Typically, your personal car insurance policy will not cover you abroad. But your insurer will likely protect you when you drive into Canada. Your insurance provider can explain if your car insurance policy provides protection in Mexico and tell you about alternative coverage you can purchase to help protect your car while it's over the southern border.

In addition to a personal auto policy, if you have a personal umbrella policy, you may have coverage. An umbrella policy typically applies anywhere in the world, but only above the required underlying insurance, so a driver with umbrella insurance will still need to buy personal liability insurance from the rental company in another country or some other source.

Other countries will have their own specific sets of rental insurance requirements. You can contact the U.S. embassy in the country you are visiting to determine the rental car insurance requirements. Some countries may require specific additional coverage that is only available in that country.