BajaNomad

Car Insurance Required

bajaguy - 12-31-2011 at 12:35 PM

We can all feel a little bit safer now............

Insurance required in Baja in New Year
Written by George Gale
Friday, 30 December 2011 10:31

Beginning New Years Day 2012, motorists in Baja California will have to get insurance on their vehicles. Officials say as soon as the law goes into affect, all vehicles, new and used, will have to have liability insurance.

They say the cost to drivers will be about 860 pesos, with a minimum third party coverage of 260,000 pesos. The state recently initiated a law requiring vehicles to pass smog checks.

http://kxoradio.com/news/local/2566-insurance-required-in-ba...

durrelllrobert - 12-31-2011 at 12:48 PM

I believe that the driver's license insurance that most of us gringo's down here have meets the requirement. However, somebody mentioned that it may only be good for tourists (FMM) and not residents (FM3/ FM2). Anyone know anything about this?

DENNIS - 12-31-2011 at 01:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
I believe that the driver's license insurance that most of us gringo's down here have meets the requirement. However, somebody mentioned that it may only be good for tourists (FMM) and not residents (FM3/ FM2). Anyone know anything about this?


It's good for anyone with a stateside license and address.
Mexican Nationals that don't have those won't qualify and must buy a liability policy which is expensive, which is why they won't buy it, which is why nothing will change other than an additional reason for a cop to get in your wallet if you don't have one.
It's a non-specific nationality requirement....just for you and me.
The national sport of "hit 'n run" will retain it's overwhelming popularity.

I've often said, partly in jest, that when the police start crying for a raise, the city merely puts in more stop signs and other driver requirements.


.

Insurance ? doubtful

akshadow - 12-31-2011 at 02:13 PM

My insurance agent in San Felipe said they were not going to write the coverage because too many problems and figure almost no one is going to bother to get it. the poor Mexicans cannot afford it and it is too poor of a coverage for an American to want it.
So seemed to think it will only be paid for in small increments, to the individual policeman who stops someone.
Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
We can all feel a little bit safer now............

Insurance required in Baja in New Year


http://kxoradio.com/news/local/2566-insurance-required-in-ba...

sancho - 12-31-2011 at 02:27 PM

As I remember reading some 90%+ of Baja registered
vehicles do not have insurance. Smog requirements?
Sure. In San Felipe there always have been many
old beaters from the US, with plates from various
states. I assume there is an unofficial agreement
that these bombers were to be driven only in town
not out on the Hwy

smog reg's in baja

captkw - 12-31-2011 at 10:03 PM

O.K. yes,, I used to do smog's and today,, still prep car's for speacial custermer's for smog test's...I have been waiting/watching for this to hit the baja,,and in MY opinon,it's a little early yet !! the boy's,,that study are just begining to grasp,,feul injection and electrical systems,,,what ever happend to the burro's..lol:lol::lol:

Alm - 12-31-2011 at 11:17 PM

There are several ways to go around smogging, I pulled one trick here up North when my old car didn't pass - got OK to go for another year. (To clear my consciousness, I traded car in for a few hundred next year, and dealer threw it to junk yard).

They'd better banned 2-stroke carburetor outboard engines like the civilized world had done. Any place with boat access is littered with discarded oil canisters, and God knows how much of this they spilled while refueling on water!

really!

beachbum1A - 1-1-2012 at 08:03 AM

Mandatory liability insurance! That's a"pie in the sky" when most Nationals can't afford to replace a bad brake light bulb or a headlight lamp.

ALM

captkw - 1-1-2012 at 08:40 AM

HOLA,banning two stroke motor's????I dont know where you live,,but in calif..the only lake..repeat,,the only lake that has banned two strokes is lake tahoe,,yes,, a FEW of the small munci pond's/res have banned them,,so what ! and the fact that the discarded container's you have seen ( I have picked up 100s) has nothing to do with a light weight,realible,torqee motor...but the problem is in the cultral upbringing of a nation !! and also,,,some of the new two stoker's run quiter,and sip feul better that some 4stroke's...so I'm sorry to knok you off your apple cart,,but you missed the boat on this one !! K&T:cool: and most of the world ,as we know it,,depend's on 2 stroke's as of today,,HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!:cool:

Pescador - 1-1-2012 at 09:08 AM

This is a requirement only for Baja California, meaning the Northern part of the state and is not required for Baja California Sur.

durrelllrobert - 1-1-2012 at 11:13 AM

The state recently initiated a law requiring vehicles to pass smog checks.
________________________________________________
I can't find anything on this other than the above statement. :?::?::?::?:

