print it. Carry a paper copy in Spanish in the glove box
- Check that the vehicle description and plate match exactly
- Confirm whether the policy covers the specific states you are driving through
- If the car is financed, check whether the lender requires notification
After an accident in Mexico
Call the number on the Mexican policy first, before moving the vehicle, and stay at the scene. The insurer sends an adjuster who deals with the authorities. That call is the entire reason to have bought the policy from a company with a real presence there.
We sell Mexican auto coverage
We can bind a policy for a weekend trip or a year, in a few minutes. Call (956) 687-3334 before you go. Se habla español.
Common follow-up questions
What about driving to Progreso or Nuevo Progreso for the day?
Same rule. The distance does not matter, the border does. Buy at least the daily liability policy.
Does my Mexican policy cover a rental car there?
Usually not. Rental agencies in Mexico sell their own coverage, and you should read what is included before declining it.
Is a Mexican policy expensive?
Daily liability is inexpensive. Full coverage on a newer vehicle costs more, and an annual policy is usually the better value for regular crossers.
Want this looked at properly?
We are an independent agency in McAllen serving Hidalgo, Cameron and Starr counties. No cost to talk it through.
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