If you’re renting a car in Costa Rica, the most confusing thing is the car rental insurance as every car rental agency in Costa Rica sets their own names, regulations and policies for insurances. And yes – there is a mandatory car rental insurance that everyone must take in when renting a car in Costa Rica.
This post will be breaking down our partner Adobe Rent a Car’s car rental insurances as we have a partnership with them to offer our readers a Costa Rica car rental discount and extra benefits (click the link to get our discount).
This post has affiliate links which we may earn a small commission from if you choose to purchase, at no extra cost to you. Any prices listed may not reflect current pricing. It is the readers responsibility to research current pricing. Prices are quoted in USD. More info: Disclosure
Adobe Rent a Car Insurance
Read our experience with Adobe Rent a Car to see why we partnered with them! In this post, I’m going to break down how Adobe Rent a Car’s insurance works, including which one is the mandatory insurance, which one can be declined, and which ones are 100% optional.
Below are the insurance options Adobe Rent a Car offers online.
Liability Protection (PLI)
The Liability Protection is what most car rental companies call their mandatory insurance. This insurance cannot be removed or declined.
What it covers:
- Coverage up to $20,000 USD in 3rd party damages with a 20% deductible*. It also has a coverage of 3rd parties not in the car (i.e pedestrian) up to $100,000 USD with 0 deductible.
- Liability Protection does not cover vehicle damage.
* All Mytanfeet readers have 0% deductible on Liability, up to $20,000 USD as one of our benefits.*
This insurance costs from $13.50 – $25 USD + tax a day depending on the vehicle.
Car Protection (LDW)
This insurance covers damages of the rented car in an accident, collision or roll over. In case of total or partial theft of the rented car, the Car Protection also covers any financial losses due to the theft.
Declining Car Protection Insurance
You can use your credit card car rental insurance to decline this insurance. In order to decline, you need to request and present a letter from your credit card company stating that the credit card will cover the damages.
The letter needs to have the credit card company logo letterhead, the last four digits of the credit card being used and the name of the credit card holder.
Make sure to check with your credit card company to see if they will cover this insurance including but not limited to factors such as number of passengers, type of car and number of rental days.
For example, my Chase Sapphire credit card offers car rental insurance and I can use it to decline the Car Protection insurance for up to 30 days per contract.
I just call my credit card company to get the coverage letter and I present that to Adobe Rent a Car to remove Car Protection Insurance.
Important: Car Protection does NOT cover vandalism, road side assistance or towing. The deductible is $1000 USD +13% tax and does NOT cover any 3rd party damages.
If you decline Car Protection insurance and use your credit card insurance and get involved in an incident, Adobe will charge you and then provide all the paperwork you might need in order to get reimbursed by your insurance company.
If you do not have a credit card that offers car rental coverage, then you must take Car Protection Insurance. Third party insurances are not accepted.
Extended Protection
The third option, the Extended Protection is 100% optional. The Adobe representative will ask you once if you wish to get Extended Protection but you are completely free to decline it. You can decide to add it when you make the reservation but you can decide not to get it when you collect the car.
Or you do not have to get it now when you make your booking online and you can decide later when you collect the car if you want it.
The Extended Protection Insurance covers:
- The 20% deductible of the Liability Protection so your deductible is 0.
- Covers vandalism, windows, damaged tires (FLAT TIRES NOT INCLUDED), road assistance 24/7 and tow truck.
- 100% of damages including 3rd party up to $4 million.
This costs around $20.50 USD with tax included a day depending on the vehicle.
If you are declining Car Protection Insurance, you cannot get Extended Protection. In these cases, the Adobe agent will ask you in person if you want the next insurance which is only offered in person – not online, the TPW.
TPW (Third Party Waiver) In Person Insurance
If you decline the Car Protection insurance and are purchasing ONLY Liability Insurance, the Adobe agent will ask you if you would like to purchase an insurance called the TPW.
This TPW insurance is 100% optional. This insurance is offered ONLY by the Adobe agent in person – not online.
The TPW insurance increases your third party (Liability) coverage to $4 million USD from $20,000 USD. The Liability deductible goes down to $0 USD from 20%.
