This is an important question when you are planning your trip.
When the question arises, Do I Need to rent a car in Costa Rica?
The second question show up.
What kind of coverage or insurance I need in Costa Rica
for my rent a car?
This questions could save you a huge headache or give you a
headache.
Costa Rica is very different when comes to car rental insurance.
In fact, we can say is different from every other country.
When renting a car in Costa Rica you need to cover 2 different coverage,
CDW well know as LWD (covers the rented car) and
Third Party Liability, this one covers someone else car, life or property.
When renting a car, you need to cover both.
The CDW or LDW can be cover by your credit card, if it covers rent a cars in Costa Rica.
We suggest making sure it covers by calling your credit card company and making sure.
Often the credit cards companies offer a ''coverage letter'' (they send it to your email in 2 minutes upon requested) and they specify what kind of coverage they provide, up to how much, and the kind of cars covered.
Regarding the Third Party Liability or TPL in Costa Rica.
This is the mandatory coverage in the country and as mentioned below, it covers someone else's car, life, and property and more importantly, the civil responsibility (in case a 3rd party person is killed due to an accident.
This are mayor word and the credit card wont cover that portion most of the time; (in fact in 13 years in the industry I haven't seem one single CC that covers TPL in Costa Rica for rent a cars.
Why Credit card doesn't cover TPL in Costa Rica? Simple; because the Credit Card benefit is for the card holder and for the car he is driving (rented card), not to repair a someone else car, property or, in the worse scenario. To pay for someone else's life. This are mayor words!
If the car has a damage and the Credit Card cover CDW, the procedure at return take a little extra time.
Hertz will charge the car damages directly to the CC, then, the cardholder, needs to file the claim with the credit card company to reimburse of cover that charge.
Hertz won't call the insurance company at all, but will provide with a summarized charges bill, photos, damages reports and any other information that the card holder need to proceed his claim, after he/she sign the damages bill.
As additional information, make sure what's the percentage that your Credit Card company will cover you and what's the deductible or co-payment they require.
Please find different coverage options and explanations here: https://www.hertzcostaricafleet.com/coverage
