Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Everything you need to know before your trip
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
Travel Insurance for Costa Rica
Costa Rica travel insurance is strongly recommended because you will not be covered by any reciprocal healthcare agreements, and the average hospital day costs $1,200 while an ER visit runs $800. The public system is essentially closed to tourists, leaving you to pay these high costs out-of-pocket. Factor in moderate evacuation risks from remote spots like Corcovado or adventure tourism areas where helicopter rescue may be your only option, and the case for coverage becomes clear.
Healthcare Cost Level
High
Avg. ER Visit
$800
Recommended Coverage
$250,000
Evacuation Risk
Moderate
Healthcare in Costa Rica
What to expect if you need medical care
Healthcare quality in Costa Rica is good and English is widely spoken in private clinics, so you will receive competent care. The catch is the price tag: expect $800 for an emergency room visit and roughly $1,200 for each day you spend in a private hospital. Most facilities near San José, Manuel Antonio, and the beaches of Guanacaste have bilingual staff. Yet payment is required up-front or guaranteed by your insurer before treatment begins. Without coverage, you may need to wire large sums from home or use high-limit credit cards.
What Your Policy Should Cover
Country-specific considerations for Costa Rica
Buy a plan that includes at least $250,000 medical coverage and an adventure sports rider, because zip-lining near Monteverde, white-water rafting on the Pacuare, surfing at Santa Teresa, and volcano hikes at Arenal are often excluded from standard policies. Verify that mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue and Zika are not excluded, since both are present year-round. Ensure the policy covers helicopter evacuation from remote areas such as the Osa Peninsula and Corcovado National Park. Water-sports coverage is essential if you plan to surf or dive, and double-check for any volcanic activity exclusions before hiking Rincón de la Vieja.
Dengue_fever
Moderate Risk
Peak: year-round
Zika_virus
Moderate Risk
Peak: year-round
Malaria
Low Risk
Peak: year-round
Adventure_sports_injuries
High Risk
Peak: year-round
Activity-Specific Coverage
Zip_lining: Often excluded from standard policies. Requires adventure sports coverage
White_water_rafting: May require specific adventure sports rider
Volcano_hiking: Check for volcanic activity exclusions
Surfing: Water sports coverage needed for surfing-related injuries
How Much Coverage Do You Need?
Our recommendation based on Costa Rica's healthcare costs
The recommended $250,000 limit covers roughly 200 hospital days or multiple complex procedures at Costa Rica's private facilities, where a single day costs $1,200. This amount also secures helicopter evacuation from adventure zones like the Osa Peninsula or a remote rafting site on the Pacuare, services that can quickly reach mid-five-figure sums. Compared with the minimum $100,000, the higher ceiling gives you breathing room for extended treatment or repatriation without liquidating savings.
Minimum
$100,000
Basic emergencies only
Recommended
$250,000
Full protection
Making a Claim in Costa Rica
Tips for smooth claims processing
Documentation Required: Medical reports in Spanish or English, itemized bills, proof of payment, police reports for adventure activity incidents
- Have all medical reports issued in Spanish or English. Clinics will provide both on request.
- Ask for itemized bills showing every medication and procedure before you leave the facility, insurers will not process vague totals.
- Pay with a credit card when possible and keep the receipt. Proof of payment is required along with the bills.
- If an adventure injury occurs while zip-lining or rafting, file a police report at the nearest station, your insurer will ask for it.
- Save the 24-hour emergency number of your insurer in airplane mode. Rural areas around Corcovado and Rincón de la Vieja often have patchy signal.