Health · Healthcare & Policy · 7 hrs ago
Rising medical insurance costs lead some Mexicans to reduce coverage
Medical insurance premiums in Mexico rose 9.3% year over year by the second quarter of 2026.
Higher costs are leading some policyholders to choose less coverage or pay higher deductibles and co-payments.
The trend comes as the wider Mexican insurance market grew more slowly, with premiums up 4.7% in nominal terms.
The tax reform’s value-added tax has also raised claims costs in accident and health insurance and auto insurance, while the sector’s net profit fell 1.4% to 43.334 billion pesos.
The pressure is not the same for every insurer: smaller companies and those heavily focused on auto or accident and health insurance may face greater strain.
Fitch says the sector remained profitable overall, and expects VAT-related pressure to ease gradually during the year.
Fitch says rising medical insurance costs are prompting some policyholders in Mexico to choose narrower coverage or higher deductibles and coinsurance.
Medical insurance premiums rose 9.3% year on year through the second quarter of 2026.
The increase came as the Mexican insurance market grew more slowly, with total premiums up 4.7% in nominal terms.
Fitch linked financial pressure on insurers partly to the effect of value-added tax on claims in accident and health and auto insurance.
The sector’s net profit fell 1.4% to 43.334 billion pesos through the second quarter of 2026.
- Who
- Some medical insurance policyholders in Mexico are adjusting their coverage, according to Fitch.
- What
- Rising costs are leading some users to buy more limited coverage or accept higher deductibles and coinsurance.
- When
- Through the second quarter of 2026; the report was published on November 5, 2026.
- Where
- Mexico.
- Why
- Higher costs are putting pressure on insurance prices and claims. Fitch also identified the effect of value-added tax on claims in accident and health and auto insurance.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The accident and health claims ratio was lower by 3.7 percentage points than its level in the second quarter of 2026.
Medical insurance premiums rose 9.3% year on year, while total Mexican insurance market premiums grew 4.7% in nominal terms.
Expansión MX published its report on Fitch’s assessment of rising medical insurance costs and changes to policy coverage.
- Medical insurance premiums
- Up 9.3% year on year through the second quarter of 2026
- Total insurance market premiums
- Up 4.7% in nominal terms through the second quarter of 2026
- Accident and health claims ratio
- 74.2%, up 3.7 percentage points from the same period in 2025
- Auto claims ratio
- 64.7%, up 3.2 percentage points from the same period in 2025
- Insurance sector net profit
- 43.334 billion pesos, down 1.4% through the second quarter of 2026
What people are saying
Estas condiciones están modificando el comportamiento de los asegurados, mediante la contratación de coberturas más limitadas o el aumento de deducibles y coaseguros