Top 5 Travel Insurance Options for Costa Rica Trips [Full Comparison]

Packing your bags for Costa Rica? Don’t forget travel insurance. This Central American paradise is a favorite of U.S. travelers seeking natural beauty and adventure activities. But as it’s an international destination, it’s wise to get a travel insurance policy that offers essential protections.

A travel insurance policy, even a modest one, can provide peace of mind and financial coverage for unexpected events. Whether you’re navigating trip cancellations, travel delays, medical emergencies, or adventure-related mishaps, everything is easier with a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

See why Costa Rica travel insurance can be worth it, what you can expect in terms of cost and coverage, and how to choose the right policy for your visit.

5 Best Travel Insurance Policies for Costa Rica

Costa Rica travel insurance policies can offer valuable coverage at a reasonable price. We’ve researched quotes for Costa Rica travel insurance policies based on age, coverage, and activities so you can see what to expect when you shop for coverage. Every policy we’ve highlighted includes benefits for emergency medical and trip interruption.

These are some of the travel insurance policies available for Costa Rica:

Best Costa Rica Travel Insurance for Young Travelers: Battleface

Young travelers can get comprehensive Costa Rica travel insurance for less than $50 with the Battleface Discovery plan.

This plan offers trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of the trip cost and 150% for trip interruption coverage, including COVID-19.

There’s also hurricane and weather coverage, with benefits for common carrier delays for 48 hours, conditional coverage for mandatory evacuations, and uninhabitable accommodations. You get up to $500,000 per person in medical evacuation and repatriation coverage, and $100,000 in secondary emergency medical coverage with a $50 deductible, including preexisting conditions, if you purchase coverage within 2 weeks of booking your trip.

We were quoted $47.03 for a 25-year-old visiting Costa Rica for a 5-day trip.

Best Costa Rica Travel Insurance for Senior Travelers: Trawick International

A little over $100 gets seniors a Costa Rica travel insurance policy that covers emergency medical, trip cancellation and interruption, travel delays, and more.

The Trawick International Safe Travels Protect plan offers trip cancellation and interruption coverage for up to 100% of the trip cost. The emergency medical coverage has a $100 deductible and is limited to $25,000. However, it’s primary coverage, so you don’t have to make a claim with any other insurance coverage before this travel insurance policy pays out.

There’s also $250,000 in medical evacuation and repatriation coverage. Hurricane and weather coverage includes common carrier delays for 12 hours and uninhabitable accommodations.

Practical travel coverage includes up to $300 for travel delays of 12 or more hours, up to $200 for baggage delays of 24 or more hours, up to $500 for baggage and personal item loss, and $250 for missed connections after a delay of 12 or more hours.

We got a $109.74 quote for a 65-year-old visiting Costa Rica for a 5-day trip.

Best Costa Rica Travel Insurance for CFAR: IMG

The IMG iTravelInsured Choice plan offers cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) coverage at a reasonable price.

You can get 75% of your trip cost reimbursed if you cancel your trip at least 2 days before your scheduled departure date. There’s also regular trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of your trip cost for covered reasons — including employment layoff and medical reasons — and 150% for trip interruption.

Hurricane and weather benefits cover common carrier delays for 6 hours, mandatory evacuations, uninhabitable accommodations, and conditional coverage for hurricane warnings. You get $100,000 in primary emergency medical coverage with preexisting conditions covered if you purchase your policy within 2 weeks of booking your trip.

The plan offers $500,000 in medical evacuation and repatriation benefits, $100,000 for non-medical evacuation, and coverage for travel and baggage delay, missed connections, and baggage and personal item loss.

We were quoted $131.98 for a 45-year-old on a 5-day Costa Rica trip.

Best Costa Rica Travel Insurance for Adventure Tours: Travelex Insurance Services

With the Travelex Insurance Services Essential plan, you can get coverage for adventure tours popular in Costa Rica, such as zip lining or whitewater rafting.

This plan also offers up to 100% of your trip cost for cancellations and interruptions, including employment layoff or medical reasons. You’re covered for hurricanes and weather, including common carrier delays for 12 hours and uninhabitable accommodations.

Medical coverage is limited to $25,000 with secondary coverage and no preexisting conditions, but there is $200,000 in medical evacuation and repatriation benefits. You also get travel and baggage delay, baggage and personal item loss, and missed connection coverage.

Our quote for this policy was $82 for a 45-year-old on a 5-day Costa Rica trip.

Best Costa Rica Travel Insurance for Weather: Tin Leg

Tin Leg’s economy insurance plan offers hurricane and weather coverage, including common carrier delay for any length of time, and trip cancellation and interruption benefits of up to 100% of the trip cost, including additional transportation expenses or cancellations for employment layoff or medical reasons.

The emergency medical coverage is low at $20,000 in secondary coverage, though you get up to $100,000 in medical emergency and repatriation benefits. Additional coverage includes missed connections, travel and baggage delays, and baggage and personal item loss.

