This is not insurance advice and we do not sell insurance. Read your own policy and ask your insurer the specific questions below — what follows is which questions are worth asking for this country in particular, because the standard exclusions bite differently here. AeroRide sells flights, not insurance: confirm cover with your insurer.
Why it matters more here than in some places
Private healthcare is good and it is not free, and public provision for visitors is not something to rely on.
And several of the best places are remote. A medical problem in Drake Bay at 83.5 nautical miles or Tortuguero at 53.4 is a logistics problem before it is a medical one, because neither has a road worth using in an emergency.
The clauses worth reading
Adventure activity exclusions. This is the big one. Surfing, ziplining, rafting, diving, canyoning, ATV riding and horse riding appear on exclusion lists routinely, and they are the reasons people come.
Check by name, not by category. «Adventure sports covered» means nothing until you see whether your specific activity is listed and at what level.
Medical evacuation. Not the same as medical treatment cover. Ask specifically whether evacuation from a remote location is included and what triggers it.
Diving depth limits, if you are diving. Policies often cover recreational diving only to a stated depth and only with certification.
Rental vehicle excess. Separate from the rental company's own product, and frequently cheaper.
And trip disruption for weather. We fly year-round. In the rainy season the pilot in command decides; if weather stops a flight, it is rescheduled at no cost. Relevant in the green season, when a closed airfield or a flooded road can cost you a night.
What people assume and should not
That their credit card cover is enough. It sometimes is. It usually has lower limits, shorter trip maximums and more exclusions than people expect.
That «worldwide» includes remote areas. Read the definition, which sometimes excludes places beyond a stated distance from a medical facility.
And that the airline or operator's insurance covers them. It covers the operator's liability, which is a different thing from covering you.
The one to confirm before a remote trip
Evacuation from a place without a road.
If your itinerary includes the Osa, Tortuguero, or a lodge reached only by boat or air, this is the clause to confirm in writing before you travel. It is the difference between an expensive problem and an unmanageable one.
The document question
Whatever you buy, carry the policy number and the insurer's emergency line somewhere that does not depend on a charged phone or a signal. Connectivity is patchy in exactly the regions where you are most likely to need it.
A photograph of the policy in your bag is worth more than a perfect policy you cannot reach, and it costs nothing to do before you leave.
What we can tell you and what we cannot
We can tell you which of your destinations are remote, which airfields are day-only, and what an unscheduled movement involves operationally. That information helps you ask your insurer a precise question. We show a "from" price per route; the final fare depends on the date, the group and the baggage, and is confirmed in writing before booking.
We cannot tell you whether you are covered, and any travel company that tells you your policy covers something has told you something they do not know.
Frequently asked
Is this insurance advice?
No. We do not sell insurance. This lists the questions worth asking your own insurer about this country.
Why does it matter more in Costa Rica?
Private healthcare is good and not free, and several of the best regions have no usable road in an emergency.
Which exclusion catches most people?
Adventure activities. Surfing, ziplining, rafting and diving are routinely excluded, and they are why people come.
How should I check an activity is covered?
By name, not by category. «Adventure sports covered» means nothing until your specific activity is listed.
Is medical evacuation included automatically?
No. It is separate from treatment cover, and worth confirming in writing before a remote trip.
Is my credit card cover enough?
Sometimes. It usually carries lower limits, shorter trip maximums and more exclusions than people expect.
Plan it with us
AeroRide sells flights, not insurance: confirm cover with your insurer.