I know, you come stressed and tired from your flight, and these vultures are ready to rip you off. This is how they work here:
Doesn’t matter where you book your car, can be online travel agent (Expedia, Orbits, Hotwire, Kayak), physical TA, car rental web page, over the phone; you will only get the car, taxes, and fees prices. Despite some sites like Expedia say “no surprises”, that’s not true, not because they are lying, but the car rental don’t pass the coverages prices to them.
When you show up for pick-up, everything looks fine: the car, the prices, the length of rental, etc. But when the agent is ready to print the contract, this is where the things turn nasty…
They will say something like this: “the fare that is in your booking does not include any coverage, so we this is what we offer:”
PLI / TPL / Third party liability: this one is mandatory. There is no independent insurance in this universe that covers damages to third parties (cars, real estate/properties, persons injured/dead) due to an accident in Costa Rica, period. You must take the one offered by the car rental, you like or not. Doesn’t matter if you come with a certificate that states that it covers third parties, they won’t accept it, and won’t do the rental if you insist to use that one.
Prices: it ranges from USD 10 to 20 PER DAY.
Conditions: it usually covers around $500,000, but up to 80% of damages, the other 20% (deductible) will be charged to the driver if found guilty or accepts responsibility of the damages.
OK, that’s fine, I take it, print the contract… NOT YET! (and here is where all the terror stories come from)
That covers third party, not the car you’re driving. So they will offer you this useless thing:
CDW / PLW / TP / Crash damage waiver - theft protection: This is were the real business is for them. They will tell you scary stories, and push you HARD to accept this one, but you must be firm. You can decline this one, but they have their tricks to make you fall. You can rely on your credit card CDW coverage (I’m familiar with Visa and MasterCard, and are excellent products, can’t comment on AMEX). But they will ask you for written confirmation, so you must bring a printed copy of the email, or letter from the credit card company that CLEARLY states that the CDW of your credit card covers Costa Rica, if it says global, they won’t accept it, it MUST SAY COSTA RICA, and show at least the last four digits of your credit card and match the numbers in the plastic.
You can also bring an insurance certificate from an insurance company, but again, it must show that the coverage includes Costa Rica, and matches your name and ID/divers’ license/passport number.
If you decide to take their CDW coverage, take into account the following things: it doesn’t include damages to tires, windshield, stolen accessories (radio, mirrors). And doesn’t include damages from vandalism. That’s why I recommend using your credit card CDW coverage, because they do include all the above.
Prices: USD 15 – 40 ADDITIONAL PER DAY.
Conditions: if you accept their CDW, they will freeze your credit card between $800 – $1,000. If you decline, expect a freeze from $1,000, and depending on the car, it can climb up to $4,000 (yes, four grand gone during your vacations). That frozen amount will be the deductible in case the car is completely lost, if you took their coverage. If you declined their CDW coverage, then your liable for the FULL cost of the car, and it is where your credit card/insurance coverage will be needed. If the damages are less than the deposit, they will charge the corresponding amount as deductible.
If you don't accept their CDW, and don't provide written confirmation of coverage in Costa Rica, they won't rent you the car.
And again, it doesn’t include tires nor windshield. For that, you must add around 10 PER DAY for the TWP (tire windshield protection).
Those are to two basic things that should be considered during check-in or pick-up.
Now here come the extras:
Cero liability / DP / Deductible protection: Do you remember that 20% deductible that you must pay if you crash against other car or a bar? And the deposit they keep if your cars is destroyed? It can be zero if you pay extra. It’s around $8 ADDITIONAL PER DAY.
Occupants insurance: it covers medical assistance, ambulance, and hospital services for all occupants in your car. That one is around $20 ADDITIONAL PER DAY.
FULL COVER: All of the above around $45 PER DAY IN ADDITION to the TPL protection.
So my recommendation is to come with a credit card with enough balance and ready for BIG FREEZES. Call your bank or Visa/MasterCard/AMEX/Discover/DinersClub customer service and request the Car Rental coverage letter, and print it. Try to avoid as much as possible the car rental coverages, because they are not compressive, and they will still charge you a lot of expensive things despite you paid for protections.
Cars and everything related to them here in Costa Rica are expensive. Just to have an idea, a brand new Toyota Corolla has price tag of $32,000… That’s why at the time of pick-up and return, the agents check you car with extreme detail, because the smallest damage is big deal here.
Check your contract carefully before signing, because sometimes they will try to put the declined coverages, believe me, they do it, these guys are not friendly at all.
See attached a current contract of Alamo Costa Rica, that will help to have an idea on how these terrorists work here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1z6...Wxx3wcJOHoUaGp