Mexico consistently ranks amongst the top ten destinations for travelers. Its tropical resorts and mountain retreats offer a range of activities from shopping to adventure sports. It also creates the right circumstances for accidents and injuries.

According to the Department of State, the lead U.S. foreign affairs agency, many American visitors assume the standards of security and safety are the same as they are in the U.S. These presumptions have lead not only to serous injuries, but even deaths. Compounded by differences in Mexican law, accidents and medical emergencies can become a costly and bureaucratic nightmare. As a result, the Department of State urges citizens to take responsibility for their safety, and to also ensure that they have the auto and medical insurance needed.

Driving and Mexican Law

Mexico’s law is based on Napoleonic Code where guilt is assumed over innocence. As a result, all drivers must have a Mexican insurance policy from a company authorized to do business in Mexico to cover damages or injuries.

“U.S liability insurance is simply not valid in Mexico,” says Linden Gray, Director of the http://MexicanInsuranceStore.com. “That even includes most of the major U.S. collision and comprehensive coverage plans.”

In addition to the required Mexican auto insurance, you should also consider a plan that covers legal aid and bond fees.

“In Mexico, it is considered a felony to have a traffic accident, says Gray. “While the police are investigating who is at fault, your vehicle may be impounded and you will be detained by Mexican authorities.”

The Department of State further warns U.S. travelers that they can be prevented from leaving the country even if “life-saving medical care” is required.

Emergency Medical Services

Mexico has a free national health care system; however, visitors are not entitled to this service. Tourists can only receive medical treatment and medications from private clinics and hospitals. Gray’s company strongly urges customers to check their medical insurance company to confirm whether their policy applies in Mexico and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

Surprisingly, most Mexican auto insurance plans will only help you find a facility, and may only cover up to four passengers. Many medical assistance plans only cover portions of the cost depending on location, activity or cause of injury. For those with the Social Security Medicare Program, costs for hospital or medical care outside the United States are not covered at all.

“It’s important to fill the gaps and exclusions that your auto and medical insurances have,” says Gray. “In addition to Mexican auto insurance, travelers should add an emergency medical assistance option because most health plans exclude medical evacuation in foreign countries.”

Gray recommends a plan like Assist America which is used by the American Medical Association and the American Red Cross. This type of plan provides services such as emergency medical evacuations, critical care monitoring, and guaranteed hospital admission.

Selecting A Plan

The easiest and quickest way to find Mexican auto insurance is online. When selecting a plan, look for one that offers the following:

• Third Party (Civil) Liability
• Medical Expenses for Driver and Occupants
• Assist America Medical and Travel Assistance
• Physical Damage and Total Theft of Vehicle
• Legal Assistance and Bail Bond
• Roadside Assistance
• Partial Theft and Vandalism
• Guaranteed Hospital Admission

Make sure the plan covers you during your entire stay. Most plans have daily, six month, and annual policies.

In addition, take into consideration the type of activities you plan to enjoy and their locations. Look for medical emergency assistance plans with very few limitations or exclusions such as:

• Maximum Of Number of Passengers (Other Plans Only Cover Up To 4 Passengers)
• Limits less than$100,000 per passenger for Any Medical Assistance Service Including Expensive Air Or Land Evacuation.
• Rural Mexico Territory Exclusion. (Almost all emergency assistance wording says “We will do the best we can in rural Mexico”)
• Exclusions For Pre-Conditions (Except Late Pregnancy)
• Sport Or Adventure Activity Exclusions (Surfing, Cycling, Mountain Biking, Mountain Climbing, Snorkeling, Kayaking Or Diving In Mexico Are All OK with Assist America )
• Civil War Or Terrorism Exclusions

Many people who want to work from home consider mystery shopping. The idea of being paid to shop sounds wonderful. But then you hear about some of the scams and just have to wonder if it’s really worthwhile.

Mystery shoppers go to assigned stores, restaurants, apartments and more to evaluate the service at each place. They may or may not be required to make a purchase. The shopper must carefully remember as many details as possible about the shop, most especially the names they deal with, and write a detailed report about it.

Despite it sounding pretty easy, not everyone will succeed as a mystery shopper. Sometimes you’re one of too many available mystery shoppers in your area, and the demand just isn’t there. Other times the available jobs just aren’t close enough.

Then there are the people who find out that they just can’t keep the details straight enough. It can be difficult to remember the clerk’s name for some people, and you can’t reveal yourself as a mystery shopper, which means no taking notes right in front of the clerk.

One of the challenges can be getting assigned to shops. When you’re starting out it may not just be a lack of shops in your area. Many companies look first to their proven mystery shoppers and then to the new ones. Companies want to get the best feedback possible when they pay a mystery shopper.

The pay may not always be what you expect either. Some shops require that you make a purchase of a certain amount, and when they reimburse you for that, that is your only payment. If the shop allows you to take yourself and the kids or a friend out to shop a restaurant, that may not be too bad a deal. It may also be necessary to do some of the low paying shops to build the experience necessary for the better ones.

There are many places to find out about companies that hire for mystery shopping. Many charge, but some do not. If you choose to pay a fee for a list, your main concern may be whether or not the keep it up to date.

There are other sites that claim to help you keep up with mystery shops that are currently available. Some people do find these to be an advantage, but others feel they are a waste. I would recommend finding one with a free trial if this kind of thing is of interest to you so that you don’t feel you’ve wasted money if you don’t like it. Just be sure to cancel promptly and confirm the cancellation.

Despite the occasional pitfalls, some people do quite well as mystery shoppers. You have to learn to do them efficiently and to keep great notes so that your shops aren’t jumbled in your mind as you type them up. It may only bring in a little extra for most, but it can also be fun.