Mexico car insurance: tourists and travelers

Planning a trip to Mexico? If you'll be driving there, you may want to take a look at your car insurance coverage and see if you need additional car insurance to travel to Mexico.

Your U.S. driver's license is valid in Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of State. But, your U.S. car insurance policy likely does not cover you, your vehicle or your rental car if you get into a wreck in Mexico.

That's where Mexico auto insurance for tourists can help.

Mexico tourist auto insurance is a car insurance policy, separate from your domestic policy, that helps cover U.S. and Canadian plated vehicles and drivers in Mexico.

This type of policy helps pay for medical bills and car repairs if you're involved in a car accident while driving your vehicle.

In Mexico, each party involved in a car accident must provide proof of valid insurance or financial responsibility. And, drivers in Mexico must have insurance from a Mexican company.

Allstate works with insurance companies in Mexico to help provide coverage for you and your vehicle.

• Physical damage and theft
  This type of coverage may help pay to repair or replace your vehicle if it's stolen or damaged in a collision, or by things like fire, hail or falling objects. Coverage limits are based on U.S. labor rates.
• Bodily injury or property damage you cause to others (up to $1,000,000)
  If you're found at fault for a car accident, third party liability coverage helps pay for the other party's medical expenses or property damage.
• Medical payments for you and your passengers
  If you or your passengers are injured in a wreck, this type of coverage may help pay for resulting hospital bills and services like X-rays or ambulance fees.
• Legal assistance
  This coverage may help pay for your legal expenses if you're involved in a car accident in Mexico. Coverage may include legal representation and court costs.
• Loan or lease payoff for a totaled new car
  This coverage helps pay off an underwater loan or lease on a car that's totaled in a covered claim. Gap coverage helps pay the difference between your car's depreciated value and what you still owe.
• Roadside assistance
  If your car breaks down, roadside assistance helps pay for services such as towing, changing a tire or jump-starting a battery.
• Medical evacuation
  If you're injured in a car accident, this coverage may help pay for expenses associated with emergency transportation to a hospital or treatment facility. Daily Extended polices include medical transport to home hospital.

It's important to remember that each coverage has a limit, the maximum amount your insurer will pay for a covered claim. And some coverages have a deductible, the amount you pay out of pocket toward a covered claim. Coverages on the Mexico tourist auto insurance policy typically have low fixed deductibles.

Yes, provided you rented the vehicle in the U.S., with a U.S. license plate, and then drove it into Mexico. The following are typically not covered:

• Rental cars when rented in Mexico
• Vehicles with Mexico license plates
• Commercial vehicles

Whether your trip lasts for a couple days or a couple months, you can tailor your policy to the length of your stay, from one day up to a year. You'll pay your premium at the time you purchase coverage — separate from the regular premium you pay on your domestic car insurance policy. Coverage usually begins on the date selected for the policy to start and can start immediately.

To get coverage on your Mexico tourist auto policy, you must have similar, corresponding coverage on your domestic car insurance policy. For example, you must have collision coverage and comprehensive coverage on your U.S. policy if you want to buy physical damage coverage on your Mexico tourist auto policy.

If you need to file a claim while driving in Mexico under an Allstate Mexico auto insurance policy, you will need to:

1. Call the emergency number on your Mexico insurance policy right away. This connects you to the Mexican insurance company’s 24-hour claims line.
2. Stay at the scene until a local adjuster arrives. The adjuster will take photos, file reports, and help with police documentation if needed.
3. Follow the adjuster’s instructions for repairs or towing. If your car can be fixed locally, they’ll direct you to an approved shop. If it’s not drivable, towing will be arranged — some policies also cover towing back to the U.S.
4. Keep all paperwork and receipts. These may be needed for reimbursement or follow-up.
5. Contact your Allstate agent if you need help communicating with the Mexican insurer or understanding what’s covered.

The cost of your policy will vary based on length of stay in Mexico, and potentially other factors that an Allstate agent can walk you through. Get a free quote online for more information on what Mexico tourist auto insurance will cost for you.

You may be eligible to buy Mexico tourist auto insurance if:

• You're over age 21 (additional service fee applies for younger drivers)
• You have a valid U.S. or Canadian driver's license