Traveling to Mexico - Which Travel Insurance to choose

Well, this year has certainly started off in an interesting way. As some of you may have heard

and for those that didn't, despite the scare that Omicron has posed, Mexico has stuck to its

guns and has remained open!

Still following the new international travel rules established back on Nov. 8th, Mexico is NOT

requiring travelers to present a negative PCR test nor mandating any type of quarantine once

entering the country. However, resorts and airports are a different story.

Airports continue to conduct health screenings while the resorts are requiring guests and visitors

to fill out a health questionnaire.

Land borders connecting Mexico and the U.S. have remained open.

Entering Mexico

What does this mean for people traveling in and out of Mexico? Well, as mentioned before,

while the country has remained one of the most lenient in terms of travel regulations; there are

still some health contingencies that need to be met. All visitors must complete a health

declaration form and scan the QR code it generates. While you won't need to self-quarantine, if

you feel symptomatic during your stay, you should contact the Sanidad Internacional health

organization.

How is Covid in Mexico?

Since last Friday, the 14th, the CDC declared the travel risk level for Mexico remains "high" risk,

but that only gives a broad outlook of the situation. To provide travelers with a clearer picture of

which specific regions are safe to visit and which pose a risk, the Mexican government

implemented a "Semáforo Epidemiológico" which is a four-tier "traffic light" map of the country.

The way it works is that there are four "traffic" lights ranging from red (Highest Risk) to orange, yellow and green (Lowest Risk). As of when this article comes out, Mexico is currently divided in half in terms of which parts are safe to visit and which are not.

Green Zones	Yellow Zones	Orange Zones
Campeche	Sinaloa	Baja California
Tabasco	Tamaulipas	Sonora
Chiapas	San Luis Potosi	Chihuahua
Veracruz	Jalisco	Zacatecas
Oaxaca	Guanajuato	Durango
Guerrero	Queretaro	Coahuila
Puebla	Estado de Mexico	Nuevo Leon
Tlaxcala	Mexico City	Quintana Roo
Hidalgo	Morelos
Michoacan	Yucatan
Colima
Nayarit

Now for the big question…

Is travel insurance necessary for Mexico?

The short answer — depends on you.

The long answer — Since there is currently no mandate for it, the decision as to whether or not

to acquire travel insurance falls on us. While insurance companies have a mixed reputation,

travel insurance has had a pretty good track record.

To protect themselves, travelers have been purchasing insurance policies. Travel insurance has

become a necessity for people since the start of the pandemic.

With this being the case, there are some coverage choices that individuals are particularly

interested in, such as trip cancellation and emergency health coverage in the event that

something goes wrong before or while they are away.

Also, before applying for a travel credit card, make sure that your credit report is error-free so you can use one for your trip.

What can't you get covered for?

Pre-existing medical problems, injuries sustained while participating in extreme activities, and

theft or loss of valuables like jewelry and technological gadgets are among the most prevalent

exclusions from travel insurance policies.

In addition, most travel insurance policies do not cover accidents that occur while you are under

the influence of drugs or alcohol, even if the substance is legal to use where you are.

Pregnant women should be aware that their travel insurance policies may not cover all

pregnancy-related medical issues. It's possible that your medical emergency coverage won't

cover the cost of delivery if it happens while you're on vacation.

On the other hand, pregnancy complications may be covered if they happen while you're on vacation.

Lastly, it's important to remember that insurance policies are subject to alteration without notice.

Many policies may exclude COVID-19 cases from coverage in the future. When it comes to

coverage, the insurer has the last word, so read the fine print extensively before you leave.

Keep your cool and take careful prep time

Planning beforehand is vital if you want to be prepared for any eventuality when on vacation. A

well-thought-out strategy and an adequate insurance policy can save your life in an emergency.

This was a guest article written by Michael Mota, who works for Money.com. If you'd like more great money tips, you can follow them on Facebook.