It is $9.99 + 13% tax USD a day, 100% optional and only offered in person by the Adobe agent when you collect the car.
This insurance will be offered only to clients who decline the Car Protection and Extended Protection and are purchasing ONLY Liability insurance.
Situations Where Adobe Rent a Car Insurance Does Not Cover the Rental
- Driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
- Failure to immediately report a car accident that you are involved in.
- Damages to the car in situations when the driver is not authorized.
- Damages due to driving through rivers, on beaches, through lakes, mangroves and flooded roads (anywhere through water). Anywhere that an official road does not exist.
- Failure to comply with the legal procedure with the insurance company. This includes but is not limited to failure to report the accident to transit police, failure to report the accident and filling out the insurance claim and non-compliance with other legal process requirements.
- Flat tires are not covered under any of the insurances. Adobe gives you the necessary tools to change the flat tire yourself. Then you have go to any one of their offices in the country to get a new tire.
Why Rent With Adobe Rent a Car?
Insurance is Easy to Understand
Like I mentioned earlier, Adobe Rent a Car’s insurances are easy to understand.
Some other car rental companies can have 5, 6, 7 different insurances. That makes it really difficult to understand! And they make seem like the car rental is super cheap.
What you don’t know is that they add the insurance later when you’re about to pick up the car and clients have no knowledge of this, making it feel like a “scam” or at least a bit cheated. Which brings me to my next point.
Full transparency
Since Adobe Rent a Car is a Costa Rican company, they don’t want their clients to have a bad experience with car hires – they know that many tourists come back to Costa Rica and they want them to rent with Adobe Rent a Car again.
Unfortunately car rentals have a bad reputation in Costa Rica due to the insurances and “hidden fees” by international companies. Adobe Rent a Car does not add on any last minute taxes, fees or insurances. Their pricing is all-inclusive.
Peace of mind
Adobe Rent a Car is a 100% Costa Rican operated company meaning they know the Costa Rican laws inside and out. As they have been operating for nearly 30 years, they know how the system works through and through and all their employees are very well vetted and knowledgeable.
I hope this posts clears up any questions you have any Adobe Rent a Car insurance. Don’t forget to get our Costa Rica car rental discount and extra benefits!
You can read this post “Costa Rica car rental insurance” to see how several car rental companies’ insurance policy works if you are comparing other companies.
Read these post below for more tips on driving/renting a car in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Not sure how to move around Costa Rica? Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Peg Mickelson says
Are any of the rentals manual transmission? Also, if I choose the Extended Protection do I also need to choose the Car Protection?
Sammi says
Hi Peg, our partners have some vehicles that are manual transmission (a compact sedan and a 2wd-4wd). Car Protection needs to be selected if you do not have car rental coverage through a credit card. If you do have credit card car rental coverage, you can choose to use that instead and decline Car Protection. We’ve sent you an email with some more information.
Michelle says
Hello, I contacted my credit card company and they offer me full coverage being covered with my card (I have a business performance card). I let them know that I must purchase the PLI Insurance with Adobe, but then my credit card company said they become secondary insurance. I’m not sure I’m understanding this. However they have provided me with a letter that shows I am fully covered. Do you know how this will affect the insurance portion of the rental with Adobe? Any info is appreciated.
Sammi says
Hi Michelle, if you have CDW from your credit card, that is the one you can use instead and you can decline the Car Protection insurance from Adobe. However, the Liability is mandatory in Costa Rica so you have to get it, regardless if you have credit card car rental insurance since that’s only for CDW. We have also emailed you with more information
Andy says
Hi,
I am interested in renting a car for a week and would like to inquire about the details. Specifically, I plan to pick up the car on the 13th of August.
Could you please let me know the latest time I can return the car on the 20th of August without incurring any extra charges?
Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to your response.
Sammi says
Hi Andy, we saw your reservation and sent you a couple emails with more information, including the answer to your question. Please check your spam folder in case you don’t see it in your inbox
Claudia says
Your blog has been super helpful!
I’d like to rent from Adobe however, I’d like to use my Chase points since it’s a large cost. Any chance they will join in the near future.
