Straddling the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica offers glorious white sandy beaches, vibrant cities such as San Jose and incredible rainforests spread over a rugged, volcanic landscape. Its compact size means you can easily explore the country’s diversity with a rental car. But you shouldn’t explore the country without the right coverage for your vehicle. Here you can find an overview of our coverage options, along with tips on how to save money on your car rental deal.
YOUR COVERAGE OPTIONS FOR RENTAL CARS IN COSTA RICA
LOSS DAMAGE WAIVER AND THIRD PARTY LIABILITY INSURANCE
In Costa Rica, third party insurance (TI) is included with your car rental deal and our TI covers you for damages to the third party per event. The loss damage waiver is mandatory in Costa Rica; it includes theft protection and significantly reduces your financial liability in case of an unfortunate event. LDW can be declined if you would rather use your credit card car rental insurance – this is only possible with American Express, Master Card or Visa. You can also add the top cover option that reduces your deductible.
SUPPLEMENTAL LIABILITY INSURANCE (SLI) AND Vandalism and Accessories Coverage (VAC)
These extra protection options can give you, even more, peace of mind when renting a car in Costa Rica. They do this by increasing your third party liability insurance and incurring any costs that arise from some of the most common types of events losing the keys to your rental vehicle or running out of fuel. The SLI reduces the amount you would need to pay in the event of third party property damages. The VAC provides protection against damages to parts of the vehicle like the windshield, entertainment system, tires, and door locks. You need to file a police report to validate this coverage.
LIMITATIONS OF COVERAGE
Activities such as contact with salt water, driving through rivers and on beaches can void coverage like third-party liability insurance and the loss damage waiver so we recommend you refrain completely from these situations. Similarly, unauthorized or intoxicated drivers will exclude you from liability insurance. Also, note that personal belongings are not included in the vandalism and accessories coverage. Your coverage will also become void if you take the vehicle across the borders of Costa Rica.
Take care of your wheels, especially on some of Costa Rica’s smaller routes; tires and rims are not included in the loss damage waiver. It is also worth bearing in mind that transfers of your damaged vehicle are not included in the coverage options, except in those instances that are covered by the roadside assistance option. For more details, you can see the rental information for Costa Rica on our website or have a chat with your branch manager when you pick up your vehicle.
WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR RENTAL IN COSTA RICA
- We provide our rental cars with a full tank of fuel so please remember to fill up just before returning your vehicle to avoid any refueling charges.
- Booking and paying in advance both save you money on your car rental deal while also often giving you a wider selection of our fleet and vehicle categories to choose from.
- Take advantage of our special offers by following email alerts from Sixt or checking out our website. You can also check your eligibility for our range of occupational discounts like for those in the travel industry.
