Guide to Vehicle Rental Companies in Costa Rica

Vehicle rental is a scorching matter for vacationers headed to Costa Rica. Latest research executed by the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism (ICT) signifies that, following lodging, leasing a auto is the biggest price, averaging $702 for an eleven-working day holiday.

The Web is buzzing with adverse testimonials talking about overcharging, inadequate buyer provider and mechanical breakdowns. You may possibly have even prepared 1 by yourself!

A typical midsize (three – four older people) 4X4 rental operates among $fifty eight and $65 every day with third party insurance and prices can range as a lot as twenty percent between auto rental companies, so studying a quick overview will be time properly put in after you compute the personal savings.

So the question is which rental company delivers the best equilibrium of truthful price, able customer provider and dependable cars? I have investigated it all for you, so maintain reading through!

Disclosure: This investigation was performed in Could – July 2013. The pursuing firms were picked due to the fact they are the most extensively employed in Costa Rica. Some are local companies other people are worldwide franchises of recognized brand names. Comparisons consist of: consumer service, pricing and the reservation approach. vehicles write for us are outlined alphabetically and not based mostly on individual or on the internet tastes.
Think about this info just before leasing:

Insurance policy

A single of the largest triggers for grievances is from the stack of unexpected costs offered to the renter when standing at the rental firm’s counter. Vacationers are typically fatigued after a extended flight and then are confronted by expenses that ended up not anticipated, explained or budgeted.

Topping the list of grievances is the non-disclosure of fees related with the obligatory 3rd-party insurance policies at the time the reservation is created.

According to Costa Rican law, every single driver is essential to carry liability coverage to insure in opposition to injuries to 3rd get-togethers. Automobile rental organizations typically refrain from disclosing the cost of this coverage in the quoted rental rate to appear far more aggressive. Obligatory 3rd-celebration insurance can occasionally be as much as double the vehicle’s rental expense. The only promise in opposition to insurance policies confusion is to inquire if your estimate includes the third party insurance policy and insist on a written quotation.

Price of Mandatory Insurance coverage (also known as Third Social gathering or SLI)

Expect to spend in between $12 and $15 everyday for this insurance coverage, based on the make and design of the rented vehicle and the rental car company. This is a legal condition of your rental agreement and is usually not covered by credit cards and can not be waived. It truly is a fact of leasing a vehicle in Costa Rica.

Collision Harm Waiver (CDW)

As the name implies, this isn’t insurance policy, but a waiver, which relieves the renter from any legal responsibility for harm to the rental auto right after the deductible is paid (generally from $750 to $1,five hundred). Some agencies need renters to buy their CDW policy thereby negating any credit rating card software. For an additional payment, many businesses do offer you a zero legal responsibility option in which the renter will be freed from spending for any injury to the automobile. Some firms could place pressure on renters to obtain the zero legal responsibility coverage nonetheless, it is fully optional, unless it is in the good print of their rental arrangement.