Alm - 1-1-2012 at 07:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by captkw
HOLA,banning two stroke motor's????I dont know where you live,,but in calif..the only lake..repeat,,the only lake that has banned two strokes is lake tahoe...:

They are not sold anymore by dealers in North America and most of Europe. Still legal to own and operate, yes, but you can't get a new one, amigo. Note that I said "carburetor 2 stroke". Those larger ones with direct injection are being manufactured and sold, no problem.

wrong !!

captkw - 1-1-2012 at 07:51 PM

HOLA,THe only place in the world !! that you can not sell,,,,,Remember that word !! the only place in the world,,that you can not today,, sale a 2 stroke,, that is not,,CARB,,approved,,is calif,,and this will hopefully change,,,very soon..sit down,,what the hell,,do you,,,do for living.. I am ..so tryed Of...people ,,that dont know..but in calif..the dealer's ..can not,,under law,,sell you a 2 stroke.. and all the old 2 stroker's are,,grand fatherd in...this is not a old fight to me,,IT's folk's that have been dealing with dealer's in calif. that have them,,running ,telling them They cant run a 2 srtoke any more in ca.. Im,,so over this foolish,,good night....out

bump

captkw - 1-1-2012 at 07:56 PM

captkw - 1-1-2012 at 08:06 PM

:cool:

yahoo

captkw - 1-1-2012 at 08:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by captkw
HOLA,THe only place in the world !! that you can not sell,,,,,Remember that word !! the only place in the world,,that you can not today,, sale a 2 stroke,, that is not,,CARB,,approved,,is calif,,and this will hopefully change,,,very soon..sit down,,what the hell,,do you,,,do for living.. I am ..so tryed Of...people ,,that dont know..but in calif..the dealer's ..can not,,under law,,sell you a 2 stroke.. and all the old 2 stroker's are,,grand fatherd in...this is not a old fight to me,,IT's folk's that have been dealing with dealer's in calif. that have them,,running ,telling them They cant run a 2 srtoke any more in ca.. Im,,so over this foolish,,good night....out

Bajajorge - 1-2-2012 at 09:47 AM

In my limitd knowlege of Mexican insurance laws, I believe having Mexican drivers license insurance allows you to drive any legally registered gringo plated vehicle. The key word is "legally". It is strictly liability insurance for $126USD with an option of liability with legal assistance for $177USD.

MitchMan - 1-2-2012 at 10:18 AM

Drivers' license insurance? What's that?

I have a state side home and drivers license as well a US plated truck in Baja and I have an FM3. Can I get that cheap drivers' license insurance you all are talking about? Who offers it?

Alm - 1-2-2012 at 04:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by captkw
HOLA,...

Wrong, yes - what? :)
Agreed, it's hard to read when it's typed like this, takes a bit of effort, though eventually most of it makes sense.

Dealers are wrong if they say that one can't run 2-stroke carburetor anymore, correct that dealers can't sell a new carburetor 2-stroke in Calif, or in any other state, for that matter, because it comes from EPA. New emission standards rule out these outboards. Right now manufacturers and distributors don't even have any of these listed in their product lines. Used outboards of this type are still legal to operate and re-sell.

May be - may be - if, and when, at some time in future, manufacturers come up with lower emission carburetor 2-strokes, we'll see it in stores again, if EPA won't make rules stricter yet by then.

[Edited on 1-2-2012 by Alm]

Bajajorge - 1-3-2012 at 10:31 AM

Mitch Man, The insurance is called Turista Seguro. The company is Seguros Atlas. I get the insurance through a local Mexican insurance agent in San Felipe, but there are probably insurance agents in just about any large town in Baja. I know many gringos around San Felipe that carry this insurance for years and are happy with it.

Drivers License policy

bajaguy - 1-3-2012 at 11:24 AM

From Geoff at Bajabound:

http://www.bajabound.com/info/policies/driverslicense.php

durrelllrobert - 1-3-2012 at 11:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajajorge
Mitch Man, The insurance is called Turista Seguro. The company is Seguros Atlas. I get the insurance through a local Mexican insurance agent in San Felipe, but there are probably insurance agents in just about any large town in Baja. I know many gringos around San Felipe that carry this insurance for years and are happy with it.

The DL insurance covers the driver whose name is on policy while operating any US plated auto or truck anywhere in Mexico. Many insurance companies down here offer it for the prices stated above. Mapfre is probably the biggest and for an additional $20/year you can add up to an additional 4 names (supposedly living with you) to that policy so that they will also be covered.

