My local car insurance - through HDI Seguros - is expiring next month.
A friend and local business owner totaled their car (collision with boulder falling off the scenic road cliff) that was covered by HDI and have yet to
be paid over two months since it happened. He was/is using a reputable, but ageing, agent - that I too use.
So... I am wondering about switching to a more active agent that vigorously supports their clients.
Thinking of Baja Bound.
BB costs about 80-100 USD more than my current policy.
Opinions?
[Edited on 5-14-2020 by RocketJSquirrel]Ricky - 5-14-2020 at 11:22 PM
Being Baja Bound is a California licensed broker, one may have better luck getting a claim paid. I’ve paid them lots of $ over the years and never
filed a claim. There was that time a taxi hit my car, cost me $100 US even though it was not my fault. Another time perhaps.weebray - 5-15-2020 at 08:13 AM
Getting involved in an accident in Mexico is not an option. No matter who's the fault, you will lose. Insurance is great until you need it. Someone
will jump in here with a story of how their insurance Co. stepped up to the plate but I have hundreds of horror stories to counter. Most of the time,
even though you were not "at fault", you were still culpable. I recently had an incident and was not at fault but had put myself in an exposed
situation. The result - my highly recommended insurance co., that I have had for years and paid many thousands of dollars to - was out to lunch. Buyer
beware. When you are driving in Mexico you are in the wild frontier an unprotected.RFClark - 5-15-2020 at 11:15 PM
The primary reason to have Mexican Insurance is to keep from being locked up in a Mexican jail if you have an accident or with a driver’s license
policy if you’re a passenger in a U.S. car that has an accident in Mexico.
Any money you are paid for your damaged or stolen vehicle is just gravy! It’s staying out of jail that’s priceless!RocketJSquirrel - 5-16-2020 at 05:42 AM
I agree with RFC and Wee, but would still like to know if the 25% more I would pay to have BajaBound cover my car is worth it.
I am surprised no one is reporting their experience David K - 5-16-2020 at 08:25 AM
I have a Facebook friend who shared his tragedy when his VW van caught fire and was a total loss, including nearly all his personal possessions and
trip money! He was on the road between Comondú and San Javier... smelled something odd and poof!
I have messaged him about this thread should he wish to tell his story. This was recent... and when he made it back to the boutique hotel in San
Miguel Comondú, they refused to let him stay there due to Coronavirus panic!
He was insured through Baja Bound and the last I think I heard, he was compensated for the van loss (but not the value of its contents). It took a few
weeks.
Paco Facullo - 5-16-2020 at 08:35 AM
WOW, I sure hope your friend reports back as I'm sure that is one Hell of a story !AKgringo - 5-16-2020 at 09:25 AM
I drove that stretch of road on my way south in late January this year. There were signs of light traffic (probably ranchers) at both ends of the
road, but nothing but animal tracks in the dusty center section of the drive!
You could be there a long time before any potential help arrived!David K - 5-16-2020 at 10:20 AM
I know... but it is a graded road that gets some traffic. I have yet to hear his full story of how he got back to Comondú (~7 miles). RocketJSquirrel - 5-16-2020 at 10:28 AM
Thanks, K;
I'm not concerned about contents, just the value of the vehicle. Comprehensive doesn't cost all that much more and just like to hedge the potential
loss if it ever happened.
So... good to hear he got paid. David K - 5-16-2020 at 10:37 AM
I'm not concerned about contents, just the value of the vehicle. Comprehensive doesn't cost all that much more and just like to hedge the potential
loss if it ever happened.
So... good to hear he got paid.
In the end, yes... but he made many many emails to the Mexican company.
I don't know for sure, but I do believe that using Baja Bound does give us an upper hand to go to bat for us being that they are in San Diego and on
Baja Nomad, too. I do not know if this person (with the VW) asked Baja Bound to help him. He just said he had to email repeatedly to finally hear back
from the company in Mexico... but, they did pay, just less than he hoped for.wilderone - 5-16-2020 at 10:47 AM
"they did pay, just less than he hoped for."
Would be good to know what advice he could give as to valuation, proof, depreciation, policy limits, or otherwise (?) what were issues that came to
bear on situation. And did he make a claim for contents through homeowners insurance?motoged - 5-16-2020 at 10:53 AM
I know... but it is a graded road that gets some traffic. I have yet to hear his full story of how he got back to Comondú (~7 miles).
