Hurricanes and earthquakes: what to check in your home insurance in Mexico

November 8, 2026. As Hurricane Simon threatened Mexico's Pacific coast in October, the Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions (AMIS) pointed out that only 21% of homes in Jalisco, Guerrero, Michoacán and Colima are insured, below the national average of 26%, according to López-Dóriga Digital. The association also warned that not every home policy includes protection against hurricanes or floods.

If you own a home in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cancún or Mérida, the useful question is not whether another storm will come, but whether your policy covers it and on what terms.

What insurers paid for hurricanes in 2025

Hurricanes and tropical storms cost insurers 11,300 million pesos in 2025, 70% more than in 2024, according to AMIS figures published by Semanario ZETA. That is about 607 million dollars at the Bank of Mexico's FIX exchange rate of November 6 (18.6297), the last one published before the weekend.

On October 15, while the industry was assessing Simon's damage, AMIS president Pedro Pacheco told 88.9 Noticias that insurers did not yet have a damage figure and that they pay about 1,600 million pesos in claims every day across all lines of business.

What home insurance in Mexico covers

According to a guide by IDC Online based on information from Profeco, Mexico's consumer protection agency, common home insurance coverages include fire, lightning and explosion, earthquake and volcanic eruption, and hydrometeorological events such as hurricanes, storms, floods and storm surges. Theft coverage protects your belongings and, depending on the policy, electronic equipment and glass breakage can be added.

There is one point you should not assume. In the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warns that most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage; that requires separate flood insurance, such as a policy from the federal NFIP program. In Mexico, flooding can be included in the hydrometeorological coverage of the same home policy, but not every policy has it: check yours.

Five checks before the next storm

1. Make sure your policy includes hurricane, flood and earthquake. As AMIS warns, not every policy covers hurricanes or floods; check the earthquake coverage too. Ask for written confirmation of which events your policy covers.
2. What may be left out. According to AMIS, pools, pergolas, solar panels, perimeter walls and basement installations may need additional protection.
3. Deductibles and exclusions. Condusef, Mexico's financial consumer protection agency, recommends reading the general conditions, especially the exclusions and deductibles, according to the same IDC Online guide, which also warns that standard policies do not always cover high-value items such as jewellery.
4. An inventory of your belongings. The guide recommends documenting what you have at home before a loss and keeping proof of your premium payments.
5. If the storm has already passed. AMIS recommends keeping your policy and your insurer's phone numbers at hand, following Civil Protection instructions first, and photographing the damage only when it is safe to do so.

If you live in a condominium

In a building or a gated community with common areas, ask the management whether there is a condominium policy and what it covers, so you know which part you need to insure yourself. A condominium insurance policy can protect the building, the common areas and the condominium's liability, and your own home policy can cover your unit and what is inside it.

Your home insured with 1SEGUROS

At 1SEGUROS, based in Mérida with more than 30 years of experience, we compare home insurance and hurricane and flood insurance from several insurers and go over coverages, deductibles and exclusions with you before you sign. We serve you in Spanish or English. Message us on WhatsApp at +52 999 316 7145.