Planning a trip to Mexico can be can be a nerve-racking process, especially if it’s your first time. I remember planning my first trip to Mexico and thinking to myself; do I need travel insurance to travel to Mexico?
Do You Need Travel Insurance For Mexico
After doing some in-depth research, I learned exactly why you may need travel insurance when traveling to Mexico.
Travel insurance is not required in Mexico however, if you are accident prone, lose things easily, or enjoy peace of mind when traveling abroad, then travel insurance may be an excellent option for you. Included coverages range from medical expenses to accidental death coverage, as well as coverage for any activity you may enjoy while in Mexico.
When deciding whether or not you should purchase travel insurance for your trip to Mexico, it really comes down to your risk tolerance. Risk tolerance in travel terms, is simply the amount of risk you are willing to take regarding each relevant risk when traveling to Mexico.
Some factors you should take into consideration when determining your risk tolerance are; where in Mexico you are traveling to, what will your living conditions be like, how long will you be in Mexico, are you traveling alone or with others, and what is your overall health like?
If you answer all these questions honestly and to your best knowledge, you can easily determine if travel insurance is right for you.
Lets say for example; you are traveling to a non-touristy town with poor living conditions for 7 days, you are traveling by yourself, and you have had recent health complications, you can assume that this may be a good scenario to consider purchasing travel insurance. Although, most travel insurance’s will not cover pre-existing health conditions, they will cover new health conditions that may arise while visiting Mexico.
If you have have traveled to Mexico before and you have a good idea of what to expect and you are an overall healthy person, then maybe you don’t need travel insurance.
My point is; deciding between purchasing travel insurance or not, greatly depends on your personal needs, desires, and overall comfort level. Travel insurance is not for everyone, and many people may not even consider travel insurance when traveling to Mexico.
I can say however, if you are someone who is going to spend your entire trip worrying about what could happen, or if you have a lot of money invested into your trip, travel insurance is worth looking into.
Does Your Current Health Insurance Cover You In Mexico
Your U.S. domestic insurance policy, including Medicare, does not provide sufficient coverage, if any at all, when traveling abroad to Mexico.
If your insurer does happen to cover you while in Mexico, the care you receive is generally reimbursed at an out-of-network rate, meaning higher up-front costs for you. The reason being, most healthcare providers require cash or credit card when paying for your treatment, and most U.S. insurers don’t have direct billing with healthcare providers in Mexico.
As well, even some international insurance providers make you pay out-of-pocket for any treatment you receive, then reimburse you at a later date. If this is not something you want, make sure to choose an insurance company that will pay the provider directly, on your behalf.
How Much Is Travel Insurance For Mexico
The cost for travel insurance coverage in Mexico is determined by multiple factors such as your age, length of your trip, trip cost, and the number of travelers. Generally speaking, the average cost for two people traveling to Mexico for 7 days, with a total trip cost of $5,000, is roughly $12-$25 per day depending on your policy and insurer.
Travel insurance rates will generally be higher if more coverage is offered from the insurer. As well, cheaper options will usually have either less coverage options, or each option will offer less coverage amounts.
As you can see above; when comparing two insurance policies on TravelInsurance.com (both policies from Trawick International), the higher priced policy contains the same coverage options, but the amount covered for each option is more, versus the less expensive option.
The easiest way to decide which policy is best for you, is by simply comparing the pros and cons. The higher priced option covers $100,000 more for “Emergency Medical” as well as $300,000 more for “Medical Evacuation”, plus $1250 more coverage for “Baggage Loss”.
If you think you’ll feel more at ease purchasing a plan that covers more, I’d say it’s worth the extra $22.20 for peace of mind. If you find that the less expensive option is more than enough coverage, choose that policy. It’s really that simple.
Is Travel Insurance For Mexico Worth It
Travel insurance for Mexico may be worth the investment for peace of mind and many other included coverages such as;
- Medical expenses and hospital benefits
- Personal accident and liability
- Accidental death
- Medical evacuation or trip cancellation
- Trip interruption
- Personal belongings and luggage
- Legal expenses
One thing you should always keep in mind, especially when traveling abroad, is you never know what may happen. Whether you experience an unexpected accident that puts you in the hospital, bad weather cancels your trip, or you end up losing your luggage, anything is possible.
If any of these potential risks worry you at all, travel insurance is more than worth it. If you live life without fear, then maybe you don’t need to concern yourself with the added expense of travel insurance.
What Is The Best Travel Insurance For Mexico
There are so many travel insurance options available all across the web, it can be difficult choosing the best one. However, if you know exactly what you want out of your travel insurance policy, you can choose the best option suited for you and your needs.
The best overall travel insurance for Mexico is World Nomads. They offer policies for everyone, anywhere in the world. Moreover, not only do they cover all your travel essentials, they also cover you for over 200+ activities, provide 24/7 assistance, all offered at a very competitive price.
When searching for travel insurance for Mexico, you should look for an insurance policy that covers not only your basic essentials like medical expenses, trip cancellation, and baggage or personal belongings, but also a policy that will cover you for specific things you will be doing in Mexico.
Some policies may not cover accidents that occur during excursion activities such as snorkeling, scuba-diving, and other potential high-risk activities. If a policy does not offer coverage for the activities that you know you will be participating in, then what’s the point? You need to find a policy that covers all your needs, not just some of them.
World Nomads Travel Insurance was created by travelers, for travelers. They offer simple and flexible travel insurance policies you can purchase from anywhere in the world. Whether you live in the U.S., Canada, U.K., or anywhere else in the world, World Nomads has a policy for you.
World Nomads covers all your trip essentials, plus some other things you may not have even considered. Here is a brief list of some of the things you will be covered for:
- Assault
- Terrorist attacks
- Death overseas
- Gear and baggage loss or delay
- Medical expenses
- Medical evacuation and repatriation
- Unexpected dental problems (but “dental tourism” is a thing in Mexico, so that’s some relief)
I would expect these trip essentials to be covered by any good travel insurance policy. But, World Nomads takes it a step further by covering you for over 200+ activities. Surely you will enjoy at least one of these covered activities while in Mexico. I won’t name all the activities they cover otherwise, you may be here a while. Although, I will list a few that I think specifically apply to anyone traveling to Mexico.
Some of the activities they cover are:
- Water activities (jet skiing, scuba diving, snorkeling)
- Air activities (zip-lining, skydiving)
- Land activities (ATVs, backpacking, biking, walking)
- Sports activities (salsa dancing, golf, horse riding, weight lifting)
- Experience Activities (bungee jumping, cliff jumping, parasailing)
As you can see, World Nomads understands what you intend to do, which is have some fun! You shouldn’t have to fear enjoying any of these awesome activities, just because your insurer won’t cover you.
Not only does World Nomads cover you for almost any imaginable situation you may encounter, but they will do it for a very competitive price.
As well, they have employees available 24/7 to provide help, advice, and referrals for medical emergencies. They will also help you locate local medical physicians, dentists, and facilities any time of the day.
World Nomads is the best travel insurance for your trip to Mexico. Don’t just take my word for it though, World Nomads is also trusted by industry leaders such as Lonely Planet, Nomadic Matt, TourRadar, and a few other reputable sites.
If you want to compare other travel insurance options besides World Nomad, then just checkout TravelInsurance.com. There, you will be able to compare multiple travel insurance policies and pricing from other top rated insurers with ease, and you will be able to purchase a policy if you find one that meets your expectations, at the guaranteed lowest price.
Regardless which insurer you decide to go with, just make sure your policy has everything you need, then you can enjoy your trip to Mexico and travel worry free knowing you’re covered if something does go wrong.
