Short answer with the number: if you spend about 15 or more days a year in Mexico, annual is cheaper. The reference annual policy costs $531 USD and the reference daily policy $37 USD, so the break-even is 531 ÷ 37 ≈ 14.4 days. Behind that arithmetic sits a fact almost nobody explains: Chubb charges a fixed $18 USD policy fee on every policy, whatever its length.
Live quotes against Chubb's system on 2 September 2026: the policy fee is $18 USD on daily and 30-day plans, $20 on 90-day plans and $35 on 180-day and annual plans. It is charged per policy, not per day — so a one-day policy pays it in full, and three separate one-day policies pay it three times.
Daily vs annual: the arithmetic
| How you buy | Policies in a year | Fees paid | Reference total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day, once | 1 | $18 (about half of $37) | $37 USD |
| 3 weekend trips, bought as 3 short policies | 3 | $54 in fees alone | 3 × price of each trip |
| Two-week vacation, bought by the day | 1 | $18 | close to the annual price |
| Annual, unlimited entries | 1 | $35 (about 3% of the price) | $531 USD |
Prices are the site's reference for a passenger vehicle with $100,000 USD liability and $2,000 USD medical; your exact total depends on days, vehicle and any own-damage or theft coverage you add. The chat at timi.mx/tourist prices both options for your car in seconds.
Who should buy annual
- Snowbirds and winter Texans — a 180-day season already covers most of the year's price; the annual adds the shoulder trips. See snowbird coverage and 6-month plans.
- Rocky Point, Ensenada or San Felipe regulars — three weekends is the break-even. Rocky Point page.
- Dental, medical or family trips every few weeks — every separate policy pays the fee again.
- Anyone who has bought insurance in the border line — the annual removes the "did I buy it?" moment for a year.
Who should stay on daily
One trip a year, a rental you are allowed to cross with, a car you are about to sell, or a first trip where you are not yet sure you will repeat it. Daily coverage from $37 USD for exactly the days you need is the right tool — see the daily coverage page and the cost overview. The coverage is identical; only the length changes.
What both policies include
$100,000 USD liability (the part Mexican law requires and a US policy cannot provide), $2,000 USD medical expenses, and legal assistance, issued by Chubb — the #1 tourist-auto insurer in Mexico for more than 10 years — through a CNSF-licensed Mexican agent. Own-damage and theft coverage are optional add-ons quoted in the same chat. Related: how to compare Mexican insurance honestly, the cost guide, and the annual policy page.
Read next: Mexican insurance for one month: price and the 31st-day trap · how much a week costs · the cheapest Mexican car insurance, honestly.