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Insurance in Mexico, specifically Baja
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r39o
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 5:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Insurance in Mexico, specifically Baja Reply with quote

floggingmolly wrote:
Hey all,

So we leave for Baja on Saturday for 10 days, OK 9 days. This is the first trip in Molly down there and in the past I have gotten insurance through Baja Bound for my new cars (2000s). I find out the other day that if I bring the van I can only get liability, but nothing that will cover damage to or loss of the van. This is because the van is more than XX years old (they said either 15 or 20).

I know many of you have been down there, even as recently as a few months ago, so what do you do for full coverage?

Maybe even full coverage is a waste seeing the trouble folks go through here in the US on the true value of the vans when something happens (damage or theft).

Thanks, and photos will be put up when we return.

Scott


So I got ahold of Baja Bound. This issue has come up before. Please PM me or email me. Since it is Easter we have to ask early tomorrow to get full coverage. It has been done before, but it has to be a special request.

FYI: The people at Baja Bound are trying to get this resolved but for now, it is on a case by case basis.

Best I can do for now. Contact me if you want to get full coverage.
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sc-surfer
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

r39o wrote:

If the policy offered does not have the coverages you want, ASK and maybe they have something or can do something for you.

FYI: Some US carriers do have some limited Mexico coverage as part of their policy. You have to ask your agent and get them to send you the policy language. Most do know know to begin with, so getting the policy language is your best bet. Unless, you have a copy of your policy to read.



I tried my US insurance guy first. HUNDREDS more than the online guys. Sure would have been nice though....If anyone finds a US carrier that has reasonable Mex. rates do let us all know. It would be great to just continue my full US coverage down south.
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randiego
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PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2010 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a one-year Mexican policy on my '85 GL, and it is liability only - it's all that was offered.

In Mexico, the law says you have to have liability, so I have that. My US policy (21st Century) covers me 200 miles into Mexico, and I haven't gone further than that yet. I go down pretty much every weekend to surf.

The Mexican insurance companies actually offer very good policies - when your car qualifies. My wife's '93 Maxima was stolen in Rosarito and we were treated very well. Fortunately she had bought a one-day policy via GNP. The car was recovered two weeks later with some damage. The claims adjuster decided that the car was a loss and paid off the claim for $2300 - for a car my wife paid $1000 for. At every step of the way we were treated fairly and professionally - you think that would happen in the US? I don't.

When I asked him what would happen to the car, he said I could have it if I wanted it, with the salvage title. I ended up selling it for another $1K.
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ddonnell
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PostPosted: Wed May 26, 2010 11:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

While my dad usually handles the insurance thing, it is VERY important that your have it! My buddy and his dad were outside of Mulege, when a car passed on a blind curve. Luckily the driver swerved and clipped the rear of their truck causing relatively minor damage to what could have happened, but totaled the passing car like it was nothing. This stuff happens all the time in Mex. Be a smart driver and carry insurance. Never know what will happen.

I recently came across a video-diary of a guy, his girlfriend, and I think another friend on the FIRST day driving down. They were hit by another truck and broke their axle, spring and some other stuff. They asked a policeman to write up a report with his answer that it would take 1-2 months and the truck would have to stay there and that it may complicate the insurance.... I wish I had the link...on youtube somewhere...

Which way are you taking? I go down 2-3 times a year to my place in Gonzaga.
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dixoncj
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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 5:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A few years back I took our Syncro down to Baja when I lived in Laguna. Bought insurance directly from AAA office in San Clemente.
I would HIGHLY recommend you get a AAA membership - even if it's basic - just so you can buy their coverage. Reason being - and you need to ask about this - many companies will ONLY pay for repairs if they are done in Mexico. I dinged my rear bumper outside of Colonet - backed into a dude. We had two choices, wait til adjuster drove down from Ensenada, or drive to Ensenada ourselves. Fortunately the guy I hit was a super nice American missionary worker. We found the adjuster in Ensenada, she took pics and wrote up a report and I was able to take it to a shop in San Diego to have the repair done - AND I was paid in American dollars for the work. She told me, good thing I had that policiy, otherwise, I'd have been waiting out my repair in Tijuana.
I would buy your policy from a AAA office in SoCal or AZ on your way down. Don't bother with the roadside stands near the border.
Be careful down there. Only travel during daytime and avoid any unpopulated or sparse camping areas. Horror stories out of Colonet area abound of coastal holdups, rapes, etc.
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randiego
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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 10:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The policy my wife had was from a Mexican company - GNP - and the policy was purchased from DriveMex.com.

The original meet with the adjuster was in Tijuana, and we had to go fill out out forms at the GNP office in the Rio Zone, then at the Justice Dept in Rosarito, and with the Federal Police in Tijuana. Lots of paperwork in Mexico - all in triplicate, and all hand stamped. Kind of a crackup to watch them go through that.

After the car was recovered, I was able to drive it back across the border. After that, our meets were with an American claims adjuster in the US, the shop we took the car to was in the US, and the car was paid off in US dollars.

Quote:
Which way are you taking? I go down 2-3 times a year to my place in Gonzaga.

DDonnell, how is the road to Gonzaga these days? I'm hearing there is pavement south of Puertocitos?
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ddonnell
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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

randiego wrote:

DDonnell, how is the road to Gonzaga these days? I'm hearing there is pavement south of Puertocitos?


If you haven't been there in a few years, prepare to be amazed!

They have pavement about 8 miles PAST Huerfanito, more everyday. They have done some major work there! Total length of road past Puertecitos is about 30-35 miles if I remember correctly.. Mexicali-San Felipe is crazy... 2 lanes each way under construction. The detours are long and rough...

The word around there is that the next contract put in will pass Alfonsinas by about 1km, lucky for me, Papa Fernandez won't be visible from the road, they're taking it up into the mtns.
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j_dirge
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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ddonnell wrote:
they're taking it up into the mtns.

Say it ain't so!

Sounds like the long term plan is to close the loop back to HWY 1?
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ddonnell
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PostPosted: Thu May 27, 2010 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

j_dirge wrote:
ddonnell wrote:
they're taking it up into the mtns.

Say it ain't so!

Sounds like the long term plan is to close the loop back to HWY 1?


Exactly. The road will generally follow the same route, stopping by Coco's and what not, and will connect back up with Hwy 1. Estimated time to completion was fall 2010, not even 1/2 way done...

All information is a month and a half old so in Baja terms "very subject to change.."

I'm in a love/hate stage with the road... So much faster, but faster and smooth= more traffic.
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bryguth
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2012 10:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Check out DiscoverBaja.com. I have been a member for 8years and always get my insurance from them. They offer great rates and all around baja info, including updates on road conditions.

Have fun
Cheers
Bryan
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