Car rental in California for Mexico

If you need a car rental in California for Mexico, give Express Rent-A-Car a call. We are one of the rental companies permitting travel to Mexico in our rentals. However, we do have some advice for you before you drive your rental car into Mexico.

Your United States driver’s license is a valid driver’s license in Mexico; however, your car insurance policy will not be recognized by Mexican authorities. If you want to drive your Mexico car rental, you will need to have valid insurance from a Mexican insurance provider.

You can easily purchase Mexican car insurance on the US side of the border, or this can be purchased in many of the border towns and cities on the Mexican side of the border. Under Mexican law, the minimum requirement for insurance coverage is “civil liability insurance”, but it is highly recommended that you purchase liability, collision and comprehensive coverage equivalent to your normal US insurance policy. The reason for this is that Mexican law allows a driver found at fault to be imprisoned until any injured parties and rental car companies have received sufficient compensation for any injuries and/or damages.

Some more information about the kind of insurance coverage you may want to purchase is:

• LDW (Loss Damage Waiver): This coverage plan has the widest and most transparent risk coverage in the domestic market, with a great advantage of a 0 percent deductible. This plan covers you against total and partial theft and any type of material damage to the rental car. It is the easiest and most comprehensive protection you will find, restrictions may apply.
• ALI (Additional Liability Insurance): This is an additional protection plan that extends a cover to the driver of Civil Responsibility up to a limit that you purchase. This coverage protects the driver of the reclamations that third parties make exclusively against the driver of damages in their properties and their integrity caused by the use or handling of the rental car.
• PDW (Partial Damage Waiver): With this plan you will only be responsible for paying off a deductible amount that you determine in advance. It covers damage to the rental car and total loss resulting from an accident or robbery, including missing pieces or accessories. Some restrictions may apply.

If you have purchased Mexican car insurance for your rental car, there are some supplies you may want to bring with you in case of an emergency or other problem. A funnel, which can be used at certain gas stations which may have pumps that are too large to fit into an unleaded gas tank. Bottled water and a first aid kit are also highly recommended.

Furthermore, please be advised that you may need to acquire a “temporary importation permit” for your rental car, if you intend to drive the car outside of the Border Zone or the Free Trade Zone. The Mexican consulate can provide further information regarding the requirements for this permit. The Mexican Government Tourist Organization is also a helpful resource for information about traveling in Mexico and insurance as well.