Do You Want Journey Insurance coverage for Costa Rica? (Up to date 2023)

Posted: 8/12/2023 | August twelfth, 2023

Identified for its lush forests, lively volcanoes, white-sand seashores, and unimaginable wildlife, Costa Rica is a favourite amongst vacationers. It was the place that ignited my wanderlust (so it holds a particular place in my coronary heart).

Sandwiched between the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, this small country has a lot to offer. It attracts many guests because it’s simply accessible to North American vacationers, with frequent and reasonably priced flights and a well-established vacationer path.

General, it’s quite safe, the standard of life is excessive, and components nearly really feel such as you’re in one other US state.

A whole lot of vacationers to Costa Rica wonder if journey insurance coverage is critical in any respect.

“Do I actually want it? It’s simply an additional expense I gained’t even use!” I get requested.

To me, the reply is sure.

No matter the place I’m going, I by no means go away dwelling with out journey insurance coverage. It’s safety towards surprising prices which will come up if issues go mistaken on the highway, which — as each traveler will let you know — occurs whenever you least count on it.

Since Costa Rica is more expensive than its Central American neighbors, and because you’re extra more likely to be taking part within the journey actions that make the nation well-known (volcano hikes, zip-lining), the dangers may be larger, and prices can rapidly add up rapidly if issues go sideways.

What Does Journey Insurance coverage Sometimes Cowl?

Travel insurance is an all-purpose emergency protection plan for journey mishaps. Prices can add up rapidly on account of sickness or damage, canceled flights, broken electronics, misplaced baggage, the dying of a member of the family again dwelling — the listing goes on.

Since most home medical insurance packages don’t cowl you abroad and travel credit cards supply restricted safety, shopping for journey insurance coverage is critical to guard you towards these surprising prices. It’s designed to be sure to don’t lose a ton of cash if an emergency occurs overseas.

Nice journey insurance coverage embody the next provisions:

• Medical protection for damage and sudden sicknesses
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Protection for misplaced, broken, or stolen possessions (together with some protection in your electronics)
• Journey cancelation/interruption protection you probably have a sudden sickness, dying within the household, or another emergency that causes you to cancel or go dwelling early
• Protection for journey delays
• Protection for political emergencies, pure disasters, or strife within the nation
• Unintended dying and dismemberment (morbid as it’s, it’s vital to have)
• 24/7 help

What to Contemplate When Buying Journey Insurance coverage for Costa Rica

Listed here are some particular protection wants to remember when buying journey insurance coverage for the land of pura vida:

1. Journey actions – From skydiving to browsing, Costa Rica is a haven for all the spectrum of journey actions, and even the tamest of vacationers might wish to attempt some. It’s the most effective locations on the earth to go zip-lining, and there are unimaginable jungle and volcano hikes to be loved. Be certain that your journey insurance coverage plan covers you within the occasion that you simply get injured whereas taking part in any of the actions that you simply may wish to attempt.

2. Medical protection – Do you have to get injured whereas testing your adrenaline limits (or doing the rest), you’ll wish to be lined. journey insurance coverage firm gives as much as $100,000 USD in vital therapy and care, although dearer insurance policies will cowl you for larger quantities.

3. Medical evacuation – If you’re mountain climbing within the rainforest and break your leg, your coverage ought to cowl your evacuation to the closest acceptable medical facility. (When you’d choose to not keep in a international hospital for therapy and restoration, look right into a medical transport membership program like Medjet, which can get you dwelling it doesn’t matter what.)

4. Automotive rental – Renting a automotive is a standard solution to get across the nation. Nonetheless, aside from the principle highways, roads may be in questionable situation; they usually lack streetlights and have potholes and sharp drop-offs. To not point out the oncoming visitors on tight, winding roads that appear like they need to solely match one automotive. Even probably the most skilled of drivers can get in an accident, so be sure to’re ready with the correct rental and collision protection.

(When you do intend to hire a automotive, Vamos has the most effective costs. As a Nomadic Matt reader, you’ll get 5% off through the use of our hyperlink.)

