Jump to content
Chapala.com Webboard

Trying to find definitive answer


Recommended Posts

I bought a new Texas plated Ford in 2000. And I tried to renew every year, (The car was always in Mexico) In 2005 Texas figured out I was in Mexico and never allowed me to renew again.  I kept the car in Mexico and never had any problems with the fact that I could not renew my plates or tabs.

When I was in the US with the car when it was new, my insurance Company, USAA insured my car but cancelled the policy once I took it out of the country. Were I to have returned to the US, I would have reactivated my US insurance with USAA. but because they would not cover me in Mexico, they told me to cancel the policy until I returned to the US with the car.

I did have Mexican insurance when I drove the car into Mexico and until I sold it. I got my coverage through Parker insurance.

I was told that as long as my car was in Mexico, I only needed insurance covering Mexico. I never did know whether I had to update my plates or tabs that showed 2004 in big print on the windshield until I sold it to another person from the US in Mexico who said he would take it immediately out of Mexico in 2013.

However he got plates from North or South Dakota and kept the car here until 2016 when he took it out and gave it to his teenaged grandson who lives in the US..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe mexican law doesn't BUT it might be a question to ask your mexican insurance company. I have heard that if your NOB registration lapses then your MX insurance becomes invalid. Friend tried to make a claim on his MX insurance when his car was stolen and was SOL as he let his NOB registration lapse.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a claim against me for a small dent I put in another car. My US plated, Mexican only insured car was covered and the insurance company paid the victim for the repair. That was maybe in 2008 some 8 years after I entered Mexico with my US plated car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dont know why they care about foreign cars when mexican laws are optional.  We asked two policemen why so many mexican cars dont have current registration.  They simple said "ellos no hacen"  and they were not giving anyone a ticket.  We are permanent residents and bought a new mexican car.  The dealership said the registration each year is "optional".  You dont have to do it if you dont want to !!.....so funny....who would WANT to pay taxes?!!! haaaa......

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have been over this ground so many times. Do you mean registration or title? U.S. insurers want proof that you are the owner of the vehicle, whether in the U.S. or Canada, before they issue insurance. This usually involves a government repository of some type, and a piece of paper acknowledging that title is valid and naming the owner. It is only changed when the vehicle changes ownership. Most jurisdictions, including Jalisco (factura), do not require an annual fee for storing the title. You, or the new owner, only pay when the title is changed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is copied and pasted from the fine print of our AXA policy for our US-plated vehicle. Underscoring for clarity is mine. 

Esta póliza sólo cubrirá a vehículos registrados en el extranjero (con placas de procedencia extranjera, que no tengan registro en México y cuenten con el Permiso de Internación Temporal vigente) mientras viajen en el interior de la Republica Mexicana. This policy only covers vehicles registered in foreign countries (with license plates issued in foreign countries not registered in Mexico and have the temporal confinement permission in force) while travelling in the territory of Mexico

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, AngusMactavish said:

I believe the OP asked about the law, not what an insurance company says.

Here you are, from the ley de movilidad de Jalisco; underscore is mine:

Artículo 50. Los vehículos registrados en el extranjero podrán circular en el Estado, si sus conductores acreditan la legal internación y estancia en el país de los mismos, mediante la documentación expedida por las autoridades federales competentes.

All vehicles also are required to carry current plates, registration and insurance, so it makes sense that a policy cross-references the law.

Artículo 44. Todo vehículo para transitar u ocupar la vía pública, deberá contar con los requisitos y condiciones requeridas de acuerdo a lo dispuesto por esta ley y su reglamento; para ello deberán estar inscritos en el registro estatal, en ese caso, deberán portar los elementos de identifcación conforme a su tipo y características; tales como placas, tarjeta de circulación, holograma de verifcación vehicular y constancia o póliza de seguro vial vigentes que garantice los daños y perjuicios contra terceros.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our personal experience is as follows.  You can and should get Mexican coverage at the border or online before entering Mexico for you US plated car.  It is not expensive.  Your US insurance will not cover you here.  We were able to cancel our State Farm coverage when coming here and then renew it when we were ready to return to the states.  They required us to buy a six month policy every time but gave us a prorated refund if we notified them we were back in Mexico again.  The border policy we always used was a one year policy and we did not tell them we were taking the car out of Mexico so on our return, the policy was still in effect.  We sold that car in the US and bought a Mexican car and have local insurance now which, oddly, costs more than travel insurance cost us for our similar US plated car.  Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also,  You can't get US insurance or border insurance  for Mexico unless your car has current US registration.  Once here, and with a temp visa, I don't think the local govt. cares if your car has a current registration.  No problem unless you plan to drive to the states again when you would need current registration to get US coverage. Even if returning only to sell your car you should be covered.  This is a royal pain since some states require an inspection to issue a plate.  That is why you see a lot of S Dakota plated cars.  That state will take your money and mail you plates even if you are not a resident.  Alan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

barrbower explained what a friend did to my car that I bought in 2000 in Texas and last had a 2004 Tag on the Window. Apparently there is one county in South Dakota that does this, Clay County. Perhaps someone here can confirm  the name of that county in South Dakota and what one needs to do to meet the County requirements

In 2013 the friend who bought my 2000 Ford with Texas plates that was last updated in 2004, was able to get South Dakota Plates after making phone calls, sending information, and making a payment. He got his South Dakota plates via mail. Again, I believe, it is Clay County that does this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, jrod said:

Here you are, from the ley de movilidad de Jalisco; underscore is mine:

Artículo 50. Los vehículos registrados en el extranjero podrán circular en el Estado, si sus conductores acreditan la legal internación y estancia en el país de los mismos, mediante la documentación expedida por las autoridades federales competentes.

All vehicles also are required to carry current plates, registration and insurance, so it makes sense that a policy cross-references the law.

Artículo 44. Todo vehículo para transitar u ocupar la vía pública, deberá contar con los requisitos y condiciones requeridas de acuerdo a lo dispuesto por esta ley y su reglamento; para ello deberán estar inscritos en el registro estatal, en ese caso, deberán portar los elementos de identifcación conforme a su tipo y características; tales como placas, tarjeta de circulación, holograma de verifcación vehicular y constancia o póliza de seguro vial vigentes que garantice los daños y perjuicios contra terceros.

Article 50 does not say that you must keep your vehicle's plates and insurance current, just that they are when you enter and stay.

Article 44 in applicable to Mexican vehicles only.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is translated to "registration" really means proof of ownership. Title is proof of ownership. Do not leave an original in your vehicle. Even a copy is not recommended. Keep the original at a lawyer's office, if they ask to see it, offer to make an appointment with the lawyer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...