Our quote for this policy came to $76 for a 45-year-old traveling to Costa Rica for 5 days.

Is Travel Insurance for Costa Rica Worth It?

Getting travel insurance can be worth it if you’ve booked nonrefundable flights, hotels, or tours for your Costa Rica trip. This is especially true during Costa Rica’s rainy season from May to November, which includes hurricane season and can involve weather-related disruptions such as flight delays, road closures, and canceled tours. Weather, trip cancellations, trip interruptions, and missed connections can affect your flights and tours, making coverage for these incidents essential.

But even if you don’t have a costly travel itinerary, medical and evacuation coverage can be critical. You should have emergency medical coverage for risky adventure tours such as zip lining, hiking volcanoes, or whitewater rafting. Coverage can save you from costly medical expenses if you’re injured or seriously ill.

Visiting remote areas increases the stakes for medical risks. While you can expect quality health care in cities such as San Jose, reaching major medical facilities from isolated beach towns, rainforests, or mountains can be costly. Emergency evacuation benefits can cover lifesaving helicopter transportation or international medical flights.

Your U.S. health insurance isn’t likely to offer coverage in Costa Rica, but travel insurance can fill that gap with emergency medical and hospital benefits. We recommend at least $50,000.

Although it’s generally safe to visit Costa Rica, the U.S. Department of State recommends increased caution because of crime. Petty crime is common throughout Costa Rica, so you should be aware of your surroundings, avoid walking alone, and avoid displaying signs of wealth such as expensive watches or jewelry. If your belongings are stolen, travel insurance can help reimburse you, replace lost travel documents, or cover medical expenses if you’re injured. And if crime leads you to cut your trip short, trip interruption coverage can reimburse you for unused travel and additional travel costs.

Most travel insurance plans offer 24/7 travel assistance services that can help coordinate medical care or lost passport replacement, help you find a translator, or book new flights for a weather evacuation.

Travel insurance can offer valuable peace of mind if your plans involve nonrefundable bookings, adventure activities, or visiting remote areas of Costa Rica.

Costa Rica Travel Insurance Costs

Typical comprehensive travel insurance for Costa Rica costs 5% to 10% of your total trip cost, which is about $125 to $250 for a $2,500 trip. You can expect a comprehensive travel insurance plan to offer trip cancellation and interruption coverage for at least the cost of your trip, emergency medical and evacuation benefits, and 24/7 travel assistance.

The cost of travel insurance can vary depending on several factors, including:

• Selected coverage options, such as adventure sports coverage or CFAR
• Deductibles and policy limits
• Travel to remote areas
• Your age
• Total trip cost
• Trip duration

Hot Tip:

See our guide to the average cost of travel insurance to get a better idea of what you’ll pay depending on your trip type and destination.

What Costa Rica Travel Insurance Covers

Travel insurance coverage varies with the travel insurance company and policy, but comprehensive travel insurance for Costa Rica typically includes:

• 24/7 travel assistance: Whether you need help during a medical emergency, assistance replacing lost credit cards or a passport, or support rebooking canceled flights, you can typically call your travel insurance company’s hotline to get emergency support.
• Emergency medical: You can typically get coverage for emergency medical care for illness or injury in Costa Rica. Travel insurance with emergency medical coverage typically includes doctor visits, hospital stays, and ambulance services with primary or secondary coverage, depending on the plan.
• Emergency evacuation: If you’re seriously ill or injured, especially in remote mountainous regions or rainforests, travel insurance can cover the high cost of emergency transportation to a suitable medical facility.
• Lost or delayed baggage: If your bags are lost, stolen, or significantly delayed, you can get reimbursed with baggage protection. Typically, the coverage covers the cost of purchasing essential replacement items.
• Rental car damage: Some insurance policies offer rental car coverage for damage or theft. However, Costa Rica requires liability insurance that isn’t offered by credit cards or standard travel insurance plans, so check your rental agreement closely.
• Trip cancellation: Trip cancellation coverage can reimburse you for nonrefundable prepaid expenses if you have to cancel your trip for a covered reason.
• Trip interruption: With trip interruption coverage, you can be reimbursed for the unused portion of your trip and additional return travel costs if you need to cut your trip short due to an emergency or another covered event.

Hot Tip:

Optional add-ons include adventure sports coverage and CFAR. Adventure sports coverage can be helpful if you’re planning to zip line, hike a volcano, or go on an adventure tour. If you’re concerned about cancellations outside of the standard allowed reasons, CFAR can reimburse up to a percentage of your nonrefundable trip costs — usually about 75%.

Types of Costa Rica Travel Insurance

Insurers covering Costa Rica offer a variety of travel insurance, so you can customize your coverage based on your travel plans and risk tolerance. You could choose a basic travel insurance policy with core protections, such as trip cancellation and interruption coverage and emergency medical benefits, or add upgrades, such as adventure sports coverage or CFAR, for more flexibility.