5. Stolen or misplaced possessions – Petty theft is the commonest sort of crime right here. Shield your self by solely bringing the required money and one bank card whenever you exit, leaving your valuables at dwelling. Nonetheless, even the best-laid plans can go awry, so be sure to have some protection in your private objects (laptop computer, cellphone, and many others.).

6. Pure catastrophe protection – Costa Rica is geologically fascinating — however which means it’s additionally an lively, unpredictable earthquake and volcano zone. Make it possible for your coverage will cowl you if a pure catastrophe causes you to cancel or reduce brief your journey.
 

FAQ About Journey Insurance coverage in Costa Rica

Do I want journey insurance coverage to go to Costa Rica?
Whereas Costa Rica now not requires guests to point out proof of journey insurance coverage upon arrival, I extremely suggest that you simply get it anyway. It’s in your personal profit and solely prices just a few {dollars} per day (or much less).

Does US medical insurance coverage (like Medicare) work in Costa Rica?
No, medical insurance coverage from the US, together with Medicare, doesn’t cowl you in Costa Rica. You shouldn’t count on to be lined ought to something occur to you (one of many most important causes to get journey insurance coverage).

Is Costa Rica secure?
Costa Rica is without doubt one of the most secure international locations to go to in Central America. Hottest vacationer cities are small and there’s little risk of violence. Solo vacationers ought to usually really feel secure right here; nevertheless, the usual precautions apply (by no means go away your drink unattended on the bar, by no means stroll dwelling alone intoxicated, and many others.). Check out this post for more tips on staying safe in Costa Rica.

Can I drink the water in Costa Rica?
The water is secure to drink in most components of Costa Rica, although on the Caribbean aspect of the nation and in additional distant areas, it’s beneficial that you don’t. It’s finest to deliver a water bottle with a filter (my favourite is LifeStraw), so that you could be assured your water is all the time clear and secure to drink. (And be sure to have journey insurance coverage in case you do get sick.)

Do I want malaria capsules for Costa Rica?
Antimalarial capsules are at the moment not vital for journey to Costa Rica, although verify the CDC web site earlier than you journey for present journey advisories. There’s a barely elevated threat within the province of Limón, so in case you are spending important quantities of time there, particularly in rural areas, you might wish to discuss to your physician about getting a prescription. Whether or not you are taking antimalarial capsules or not, I’d nonetheless suggest getting journey insurance coverage simply in case you do contract the illness.

What vaccinations are required for Costa Rica?
It’s beneficial that you simply’re updated on all routine vaccines, however the one required vaccine is yellow fever in case you’re touring from a rustic with threat of yellow fever transmission (resembling Tanzania or Zambia, in addition to rural areas of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Trinidad & Tobago).

When you’ll be spending a variety of time in rural areas, tenting, or in different conditions the place you might encounter stray canines and different wildlife, you may wish to contemplate getting vaccinated towards rabies (although rabies therapy is available in case you do get bit). Once more, make sure you get good journey insurance coverage that may shield you in case you do get sick and want therapy.

What do I do in an emergency in Costa Rica?
When you’re experiencing a real emergency, Costa Rica’s emergency quantity is similar as in the US — 911. Be sure to additionally save the emergency contact in your journey insurance coverage firm — a great firm could have a 24/7 emergency hotline.

For extra data on journey insurance coverage, try this submit, How to Buy the Best Travel Insurance.
 

My Advisable Journey Insurance coverage Firm

My favourite firm is SafetyWing, which provides handy and reasonably priced plans tailor-made to digital nomads and finances vacationers. It provides low cost month-to-month plans, nice customer support, and an easy-to-use claims course of that makes it excellent for these on the highway.

You should purchase and renew your insurance coverage coverage on-line in a matter of minutes, and most significantly, the corporate gives a variety of protection at an excellent reasonably priced worth. SafetyWing covers most journey actions (with some exclusions) and consists of emergency medical protection (together with evacuation), as effectively protection for as journey interruption, cancelation, and delay.

Be taught extra in my complete Safety Wing review and use the widget under to get a free quote:

When you’re questioning whether or not to get journey insurance coverage in your journey to Costa Rica, the reply is an emphatic YES. It’s the only most vital factor you must get, and one thing I strongly, strongly advise vacationers to by no means go away dwelling with out.