When your car (or other vehicle) is registered in Mexico (for example with Baja California plates) you have to get a domestic insurance policy. You can't use "tourist" type policies intended for short-term visits by US and Canada registered vehicles.
Where to buy
Many of the larger Mexican insurance companies now have web sites where you can get a quote on the insurance.
There are also some insurance comparison and online quote sites,
However, all the insurance company websites and comparison sites will only quote for a "national" car - one that has been fully imported into Mexico, usually when new. If you've imported a 5-10 year old car as a "frontera" car, it does NOT qualify for these rates. As far as I've been able to find out, there is no way to get a policy for a frontera car direct from an insurance company by phone or internet.
The main way to get an insurance policy for a frontera car is through a broker (agent), who will argue the case with the company and get a "special vehicle" quote. In round figures, this quote is likely to be twice the best deal you could get online for a "national" car. So, next time, buy a car new in Mexico rather than importing!
In San Felipe, the only independent broker for car insurance for Mexican registered cars are Alanis. They're on Chetumal, between the arches and the traffic circle, almost opposite the paint store.
Car insurance policies are also available from banks, such as Bancomer. They were able to quote for my frontera car, but the rates and coverage were not at all competitive.
Type of Policy
There are usually three levels of insurance coverage available. Not all levels are available for every car, for example Bancomer didn't offer the basic level for frontera cars.
The levels are basic (basico or resp. civil), standard (limitada) and enhanced (amplia).
Basic is essentially liability-only. Meets the basic legal requirements to protect other people, but does not protect your vehicle at all. These policies can be quite cheap (maybe a couple of hundred dollars per year), and are fine if you're only driving an older car locally.
The standard policies include theft coverage, but they do not include damage (to your own vehicle), for example in an accident or vandalism. The price is usually a lot more than the basic policy.
The enhanced policy adds any damage to your own vehicle, and often other benefits, such as personal medical expenses cover and "concierge" type travel assistance. It's often a fairly small upgrade (in cost) from the standard policy. A bit over a thousand dollars per year total would be a very rough estimate, but it depends a lot on the value of the car.
Personally I think that either the basic policy (for an old vehicle, if you don't need other benefits), or the amplia policy (with everything) make the most sense.
Visiting USA and Canada
Many policies issued in Mexico claim to include "liability coverage for the USA and Canada". You will need to check this, specifically ask for it if needed. Make sure you receive the US liability document when you get the policy.
However, the US liability coverage included may not meet the legal minimums in the states or provinces you plan to drive in. Your agent is unlikely to know this, so won't tell you.
Most of the Mexican issued policies for Mexican registered cars get their US/Canada coverage through National Unity. The US$ liability limits depend on which insurance company you have, and can be quite low:
- AXA Seguros: 100,000 LUC
- ABA Seguros: 100,000 LUC y 300,000 LUC
- AFIRME: 100,000 LUC
- ANA Seguros: 30/60/25
- Genworth: 30/60/25
- Primero Seguros: 100,000 LUC
- Seguros El Águila: 30/60/25
(LUC = combined single limit)
Many of these limits (other than the 100,000 LUC) are too low for some US states (see State Minimums). For example Utah requires 25/65/15, Alaska and Maine are 50/100/25. You would be driving without the legal minimum insurance in those states with standard policies from some companies.
None of these limits, except for the US$300k option from ABA Seguros, meet the legal minimum requirements for most Canadian provinces (generally C$200k, except Quebec). So although the agents sell the policies as providing US and Canada liability coverage, it isn't enough for Canada. You must have the yellow "Canada non-resident inter-province motor vehicle liability insurance card" to be legal to drive in Canada, and only policies with enough liability coverage will issue it.
It is possible to additional coverage, such as a 300k limit liability policy, as a separate policy from National Unity, so you can just add that (about $200 for 6 months) if you plan to visit Canada.
Breakdown coverage
Many policies include breakdown coverage. This often (but not always) includes the USA and Canada. I haven't yet had a reason to try the service. Within the US and Canada the services offered may be quite limited. If you plan to travel much north of the border, it's probably still worthwhile getting an AAA/CAA membership, for the better coverage, less language barrier, books and maps, and the hotel discounts.