Sammi says
No sorry, also if you use your Chase points, make sure you know exactly what other extras you have to pay for because I don’t know if insurances can be used with points so you may still need to pay for insurance at the counter.
Max says
Hi! I am coming to CR from the UK and we don’t have car insurance through our credit cards. Is there a way to get third party LDW? Or would the only way be to buy it from Adobe? Thanks!
Max
Sammi says
Hi Max, in this case you would purchase it from Adobe
Sergei says
I second this is very helpful website! After reading about the car rental on this website, I rented a car through Adobe Rent-a-Car in the end of May for 2 weeks. The staff was very helpful and, the company is transparent. You can just trust them. In order to get collision coverage waiver (mandatory in CR, if remember correctly) through your credit card make sure to have both a letter from the bank that issued your card (they may e-mail you this letter that will state the last 4 digits of the card and coverage limits in your destination, print that e-mail) and that same credit card with you when you arrive in the rental office. I recommend renting from this rental company. To be fair you will probably have good experience with several other companies, especially if you drive safely! 🙂 I rented near SJO from Alamo in 2018 and Thrifty in 2016, and both were fine. You will get 10% discount at Adobe-Rent-a-Car if booking through this site.
Sammi says
Hi Sergei, thank you so much for your feedback and we’re very glad you had a good experience with Adobe. Thank you for renting a car through Mytanfeet and Adobe, we hope you visit Costa Rica again!
John says
This is a great site. I plan to rent from Adobe. As I have a Chase Sapphire reserve card, I have coverage. I dont really understand what Adobe will want from Chase or Visa? I can download the coverage for the card but do they need something addressed to me that details the coverage for Costa Rica? Thanks,
Sammi says
Hi John, that is no problem, Adobe can take your Chase Sapphire Reserve card insurance, they will just need a letter from them stating they’ll cover the charges for the car rental contract using your credit card
Lisa H. says
Hello and thank you so much for all the helpful information! They seem like a great transparent company to rent from…my only hesitation is that we fly into SJO at 6am sharp and the Adobe website says they don’t open til 8am on Saturdays. Also, is the office close to SJO? I assume they have a meet and greet or shuttle situation going on, but I didn’t really want to wait 2 hours in the airport til they open:( Would you please confirm those are, in fact, the Saturday hours. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Lisa, that is no problem, their airport office opens at 5 AM so if you would like the car when you land, Adobe will station an agent at the airport to wait for you and have your car ready. In the widget, you can just select your landing time and make a note in the comment section what time your flight lands and that you would like to get the car at the airport and would like the meet and greet process to collect your car at their office
Mary says
I made reservations for a rental car. I chose liability only as booking the car with my charge card, it covers up to $50,000 collision. I booked the rental on your website to get the discount through Adobe. However, there was no way to give them info that our Visa covers collision. Do I have to do that on their website? Or can I just bring the proven paperwork from my charge card stating what they cover to the place we pick up our rental? I don’t want to give you my rental confirmation number on this site. Can you private message me on my email? Thank-you
Sammi says
Hello Mary, we sent you an email yesterday 🙂
Ritchie says
Does Adobe have a car drop off at Tambor airport? We are flying into the airport and would like to rent a car for a week.
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Ritchie, unfortunately Adobe does not and they don’t have an office in the Nicoya Peninsula 🙁 They can deliver a car to your place in Tambor but there is a hefty extra fee for this ($165 one way). You can check to see if there are other car rental companies who have offices in Tambor (there should be, I believe Budget).
Chad says
Hello, We are wondering how you set up for a rental car to be delivered to our hotel through the internet rental website, as we get in on a later flight and would like to have the car the next morning if possible? Also thank you for such great info on your blogs and webpage its been a life saver for our family.
Sammi says
Hi Chad, on the Costa Rica car rental discount, select the closest main office to your location and on the booking page, you can select the “other location”. Write in the name of your hotel you would like to get the car delivered to.
