Free Map of MexicoThanksgiving through New Years is the peak time for road travel to Mexico - now is the time to start making plans!
As the weather gets chillier up north, more and more folks are making plans to head south of the border. Even though 2009 has been a slow year for Mexico travel, this holiday season looks like it will be another busy one.
Finally, the panic over Mexican drug gang violence and the swine flu is subsiding. Cooler heads are now seeing the reality that no US or Canadian citizens have been victims in the drug gang violence, and the problem areas of Mexico are not areas where tourists go. As far as the swine flu or H1N1, the panic is calming, and people are realizing that there have now been more cases of H1N1 in the US than in Mexico. Baja in particular has had very low rates of H1N1 cases. Since the beginning of October, we have seen a steady increase in people shopping for Mexican insurance, so we have come to the conclusion that people are finally heading back to Mexico - and a lot are quite eager to get back!
Holiday season Mexico road trips tend to be longer trips that go deeper into Mexico compared to our summer travelers who often go to Mexico for short day trips. For this reason, we have compiled a list of things you should consider while planning your winter road trip to Mexico and while shopping for Mexico insurance.
For trips over 20 days - our long term policies - 6 month and annual policies will be a better value!
If you are going to be taking your vehicle to Mexico for more than 20 days, you will find our 6 month Mexican auto insurance policies will actually cost less than our daily rates. Basically, you are buying Mexican insurance in bulk, and you get a greater discount as you buy more insurance.
But I don't need 6 months of Mexican insurance?
Don't worry about it. The vast majority of our customers who purchase our 6 month Mexican insurance policies are actually in Mexico for only 30-60 days. Our online quoting system will show you comparisons between daily policies and our long term policies. If a 6 month policy costs less than the daily rate for your Mexico trip length - then buy the 6 month policy. Then if you plan to visit Mexico a second time later within the 6 month policy period, you can use your policy again!
Buy your Mexican auto insurance ONLINE now!
Our website allows are customers to purchase and print their Mexican insurance policies directly from our website. Since 2001, our company has been a leader in the online Mexican insurance market, and we continue to work with our customers to improve our insurance products and user experience. Because we work with four of the best insurance companies in Mexico, we are guaranteed to have the best rates and insurance coverage for your situation. Our online Mexican insurance quoting system allows you to compare quotes from all four companies in a matter of seconds - the process is similar to buying an airplane ticket online. Go ahead and get a quote now, and see how easy it is to purchase and print your Mexican insurance online in less than five minutes!
If your vehicle is financed and you are heading to mainland Mexico - get your Mexican insurance policy early to allow time for your bank permission letter and Mexico vehicle import permit.
This section is only for people who are financing your vehicle and traveling to mainland Mexico. If you are going to Baja or the northern parts of Sonora, then you do not need to get a Mexico vehicle import permit because these are Mexico 'free zones'.
If you are driving to mainland Mexico, then you will need to get a Mexico vehicle import permit. You can read more about the Mexico vehicle import permit on our permit page. If you are financing your vehicle, then you will first need to get a 'permission letter' or 'letter of authorization' from your finance company to take the vehicle to Mexico. This permission letter is required when you apply for your Mexico vehicle import permit. Before your bank issues the permission letter, your bank will need to see a copy of your Mexican auto insurance policy.
NOTE: If your vehicle is financed through GMAC, please read about the GMAC special requirements for Mexican auto insurance!
So here is the process for financed vehicles traveling to mainland Mexico:
1: Buy your Mexican auto insurance policy - must include physical damage and theft coverage!
2: Send a copy of your Mexican auto insurance policy to your bank or auto finance company.
3: Your finance company will send you a 'letter of authorization' to take the vehicle to Mexico.
4: You apply for your Mexico vehicle import permit online, at a Mexican Consulate, or at the US/Mexico border - we recommend getting the permit online or through the Consulate before you leave on your trip.
As you can see, the whole process starts with buying your Mexican auto insurance policy.
As this busy holiday Mexico travel season heats up, auto finance companies start to get backlogged with requests to take vehicles to Mexico. Then the Consulates and online vehicle permit websites get flooded with requests. So as you get closer to Christmas day, the wait times get longer and longer. For this reason, we recommend that you buy your Mexican auto insurance as soon as you have your travel dates figured out. Then you can beat the pack, and get your paperwork done quickly.
Buy a Mexican auto insurance policy that includes Medical Evacuation and Plane Tickets home!
If you are heading more than a few miles into Mexico, we highly recommend purchasing a Mexican auto insurance policy that automatically includes Medical Evacuation and Airplane Tickets Home in the event of emergencies. On our website, all of the Mexican insurance offered by HDI Seguros, ANA Seguros, and ACE Seguros automatically include an enhanced travel insurance which includes medical evacuation and airplane tickets home. The medical evacuation coordinates and pays for ambulance services (air or land) in the event of serious illness or injuries. This coverage is applied to your travel group - not just the driver! The airplane tickets home also applies to your travel group, and will pay for the travel of your group back home in the event that the car is stolen or not drivable. Please refer to to each policy's specific terms and conditions for full details.
This extra travel insurance could save you thousands of dollars and eliminate some nightmare scenarios in the event of an accident or illness while traveling in Mexico. We include this coverage at no extra charge to you, and we feel that this makes our Mexican auto insurance products the best option when shopping for Mexican insurance.
We hope you agree, and we look forward to providing you with quality Mexican insurance along with great customer service. Give us a call if you have any questions 800-485-4075
