Crossing the mountain range is the preferred plan of thousands of families this summer, but the lack of a document specific can ruin the start of the vacation before arriving at the hotel. This is SOAPEX, a mandatory personal accident insurance that the Chilean authorities require for every vehicle with a foreign license plate, and which is independent of the policy contracted in the country of origin.
The document that many travelers forget to bring
The current traffic legislation in Chili establishes that this support is vital to guarantee the medical care of drivers and passengers in the event of any road accident. When presenting at border control, Customs personnel will request this document which accredits health and life coverage, which is measured in Development Units (UF) according to local standards.
It is essential to understand that this procedure cannot be carried out in person at the mountain passes, so it is necessary to manage the document digitally before hitting the road. Chilean insurers offer this service online, sending the certificate directly to the holder’s email so that it can be displayed to Carabineros during any preventive control.
In addition to the mandatory insurance, to travel on Chilean routes legally you must have the following list of papers and documents in order:
- Digital ID
- Driver license
- Motor Vehicle Identification Card
- Customs Form
- SOAPEX
Don’t count on this document At the time of an inspection, it can lead to fines exceeding $100 or even detention of the vehicle in the municipal corrals. Chilean regulations are very rigorous in this sense, since they seek to ensure that all those involved in an accident are guaranteed hospitalization and rehabilitation without administrative delays.
