Property Insurance in Costa Rica
Property insurance in Costa Rica typically costs about USD $200 per year for every $100,000 of insured value, bundling the structure with civil liability. Policies cover earthquake, flood, hurricane wind, fire and provable theft, and exclude deterioration, pet damage and broken furniture.
Updated: August 2026
How much does property insurance cost in Costa Rica?
Expect roughly USD $200 per year for every $100,000 of insured value. That figure buys the structure plus civil liability. Under a collective (group) policy the rate drops to about USD $180 per $100,000. A $400,000 home therefore runs about $800 per year, or $720 collectively.
The premium is calculated on the reconstruction value of the structure, not on the market or purchase price of the property. Land value is never insured, which is why a beachfront home that sold for $900,000 may only need $450,000 of coverage.
What does a Costa Rican property policy actually cover?
A standard policy covers the structure against earthquake, flood, hurricane and tropical storm wind, fire, explosion and provable theft, and includes civil liability for injuries suffered by third parties on the property. Contents, machinery and pool equipment are insured only when scheduled as separate items.
What is excluded from property insurance in Costa Rica?
Three exclusions surface in almost every claim: gradual deterioration, damage caused by pets, and broken furniture. None of these are insurable. Vandalism is covered only on white goods and structural damage, and pool or jacuzzi machinery such as the pump must be insured separately from the structure.
Is theft covered if there is no forced entry?
Yes. Simple theft — theft without forced entry — is covered as long as the loss is provable. That means documentation: purchase receipts, photographs, serial numbers and a police report (denuncia) filed with the OIJ. Without evidence that the item existed and disappeared, the adjuster will decline the claim.
How does the buying process work?
You send the property details, we quote across the market, and you choose. INS may require a physical inspection before issuing the policy. INS does not accept DocuSign: signing must be done with a Costa Rican digital signature or physically on paper. Payment is not processed until the policy is formally issued.
- Send address, construction type, square metres and reconstruction value.
- Receive quotes from INS and alternative carriers within a few business days.
- Pre-issuance inspection when the carrier requires one.
- Signature by firma digital or wet ink — DocuSign is not accepted by INS.
- Payment only after formal issuance of the policy.
Who is behind Insura?
Insura is the trade name of Fernando Cabada, an insurance broker licensed by SUGESE under license 21-1857. He operates with the backing of Essential Corredora de Seguros S.A., SUGESE license SC-14-120. Insura is not an insurance carrier and is not itself a licensed brokerage firm.
What a Costa Rican property policy placed by Insura covers and excludes
| Item | Covered | Detail |
|---|
| Structure (walls, roof, foundation) | Yes | Insured for reconstruction value, not market value. |
| Earthquake and seismic movement | Yes | Included as a named peril in standard INS property policies. |
| Flood, storm and hurricane wind | Yes | Included; deductibles are higher than for fire. |
| Civil liability (third-party injury) | Yes | Bundled with the structure at roughly USD $200 per year per $100,000 insured. |
| Simple theft (no forced entry) | Yes | Covered when the loss is provable and documented. |
| Vandalism | Partial | Covered on white goods (línea blanca) and structural damage only. |
| Swimming pool or jacuzzi structure | Yes | The shell is part of the structure. |
| Pool or jacuzzi equipment (pump, heater) | No | Machinery must be scheduled as a separate item. |
| Loss of rental income (lucro cesante) | Partial | Applies to long-term leases; short-term rental income is possible but must be based on pre-existing, documented income. |
| Wear and tear / deterioration | No | Gradual deterioration is always excluded. |
| Damage caused by pets | No | Excluded from every property policy in the market. |
| Broken furniture | No | Furniture breakage is excluded; theft of contents can be scheduled separately. |