While goods travel along increasingly congested and dangerous highways, cargo insurance is still progressing slowly in the country. Although Mexico is considered one of the most important markets for cargo insurance in Latin America, only 4% of goods transported by road are insured , according to Esaú Mendoza Hernández, Business Development Director at Keeper Cargo Insurance .

Mendoza Hernández commented that the problem lies not only in the theft of goods, but in the entire ecosystem of risks surrounding freight transport in Mexico.

Speaking from Guadalajara, he warned that states like Jalisco and Guanajuato have climbed the ranks among the hotspots for cargo theft. Jalisco moved from seventh to fifth place nationally, while Guanajuato now ranks third.

Added to this is the operational pressure derived from infrastructure works , port saturation and traffic in strategic corridors for the movement of goods.

This situation, he explained, not only impacts logistical times, but also increases the exposure of the units to theft and raises the physical strain on the operators.

According to the specialist, one of the most concerning phenomena today is armed robberies in storage yards where sensitive merchandise, such as electronics or clothing, is kept while awaiting transfer or shipment. But the risk doesn’t end there. Mexico ranks seventh in the world for traffic accidents, and approximately 30% to 35% of those accidents are related to freight transport, explained Mendoza Hernández. Furthermore, roughly 85% of accidents are attributable to factors related to the operation of the vehicles.

He indicated that the problem is structural : operators subjected to long lines at ports, hours stopped in traffic, operational delays and extended workdays end up increasing the probability of accidents and incidents.

The legal loophole that leaves cargo unprotected

Beyond the insecurity, the sector faces the challenge of a lack of insurance culture .

Mendoza explained that, under Mexican law, if the cargo value was not correctly declared on the Bill of Lading or transport contract, the carrier’s liability can be limited to as little as 15 UMAs per ton transported. This means that a company that loses merchandise valued at thousands of dollars could receive minimal compensation .

Given this scenario, he asserted that the main challenge for the insurance sector remains promoting a culture of prevention and financial protection , particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

He explained that SMEs often consider cargo insurance to be expensive. However, he indicated that the average cost of cargo insurance currently represents less than 1% of the value of the transported goods.

“The problem is not just theft; it’s that a disaster can completely bankrupt a small business,” he stressed.

Mexico under the international microscope

The perception of risk regarding Mexico is already beginning to impact even international insurance policies.

According to Esaú Mendoza, some global insurers have begun to impose higher deductibles or specific limits when goods transit through Mexican territory, due to the levels of theft and accidents.

In some cases, he said, international companies require carriers and freight forwarders to assume direct responsibility for thefts and damages occurring in Mexico as a condition of working with them.

Currently, Mexico faces a shortage of approximately 99,000 freight operators, while the country registers around 150 million journeys per year between local, national and international operations, according to estimates shared by the specialist.

Despite the size of the market, he asserted that there is still a huge gap in assurance and prevention within the logistics chain.

Mendoza Hernández also pointed out that, although there are around 15,000 registered insurance agents in Mexico, only a very small group actually specializes in cargo and logistics risk insurance.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Karina Quintero  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Only 4% of cargo in Mexico is insured: Keeper Cargo Insurance apareció primero en T21.

Truck robberies, highway robberies, and violence against drivers are part of a reality that the freight transport industry faces every day.

Behind every journey are kilometers traveled under tension, operators who move forward looking beyond the road, and companies that try to keep operations moving while insecurity also circulates on the country’s highways.

Food and beverage products remain among the most vulnerable to highway theft, according to Overhaul . During the first quarter of 2026, this sector accounted for 25% of cargo thefts reported nationwide, while the central and Bajío regions accounted for 68% of the incidents. The states of Mexico, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Puebla, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí alone accounted for 65% of the reported cases.

In addition, the criminals focused their attacks mainly on tractor-trailer trucks and double-trailer units, especially during nighttime hours and times when the operators were resting.

Given this scenario, the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) began meetings with prosecutors from various states to review files related to cargo theft and strengthen the follow-up of cases.

Augusto Ramos, national president of Canacar, explained to T21 that, in addition to the permanent meetings with the three levels of government, they have now also begun meetings focused on reviewing investigation files related to cargo theft.

He noted that three meetings have already been held under this scheme and announced that, starting this May, Canacar will replicate in Puebla the permanent security table that it currently maintains in the State of Mexico, because together with Veracruz they concentrate around 50% of the robberies of motor transport .

Ramos also assured that the weekly exchange of information on cargo theft continues with the National Guard and other organizations in the sector, such as the National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP) and the National Confederation of Mexican Transporters (Conatram) .

He also explained that Canacar operates a 24/7 call center to handle theft reports and support carriers in immediate communication with authorities and C5 centers.

One of the issues that most concerns the organization, he added, is the attacks against truck drivers. In April alone, Canacar identified four deaths related to cargo truck robberies, a figure that has begun to be included in the organization’s internal monitoring.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn:  @Karina Quintero  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Canacar holds meetings with prosecutors to address cargo theft apareció primero en T21.