Today I returned to Mexico City, after being 4 months in New York City. Its easy to see the difference in the streets, public transportation, and high pollution which is a very serious problem in Mexico City. The completely different system to which I had become familiar in recent months. A less rigorous system, because culturally Mexicans overlook certain laws and rules.
On my way to Puebla I saw two cars involved in a crash, I hope it wasn’t a serious accident, but made me think about how this persons would solve the payment of the damages, do they had insurance? If they suffered injuries who would pay for their treatment? Do they have the social security provided by the Mexican government?
In Mexico few people care about buying insurance because most live thinking that nothing will happen to them, or never would need one.
The reality is that they are necessary because most could not afford treatment for a serious accident; if they have the insurance provided by Mexican government they could receive treatment although the service does not have a very good quality.
In Mexico there are regulations for insurance contracts, and CONDUSEF is responsible for supervising these contracts.
In Mexico just few people sue their insurers when their insurance breach the contract which is common, that in some way let insurers continue to take advantage of customers by selling insurance with very specific clauses that can be not favorable when charging or making this insurance valid.
Therefore it is very important to read your policy or insurance contract and if you have doubts ask them to your insurance advisor or even get help from a lawyer that allows you to understand whether the contracted insurance is best for you and your needs.
Fortunately, USA is a country in which the claim to an insurance is a situation that can be solved effectively unlike Mexico where even the regulations on the issue of insurance has many loopholes that do not always allow to solve issues effectively.