Travel Insurance for a Costa Rica Vacation (2022)

cancel coverage for any reason

Most travel insurance policies include trip cancellation coverage that reimburses you for all or most of your travel expenses if you are forced to cancel your travel plans.

however, travel insurance will not provide a refund for any reason. When you purchase travel insurance coverage, you will be provided with an acceptable list of situations in which you can cancel your trip and claim reimbursement for travel and accommodation expenses. Some commonly covered cancellation reasons include the following:

Reading: How much is travel insurance for costa rica

court ordered appointments (such as bond hearings or jury duty)
death of a family member
death of a fellow traveler
military orders

cancel for any reason insurance (cfar) extends your travel insurance to provide reimbursement for a broader range of circumstances. With few exceptions, Cfar insurance upgrades allow you to claim a partial refund when you need to cancel your trip, no matter the reason. cfar insurance is more expensive than standard travel insurance, but can offer more benefits than typical policy inclusions.

equipment theft protection

If you’re like most traveling Americans, you probably bring some valuables with you when you travel. From expensive electronics like digital cameras and portable gaming systems to priceless documents like your passport, Equipment Theft Protection can help you reimburse for items lost or stolen while traveling.

While most travel insurance policies include equipment theft protection as a standard policy inclusion, check coverage limitations. For example, your policy may include a clause stating that only $300 of your equipment theft protection can be used to recover jewelry-related losses. You should also review your homeowners insurance policy before purchasing equipment theft insurance, as you may already have some protection against theft, even when traveling abroad.

emergency medical insurance and emergency medical evacuation

Costa Rica is a developing country, with a large percentage of the population living in poverty. This means that when you visit more rural parts of the country, you may not have immediate access to the quality and level of medical care that you are used to as a United States resident. While your health insurance may cover care at a local hospital in an emergency, some situations may require you to travel long distances to receive proper care.

Emergency Medical Insurance and Emergency Medical Evacuation coverage can help you cover the costs of local medical care and evacuation if you must be transported outside of Costa Rica for proper care. If you are living with a serious, long-term medical condition, you may want to purchase this coverage to supplement your health insurance policy.

rental car protection

If you plan to drive a rental car in Costa Rica, it may not be covered by your standard car insurance. Even if you have the minimum state-required auto insurance in the states, you may not have collision coverage to compensate you for damage to your vehicle. If you’re involved in an accident abroad and don’t purchase rental car insurance, you could be left with thousands of dollars in repair bills, not to mention medical bills for anyone you injure.

Car rental coverage helps cover the cost of damage to your rental car or someone else’s property in the event of an accident. While you shouldn’t rent a car without insurance (especially in another country), you may already have this coverage if you have a major credit card. so check your current coverage before you buy.

trip cancellation insurance

Trip cancellation insurance reimburses you for non-refundable travel expenses if you are forced to cancel your trip. Some items that may qualify for a refund include flight costs, hotel expenses, and any tour tickets you have booked that are non-refundable.

If you want to use your benefits, you will need to provide proof of a qualifying reason for canceling your trip. For example, if you need to cancel a vacation due to the death of a family member, you may need to provide a copy of an obituary or funeral pamphlet before you can claim your refund. If you can think of a foreseeable event that might cause you to cancel your trip, your policy probably won’t cover it. If you need the freedom to claim travel expense reimbursement no matter the reason, consider investing in Cancellation for Any Reason (CFA) insurance.