Rental Car in Costa Rica

[Anonymous]

I have nothing to add on the insurance front but definitely get 4WD and something with good suspension (not the Jimney).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just reserved our rental car through EZ-rent-a-car. We will pick up and return at the San Jose airport. Only $13 a day with the taxes and fees! But, it looks like I will have to put down an $8000 (!!!) deposit if I waive their additional insurance coverage (waiving one type requires a $3000 deposit and waiving the other requires a $5000 deposit). We encountered a similar policy when we rented a car in Portugal two years ago. We had to put down a $4000 deposit over there. You get it back when you turn the car back in, but still... it makes you a little nervous!

The policy also states that you must bring a letter from your credit card company showing that they provide liability insurance for rental cars. Our credit card company said to call about 2 months prior to travel, and they will send me the letter.

So, anyway, you can get a great deal with EZ if you are comfortable putting down the deposit!

Credit cards do not cover liability -- even if you have the expanded "premium" coverage. They cover the rental car only (CDW). Your personal policy may cover liability but it doesn't sound like they accept that in CR. If you want to avoid paying the CDW in Costa Rica you need to take proof from your credit card company but you will NOT have liability coverage from them.

But the small print shows that liability coverage doesn't do much... there is a $3000 deductible and they only cover 40% of costs beyond that. So it doesn't seem worth it to me. I would rather just spend $13 per day instead of $60 per day, especially given that extra $$ gets me next to nothing in the case of an accident. All those extra insurance options are the same as in the U.S... just extra money-makers for the rental car companies.

Except that it's legally required in Costa Rica so you really have no choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just reserved our rental car through EZ-rent-a-car. We will pick up and return at the San Jose airport. Only $13 a day with the taxes and fees! But, it looks like I will have to put down an $8000 (!!!) deposit if I waive their additional insurance coverage (waiving one type requires a $3000 deposit and waiving the other requires a $5000 deposit). We encountered a similar policy when we rented a car in Portugal two years ago. We had to put down a $4000 deposit over there. You get it back when you turn the car back in, but still... it makes you a little nervous!

The policy also states that you must bring a letter from your credit card company showing that they provide liability insurance for rental cars. Our credit card company said to call about 2 months prior to travel, and they will send me the letter.

So, anyway, you can get a great deal with EZ if you are comfortable putting down the deposit!

Credit cards do not cover liability -- even if you have the expanded "premium" coverage. They cover the rental car only (CDW). Your personal policy may cover liability but it doesn't sound like they accept that in CR. If you want to avoid paying the CDW in Costa Rica you need to take proof from your credit card company but you will NOT have liability coverage from them.

But the small print shows that liability coverage doesn't do much... there is a $3000 deductible and they only cover 40% of costs beyond that. So it doesn't seem worth it to me. I would rather just spend $13 per day instead of $60 per day, especially given that extra $$ gets me next to nothing in the case of an accident. All those extra insurance options are the same as in the U.S... just extra money-makers for the rental car companies.

Except that it's legally required in Costa Rica so you really have no choice.

OP here. That's the thing... one rental company wrote their policy to that effect... "it is legally required to buy this $22 per day insurance." But then two other rental companies say that the extra insurance is optional. So it appears that I do have a choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just reserved our rental car through EZ-rent-a-car. We will pick up and return at the San Jose airport. Only $13 a day with the taxes and fees! But, it looks like I will have to put down an $8000 (!!!) deposit if I waive their additional insurance coverage (waiving one type requires a $3000 deposit and waiving the other requires a $5000 deposit). We encountered a similar policy when we rented a car in Portugal two years ago. We had to put down a $4000 deposit over there. You get it back when you turn the car back in, but still... it makes you a little nervous!

The policy also states that you must bring a letter from your credit card company showing that they provide liability insurance for rental cars. Our credit card company said to call about 2 months prior to travel, and they will send me the letter.

So, anyway, you can get a great deal with EZ if you are comfortable putting down the deposit!

Credit cards do not cover liability -- even if you have the expanded "premium" coverage. They cover the rental car only (CDW). Your personal policy may cover liability but it doesn't sound like they accept that in CR. If you want to avoid paying the CDW in Costa Rica you need to take proof from your credit card company but you will NOT have liability coverage from them.

But the small print shows that liability coverage doesn't do much... there is a $3000 deductible and they only cover 40% of costs beyond that. So it doesn't seem worth it to me. I would rather just spend $13 per day instead of $60 per day, especially given that extra $$ gets me next to nothing in the case of an accident. All those extra insurance options are the same as in the U.S... just extra money-makers for the rental car companies.

Except that it's legally required in Costa Rica so you really have no choice.

OP here. That's the thing... one rental company wrote their policy to that effect... "it is legally required to buy this $22 per day insurance." But then two other rental companies say that the extra insurance is optional. So it appears that I do have a choice.

My understanding is that it is legally required to have liability coverage (which seems to cost anything from $5-17 a day) but it's not legally required to buy CDW (whatever rental company might say) just that you have to prove that you have it by presenting a letter from your credit card company. Credit cards do NOT provide liability coverage.

[Anonymous]

My experience with "legally required" in Latin America is that the term may have many meanings and interpretations.

Sorry if that does not fit your American viewpoint.

[Anonymous]

What two other companies say insurance is optional?

[Anonymous]

Not sure about the insurance issue but just wanted to say that we rented from Budget and the customer service really impressed me. We got a flat tire around 4pm/5pm and someone came out to where we were staying (which was a pretty remote private home community) at 8pm at night to fix it for us. We rented it from the airport and our house was at least an hour away so it was a haul for the guy to come out there. And it was pitch dark outside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What two other companies say insurance is optional?

EZ-rental and Budget

[Anonymous]

We rented a few years back from Hertz, and do recall having to pay for insurance. Unless you are going for a long period of time, it is likely worth doing so, and going with an established company. The roads really are not good and easy to do damage to a car, and if you do not have the insurance, it is anyone's guess what might happen. You can buy insurance from the United States and save a little, I think, but probably not worth it. You do want to check to see what the insurance you are buying covers, and some credit card or US insurance policies do cover Costa Rica, I believe, so also worth checking. And you want a 4WD, which again are sometimes excluded from your own auto insurance policies.