Costa Rica to ‘review’ insurance policy requirements for tourists

President Carlos Alvarado has instructed the Minister of Economy and the Minister of Tourism to “review” the insurance requirements for international tourists to Costa Rica.

Via social-media platforms, Alvarado suggested that foreign policies may be sufficient for travelers who plan to visit Costa Rica during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I have instructed the Minister of Economy and the Minister of Tourism to review the offer of the travel insurance necessary to enter Costa Rica from tomorrow,” he wrote.

“It will be reviewed that the international insurances that cover COVID-19 can be considered to comply with this requirement.”

Having insurance that covers COVID-19-related medical care and an extended stay in Costa Rica is one of the country’s requirements for international tourists, as the Tourism Board (ICT) announced on July 23.

However, more recent communications from the Costa Rican Consulate indicated that — at least initially — only a policy purchased through the National Insurance Institute (INS) would qualify.

According to the Consulate, the premium for a 30-year-old’s two-week Costa Rica vacation would cost about $280 — a significant additional cost that only increases for older adults, lengthier stays, or multi-person trips.

Travel insurance must cover COVID-19-associated medical expenses of $20,000 and lodging costs of at least $4,000, the Consulate says.

When Costa Rica opens its airports to foreigners starting at 11:59 p.m. on August 1, it will only allow visitors from select authorized countries. All tourists must present proof of a negative PCR-RT coronavirus test from a sample taken within 48 hours of their flight and submit an epidemiological form.

The first commercial route welcomed under these new rules will be Monday evening’s Iberia flight from Madrid, Spain, according to La Nación.

With about 72 hours remaining for that flight’s scheduled arrival, it appears Costa Rica still has unresolved details regarding how it will handle the return of international tourism.

An official decree should be published in La Gaceta on August 1. We will have a summary of that legislation when it’s released.