Adventure sports coverage is particularly relevant in Costa Rica, where popular activities include zip lining, surfing, whitewater rafting, and volcano hikes. Standard travel insurance policies typically exclude these risky adventures, so it’s a good idea to look for a plan that includes these activities if they’re part of your itinerary.

With CFAR coverage, you can cancel your trip for almost any reason and still receive partial reimbursement, usually around 75% of your nonrefundable costs. If you’re heading to Costa Rica during its rainy season (from May to November), CFAR can be valuable, especially when a hurricane threatens your travel with heavy rain. While many comprehensive travel insurance plans offer hurricane coverage, benefits are typically limited to named storms. CFAR can give you the flexibility to cancel if bad weather threatens your plans.

Although these add-ons can increase your overall insurance premium, they can offer valuable coverage. If you’re trying to minimize costs, you could stick with a basic policy limited to essential benefits, such as trip cancellation and interruption, and emergency medical coverage.

What To Look for in a Travel Insurance Policy for Costa Rica

Keep these factors in mind when you shop for Costa Rica travel insurance, as they can affect your costs and coverage:

• Cost: Get quotes from multiple travel insurance providers so you can compare prices and coverage. Don’t just choose the cheapest policy. Instead, examine the details of coverage to ensure your travel needs are met, especially if you plan risky adventures or will visit remote areas.
• Eligibility: Read the fine print to ensure that you and your trip qualify. Factors such as your age, preexisting conditions, trip length, or travel purpose, such as volunteer work or long stays, can affect your eligibility for coverage.
• Cancellation policies: Understand the insurance policy’s cancellation requirements, such as covered circumstances for cancellation and how far in advance you have to cancel to get fully reimbursed for nonrefundable expenses.
• Coverage: Review the policy’s coverage areas to see what’s included. Look for trip cancellation and interruption benefits, emergency medical and evacuation, baggage protection, and other essential coverage areas. For Costa Rica, it’s wise to consider add-ons such as adventure sports coverage and CFAR for maximum flexibility.
• Coverage limits: Understand how much you should expect to be reimbursed in specific situations. For example, you should know how much medical care you’re covered for, or the limits to any baggage loss claims. Limits vary widely between policies.
• Natural disasters: Costa Rica’s rainy season from May to November can bring flooding, landslides, heavy rain, and flight disruptions. Confirm that your trip cancellation and interruption benefits apply to natural disasters and severe weather.
• Policy limitations: Travel insurance doesn’t cover everything, so it’s good to know what’s excluded. Some exclusions may apply to adventure activities or trip cancellation for work reasons, for example. Make sure your planned activities are specifically included.
• Customer reviews: Check reviews and third-party ratings to get a better idea of how each travel insurance company handles claims and customer service. Excellent service can make a big difference if you need support in an emergency, such as needing medical care in a remote area of Costa Rica.

How To Get Travel Insurance for Costa Rica

You may be offered travel insurance when you book your flight, hotel, or vacation package to Costa Rica, but you have various options. You can also shop independently for travel insurance to compare plans and find the best coverage.

Typically, travel agents, airlines, and online travel agencies such as Expedia and Booking.com offer travel insurance add-ons at checkout. These insurance policies are usually from third-party travel insurance companies partnered with the booking site. These offer convenience but might lack customization or extensive coverage, which you should consider for a Costa Rica trip.

Shopping directly through travel insurance websites or comparison engines such as Squaremouth or InsureMyTrip can give you more flexibility. These tools allow you to compare policies from multiple providers simultaneously, filtering coverage limits, types, and prices. That’s helpful if you need coverage such as adventure sports or CFAR.

Timing matters when you buy a travel insurance policy, and it’s generally best to buy within 2 weeks of booking your trip. Doing so can help you qualify for coverage related to preexisting conditions and offer the widest range of benefits.

Before you purchase travel insurance, consider whether you already have travel insurance benefits with your credit card. Premium travel cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® and The Platinum Card^® from American Express offer cardholder protections, including:

• Trip cancellation and interruption
• Baggage insurance
• Car rental loss and damage insurance
• Emergency medical and evacuation coverage/Premium Global Assist

Of course, be sure to read the fine print, as card benefits vary and may not cover all of your needs, especially if you plan risky activities or will travel to remote areas.

Hot Tip:

Read our guide to the best credit cards for travel insurance and protection to find out more about the travel protections that credit cards offer.

Final Thoughts

Before heading to Costa Rica, consider protecting your trip with comprehensive travel insurance. Travel insurance can offer peace of mind and financial protection if the unexpected happens, whether you’re hiking in a rainforest, lounging on the beach, or exploring remote regions. Compare policy costs, coverage options, and reviews for the best travel insurance for your Costa Rica adventure.

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For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the premium global assist hotline benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by Card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. If approved and coordinated by premium global assist hotline, emergency medical transportation assistance may be provided at no cost. In any other circumstance, card members may be responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.