Mexico Auto Insurance - Savior Away From Home
LIMITED TIME SPECIAL - Credit Card with $7500.00 limit
Being in an automobile accident in Mexico is a far more serious situation than having an accident at home-especially for a visiting American, as Mr. Bill Kitto readily tells us. Bill published his first-hand account of his accident and his subsequent week in the hands of the Mexican authorities in an effort to ensure all Americans driving in Mexico go prepared with all the essentials.
Mexican car insurance tops his list, for reasons that will become obvious as you read his story. Bill Kitto was not traveling for his first time in Mexico when he got into an accident near San Vincente, Mexico while driving his friend’s truck.
An exceedingly cautious driver, Bill was at the wheel because road conditions were deteriorating due to an incoming rain storm, which left him at the mercy of his friend’s Mexican insurance holder.
Bill and his friend were traveling at a cautious 30 MPH hour when they rounded a corner to find a Mexican military hurtling towards them partly on their side of the road. Unable to avoid the crash, the two vehicles impacted head-on left, sending the personnel scattered down an embankment and Bill and his friend into the cliff wall on the opposite side.
In moments, the Mexican police arrived on the scene and immediately transported an injured Bill to a site that he was unfamiliar with. At the time, his friend did not know of his intended whereabouts, as he was left on the roadside. In Mexico, they do not follow the policy of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ - it is exactly the reverse.
Because he did not know if his friend had Mexican car insurance, Bill was put in a Mexican jail cell, not knowing what would happen to him and with no contact with anyone outside.
After several hours, the guards took him back to the scene of the accident. His friend was there with his Mexican auto insurance policy. This would have been the end of the story in the US, but in Mexico it was just the beginning.
Bill’s complete story is long and involved-and not a little discomforting. Bill spends a week alone in a Mexican hospital trying his hardest to stay injured enough to avoid the inside of a Mexican jail; he’s at the mercy of the local government, questionable legal representatives, and muddled technology that makes what amounts to paying his way out an act in futility.
There were many times when Bill was unsure if he would ever get out of the mess-if he could afford to get out of the mess. In the end, Bill does gain his tenuous freedom, only after spending more than $28,000 US. Luckily for Bill, he was able to secure the money to secure his freedom, but many other Americans would have fallen far short.
Because of the bureaucracy and dishonesty encountered in Mexico, Bill is unsure if he will ever see a return on his life’s investment. Bill took away a few things from his experience that he strives to pass on to all Americans traveling in Mexico.
Bring a cell (or satellite) phone into Mexico and learn how to place a phone call while in the country.
Keep in contact with family at home who can send money quickly when needed and keep close contact with your Mexican Insurance company since you may not be able to reach them yourself.
And most importantly -
BE CERTAIN YOU HAVE GOOD COVERAGE MEXICO CAR INSURANCE- It needs to cover ALL personal injury and property damage that you are deemed to have caused.
Verify that your Mexico auto insurance is from a quality insurance company.
Make certain that you have proof of Mexico Insurance within the car and at hand all the time! (Should you be away from the vehicle, have the Mexican auto insurance ID cards on your person!)
Mr. Kitto’s drawn-out and exhausting dilemma has proved one thing to him- money is what makes Mexican legalities disappear. Over there, they don’t care where the money originates, but only if you can pay the bill. Innocence plays a small role in these situations and it can mean the difference between receiving your freedom and losing your rights.
Most people can only dream of having $30,000 plus readily available to them, so it is best to have very good Mexican car insurance to and adequate limits protect yourself.
May 18 2008 09:45 am | Insurance