What a bummer....
It would be mostly a downhill walk back to Commondu.....
Seven miles in from the Comondu side I was still seeing ranch traffic. About two thirds of the way across, all human tracks had been erased. I did
pass a guy on horse back though!motoged - 5-16-2020 at 11:07 AM
AK,
I wonder if the poor guy got to experience the handmade cots in the church rectory....AKgringo - 5-16-2020 at 11:12 AM
When "There is no room at the Inn", sometimes a manger will have to do!dtbushpilot - 5-16-2020 at 12:17 PM
I hit a cow, he lost. No police report, no pictures. Truck still ran and (surprisingly) nothing leaking on the ground so I continued on. I called a
nice lady at Baja Bound when I got to La Paz, she had an insurance adjuster at my location in less than an hour. I wasn't asked for my immigration
paperwork! Paperwork was filled out, I went to the Ford dealer and gave them the info from the adjuster, phone calls were made, genuine Ford parts
were ordered. I came back in a week when the parts were in, truck was fixed in 2 days, looks perfect. Paid my deductible, that was it. Easy peasy.
Your experience may vary, this was my only experience with MX insurance in 25 years of MX driving.RocketJSquirrel - 5-16-2020 at 12:34 PM
Good to know. Thank you. Sounds like a situation an insurance company could weasel their way out of. Well done!
Oscar Padilla Insurance
Pete - 5-27-2020 at 01:38 PM
I total'd my brand new 1996 Tacoma with Oscar Padilla insurance. It took some harassing, and a letter from my attorney (my room mate at the time),
but they paid me out. Took about a month to get the check.
Great support from BajaBound Insurance
TecateRay - 5-27-2020 at 04:41 PM
I was in an accident just south of Ensenada several years ago. Both other drivers fled the scene. My truck was driveable but I remained at the scene
until the HDI adjuster arrived and did his thing.
After I returned home I worked with Bajabound to get my truck fixed. HDI first wanted to “total” my truck, minus double the deductible since I
had front and rear end damage. That’s when the battles began with HDI. Bajabound was with me all the way making calls to HDI in both Texas and
Mexico.
End result - my truck was fixed as I wished, not totaled and I paid only a single deductible.
Without Bajabound’s backing I don’t think I would have gotten good results.RocketJSquirrel - 5-27-2020 at 04:50 PM
Thanks. Helpful to know the story. Whale-ista - 5-28-2020 at 12:10 AM
I used Discover Baja for insurance in 2016 and they helped me get full reimbursement for medical bills- but my vehicle was fine.
After decades of travel SOB- It was the first and only time being in an accident in Baja: rear ended when stopped for the only signal light in Colonet
(also the only one Hwy 1 for about 60 miles in both directions).
Since it was on the federal highway, had to wait for federal police to come take the report.
It was cold, and raining, and the highway was slick and muddy. The driver behind me was late for work and had been tailgating me for miles. There was
no question about fault.
I had stopped (there was no one else around), looked in the mirror and knew there was no way the car would stop in time. I took my foot off the brake.
The impact shoved me across the intersection.
The other car went under my truck's bumper- the front end crumpled.
My truck was fine, except for the brakes which I finally had rebuilt. The other car was probably a total loss.
I was able to drive the truck back to San Diego, but not without neck/back pain and mild whiplash. A friend recommended I wait a year, to file the
final medical claim and make sure I didn't have any long-term problems.
I had various physical therapy treatments during that time, and I'm glad I waited. I would feel fine- then wake up with a stiff neck or back spasms
and wind up back in the treatment room.
Discover Baja staff helped me with the initial claim, the paperwork and getting the full medical reimbursement. They communicated directly with the
insurance company on my behalf when I had questions about the forms.
I was very happy with their service.
RocketJSquirrel - 5-28-2020 at 07:50 AM
Excellent! This is the kind of stuff I wanted to know. shari - 5-29-2020 at 12:17 PM
Baja Bound has the best track record...which is what you want when you need action!RocketJSquirrel - 5-29-2020 at 12:34 PM
100% agreed. When you need help, you need help. No excuses. David K - 5-29-2020 at 12:41 PM
Plus, the Baja Bound owners regularly travel in Baja, have a place in Baja, sponsor this website (Baja Nomad), and are producing a new road guide and
interactive map to assist travelers. They also sponsor my book and my monthly travel and history articles... so, you have that , too! LOL
