Proalliance Insurance FAQs
“Do you speak English?”
- Yep. Fluently. Spanish, too. The rest of the staff is also bilingual. We all understand how important communication is, so we make it a point to be responsive and accessible whenever you need to speak with us. It’s in the best interest of our clients that their insurance agent is completely bilingual. Aside from the obvious advantage of being able to communicate effectively with you, if you should have a claim, we can run interference for you with the underwriting companies.
“Is your office in the States?”
- No, we’re located in Rocky Point. For your convenience we have a US number you can call, but it rings in our office in RP. In a city this size, it’s helpful to know the right people, and I assure you that we do. If you should ever need assistance while in Rocky Point, you can call me personally, anytime.
“Is my policy good only in Sonora, or will I have coverage throughout Mexico?”
- Your policy is valid anywhere in Mexico.
“Can I insure a rental car?”
- As far as I know, most US car rental agencies require you to buy the insurance from them (at a higher cost, I might add). If you find one that will let you buy from ProAlliance, we can surely sell it to you
“Do you offer multi-policy discounts?”
- One of our underwriters does offer discounts if you insure your home or condo and vehicles with them. However, that might not be the best option for you. The majority of our clients have their auto insurance with one company and their auto policy with another. Part of our job is to help determine which company is best for what you need. The cost of insurance is much lower in Mexico than in the US or Canada, so multi-policy discounts aren’t really the norm.
“Is it true that claims are rarely, if ever, paid in Mexico?”
- Absolutely not true. Granted, the process is a bit slower, but the large majority of claims are paid satisfactorily. On occasion, the underwriter will offer less than we think the claim should warrant. If the difference is significant, we work with the adjusters to appeal the decision and hopefully raise the settlement amount.
- In 2012 ProAlliance reported a total of 29 claims. All but two of them were paid. Of the two that weren’t, one was a commercial policy. In both cases it was determined that the cost of repairs wouldn’t meet the deductible. Here are some ProAlliance claim statistics for 2012:
- Eight of the claims were for broken windows or sliding glass doors. Those claims are pretty easy, just tell us it’s broken and we’ll send someone out to replace it, probably in a couple of days, although one of our clients did have to wait longer for a special-order sized door. No deductible on most of these. All of these windows/sliding doors were replaced.
- Three were auto accidents. Interestingly, in two of these our client hit an inanimate object. In the third, our client backed into someone else. Repairs were paid satisfactorily. It’s important to note that once there’s an auto accident, everyone (if they bought full coverage) wishes they’d taken the Extended Coverage.
- Three claims were made for homes that were burglarized, but there were only two clients, as one was hit twice during the year. All three claims were paid.
- One claim was for a lighted sign outside a business that was ruined by weather damage. This claim was paid.
- The remaining 12 claims were for water damage in condos due to broken pipes, hoses or valves (except one each from A/C unit, water heater and jacuzzi)
As you can see, water damage in condos is our most frequent claim. It isn’t uncommon for leaks to go unnoticed for weeks at a time, so often we have damage to other condos below (sometimes as many as 10 units affected!). All were paid.
We really do try to help our clients with this process, but there’s no denying that it can be frustrating, especially if you don’t know what to expect.
Here’s an overview of the claims process:
If you have an auto accident, you should call me immediately. The following is an explanation of what to do with home/condo claims.
- You call our office and Tell Paty what happened and when. She’ll report to the Company, get a claim number and arrange for an adjuster to go see the damage. The adjuster will take pictures and prepare a report with calculations for repairs for the underwriter.
- More paperwork is required from you in Mexico than you’re probably used to. You’ll be asked to provide copies of proof of ownership, identification and residence. On top of that, you’ll be asked to submit a written request for payment, some estimates and an account of how and when the problem occurred. If other condos were affected, those owners must provide the same. Paty can work with your property manager to collect all that’s needed and she’ll prepare the written requests and letters for your signature.
- Clients tend to start counting how long a claim takes beginning with the date it was reported to us. This is incorrect. The Company doesn’t even consider a claim until they’ve received the complete packet from the adjuster with all the required documentation.
- At that point we might be asked to submit further documentation (this only happens if there’s an issue we didn’t foresee).
- Once we submit everything they require, the clock starts ticking…the underwriter will review the file and determine how much the Company will pay for the claim. They’ll send us written notification of that and a Settlement Letter for you to sign.
- Once they get the signed Settlement Letter, it can take a few weeks to get them to actually send us a check, made out to you.
“Is there a difference in cost if I buy online vs. calling your office?”
- Rarely, but sometimes yes. The human element benefits you. We’re able to make suggestions and adjustments. Other than that, there’s no difference. When you purchase online, you get a copy of your policy and so do I, via email. That means I’m aware that you bought insurance and if you lose your policy, I have a copy for you when you get here.
“Can I pay for my policy in monthly installments?”
- Sorry, but that isn’t an option for Tourist policies.
“Will my policy be in English?”
- The auto policies are in English. One of our underwriting companies does provide policies in English for homeowners, but the other one doesn’t.
“What is the difference between Extended and Standard coverage?”
- Standard will pay for repairs at Mexican rates and Extended will cover the cost of repairs in the US.
“What are your office hours?”
- From Monday – Friday, 8:30am-5:30pm and 10am-2pm on Saturdays. We’re closed Sundays. Although I’m always available by cell phone, if you should need to speak with me.
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