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Another argument in favor of government coverage. In Quebec, basic minimum liability is included in the annual registration fee. No insurance, no plates. And of course, personal injury is covered in the automatic and universal health insurance.
I've never heard of a US policy covering anywhere in Mexico. But Mexican insurance is very cheap, as I recall it is only about $60 for six months. (But if bought by the day, it is also about $60 for three weeks.) The really important thing about Mexican insurance, though, is that it will pay to have your wreckage towed out of Mexico if your car is totaled -- obligatory by customs laws.
If you drive to Mexico,. phone your US insurer and suspend your US coverage, for a full per diem rebate. In a month, that could be enough to pay your Mexican insurance.
In some states like California when a car is sold the plate goes with the car. The uninsured buyer who doesn't transfer the paperwork sometimes does not have a drivers license and may be an illegal.
In more enlightened states the plate stays with the seller.
It’s all about priorities, and a huge number of people’s priorities are skewed big time where driving responsibly is concerned. Those forms at the DMV where you have to confirm insurance coverage are a joke. I think you should have to present proof of current coverage when renewing your tags, and that insurance companies should be mandated by law to report to the DMV when someone allows their coverage to lapse.
Of course, none of this will happen but it’s fun to dream.
^^As noted above, 30 minutes of LivePD or COPS will show that often alleged perps do not have DLs. It's a standing joke in our house.
People make minor mistakes--no turn signal, no full stop, broken taillight, light bulb out--or do something just a little hinky and they get pulled over. And that can lead to BIG TROUBLE.
Of course they pick the most interesting ones for air time. But it's amazing how many knuckleheads have five or 10 DWIs, Lord knows how many suspensions or just a permanent ban, or never even bothered to get a DL in the first place.
One partial solution might be to have proof of insurance before being able to buy gasoline. Granted, there would be ways around it, not to mention a huge public outcry.
This wouldn't work unless gas stations were linked to the insuance or dmv databases. Tons of people allow their insurance to lapse but still have seeming valid proof of insurance on paper.
I think some people actually think the police won't confirm coverage if you show a card that is current.
What I do think is probably pretty effective in busting people are license plate scanners.
Yeah my policy covers 75 miles south of the border, beyond that you need insurance from a Mexican company.
From what I understand from a friend who lives south of the border in a border city. Mexican drivers are not required to have auto insurance but if you cause an accident you have to pay to have the other car repaired (much lower cost than here) or you can go to jail.
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