Short Term Car Insurance Texas TX
Reader’s Question:
Will a Texas driver’s license be honored in Mexico? Will I need to purchase short term car insurance just in case I get into an accident in that country?
Cassandra
Houston, TX
Your Texas driver’s license will be recognized in Mexico. However, your current US car insurance won’t be. You then have to purchase separate Mexico short term car insurance, just long enough to cover you during your stay. This can be done prior to crossing over to Mexico.
There are a number of car insurance companies in Texas that actually sell Mexico insurance. You may also buy from Mexico border towns or cities. If you do not have Mexico car insurance and are held liable for a traffic accident there, the police could put you in jail until they are able to establish your capacity to pay for the damages sustained. If there were serious injuries, fatalities and/or considerable damage to public and/or private property, the Mexican government may file criminal charges against you. It is also important to note that Mexican law enforcement authorities typically jail individuals involved in any road accident until they determine who is to be held accountable for the accident. Driving while intoxicated in this country is prohibited, so be sure to remember that.
If you will be renting a vehicle, it would be best to obtain minimum liability insurance coverage similar to what you have in Texas since most Mexico car rental liability insurance have very low coverage and may not be enough to cover for medical and repair costs resulting from an accident where you were determined to be at fault. Also highly advisable to obtain is collision and comprehensive coverage for the rental vehicle, so that you won’t have to foot the bill for any damages sustained by the rented vehicle. These types of coverage may or may not be included in a Mexican short term car insurance policy, so if you have to choose go with one that has minimum liability.
Tags: auto insurance, car insurance, liability insurance, rental car insurance