DENNIS - 1-3-2012 at 12:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by durrelllrobert
and for an additional $20/year you can add up to an additional 4 names (supposedly living with you) to that policy so that they will also be covered.



Living with you in the states, that is. It isn't for residents in Mexico. That's why you have to give a US mailing address.

Eugenio - 1-3-2012 at 12:20 PM

With all due respect - this thread should be removed to the Baja Humor topic section.

DENNIS - 1-3-2012 at 12:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Eugenio
With all due respect - this thread should be removed to the Baja Humor topic section.


Do you have time to tell us why?

Eugenio - 1-3-2012 at 02:49 PM

Sure didn't mean to dis anybody here Dennis - there's plenty of good information on how to get insurance in this thread.

It's just that financial responsibilty (which effectively means liability auto insurance) has been federal mexican law for like forever - It's just that nobody ever checked unless you were involved in an accident.

As for smog checks - The DF is the gold standrd for emissions regulation - you can buy a "Pass" there for about $20. BC or BCS won't be any different.

I can't imagine that these new laws would be used for anything other than another excuse to shake people down. I guess that could be humorous - or not - depending on the circumstances.

There are people in Mexico thinking about how to circumvent the new laws and make money in the process as we speak.

DENNIS - 1-3-2012 at 03:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Eugenio
Sure didn't mean to dis anybody here Dennis -


Nah....you didn't. Thanks.
Quote:

It's just that financial responsibilty (which effectively means liability auto insurance) has been federal mexican law for like forever


I've always been under the impression that insurance is not required....only suggested.




Quote:

As for smog checks - The DF is the gold standrd for emissions regulation - you can buy a "Pass" there for about $20. BC or BCS won't be any different.



DF is a lost cause. Birds can't even live in that air.

Baja, on the other hand, doesn't have a smog problem outside of Mexicali. Even there, I'm not sure how bad it gets...if at all bad.
Quote:

I can't imagine that these new laws would be used for anything other than another excuse to shake people down.


That was my initial observation in this thread.
Quote:

There are people in Mexico thinking about how to circumvent the new laws and make money in the process as we speak.


Agree with that. Slimey lawyers, no doubt Thanks again.

Eugenio - 1-3-2012 at 04:38 PM

fwiw - Having financial liability has been federal law. For most people this means carrying auto liability insurance from an mexican insurance company. If I'm not too lazy maybe tonight I'll find a link to the specific statute.

Dave - 1-3-2012 at 05:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Eugenio
fwiw - Having financial liability has been federal law. For most people this means carrying auto liability insurance from an mexican insurance company. If I'm not too lazy maybe tonight I'll find a link to the specific statute.


The difference is that now you have to prove it to title or register your vehicle. Get caught driving without it now and you'll have your vehicle confiscated or pay a hefty bribe

ALM

captkw - 1-3-2012 at 07:02 PM

hola,happy NY..you can buy a two stoke outboard,just not in calif..... and ,,it's not due to the EPA,,rather,,it's due to CARB..just to share the,,happyness.. I, myself,, have drove now twice ,north to get a total of three, two stroker's,,for my own vessel's....2stroke's are not dead !! its hard to kill one !! Keith & lil tasha:cool:

Mengano - 1-4-2012 at 11:24 AM

At the last minute, the Baja California legislature changed the requirements for a proof of insurance to renew your car registration. Now owners of car models 2008 and newer have to show a proof of insurance to renew their license plates. Older cars do not have to show proof of insurance. The new law requiring cars to carry liability insurance as of January 1, 2012 has not changed, it is just that they will not require any proof of insurance on 2007 and older models to renew the car registration each year.

http://www.ensenada.net/noticias/nota.php?id=23085

Riom - 1-4-2012 at 07:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mengano
it is just that they will not require any proof of insurance on 2007 and older models to renew the car registration each year.


Renewed my BC plates in San Felipe today, and wasn't asked for any proof of insurance, probably because my car is a 2006 model. I was wondering why I didn't need to show the policy.

I do have insurance anyway of course, a Mexican-issued policy (for Mexican registered vehicles only) that gives me full coverage in Mexico, USA and Canada, including liability in each country.

For vehicles like mine that don't pay tenencia (privately owned, too cheap), the total amount payable to renew plates is now 914 pesos a year ($66), last year it was 625 pesos.

[Edited on 2012-1-5 by Riom]