Glad you find the blog useful!
doris klapper says
Hi guys, we are about finished planning our 3 week CR Trip, and are about to book with Adobe through your site. Just one question, what kind of insurance would you recommend,
liability and car protection, would you recommend Extended protection too?
thanks and best wishes Doris + Ferdinand
Sammi says
Hi Doris, Extended is 100% optional so it’s up to you if you’d like to get it. It’s basically an extension of the Liability so you’re covered for up to more $. Some people get it, some people don’t as it’s optional.
Krista Friebe says
Thanks so much for all your info. I am looking at booking an Adobe car through your widget March 11-28, 2019. We arrive on an Air Transat flight at 4:30 pm on Wed March 11, and it looks like the Adobe office in Liberia closes at 5:00 pm. Will it be a problem getting our car on arrival. I am sure we won’t be out of the airport before 5:00 pm. BTW, one of the reasons I am keen to rent through your widget is because you do such an amazing job with your website. It is a great help to travellers.
Sammi says
Hi Krista! That is no problem, if you are picking up your car when you land at the airport, Adobe will have an agent to pick you up and take you to their Liberia office to get the car. They’ll wait for you to get out of the airport.
Thanks for the nice comments about the blog, let me know if you have other questions.
Maya says
All of your info is so helpful, I thought I would get you to clarify… regarding insurance, if you purchase the extended plan with a 500$ deposit, would that mean that with mandatory liability protection the total deposit would then be 1500$? Thank you in advance for your response.
Sammi says
Hi Maya, if you purchase all 3 insurances, your deposit will be $500 flat. If you purchase only Liability, the deposit is $750 flat. Let me know if you have further questions!
Toby Duffy says
I read on the US State Dept. page about a scam in Costa Rica when someone unknown to you gives you a flat tire and when you drive away and later pull over some “not so good samaritans” pull over to pretend to help you and end up robbing you. Several guidebooks suggest continuing to drive even with the flat tire to a safe place before changing the tire and to ask if the rental companies allow for this damage to the rim if the passengers feel threatened. Would Adobe still charge the deductible for this situation?
Thanks!
Sammi says
With Adobe, if you purchase Extended Insurance there is no charge for tire or rim damages but if you purchase only basic, there is. To be honest this is not a very common scam or occurrence, we have personally never heard of anyone in this situation or any of our readers.
Davis says
Hi, I’m planning a honeymoon to Costa Rica in August. And still debating on getting a rental through your partnership with Adobe or booking private transportation. Ideally, I would like less hassle on my honeymoon because it’s relaxing and it will be our first time in Costa Rica. I have some questions:
– Does Adobe accept Discover Card?
– Do you know if the roads to La Fortuna from LIR are rough enough to require a 4×4? Could we get away with a 4×2?
Thanks for help.
Sammi says
Hi Davis! Adobe doesn’t accept Discovery and the road from La Fortuna to Liberia doesn’t require a 4×4. You can read more about this route here: Driving Guanacaste to Arenal and our Costa Rica honeymoon planning guide for more information!
Frances says
Hi! Just a quick question about returning the rented vehicle to Adobe. Of course the gas tank has to be full but what about cleaning the car? After a 3 week rental there will be some sand and dust in and on the car. Do we need to clean it before returning or will we be charged for cleaning?
Sammi says
Hi Frances! You can just do basic cleaning like get out as much sand and dust as possible but it’s fine if there is some still in it. They will fine clients for cleaning if it’s super bad like if someone smoked in the car (all cars are non smoke and you’re not allowed to smoke in the car), there is like, dog hair all over the place or lots of liquids or food spilled everywhere.
Renee says
Hello, we’ve been enjoying reading your blog! I was wondering if Adobe places a hold on our credit card during the duration while we are renting? I had seen this with other companies putting an $8000 hold, etc until the car is returned. Do they do this as well? If so, do you know the amount? And Thank you for all the tips!
Sammi says
Hi Renee, Adobe does require a deposit. For Mytanfeet readers (if you book through this page here: Costa Rica car rental discount the deposit is $1000. If you purchase Extended Insurance, it is $500. They hold it during the period of your car rental and is returned 24-72 hours after you return the card (for credit cards).
William king says
I rented a car with adobe and I have a flat tire. I did not purchase the extended warranty. How does that work? Do they keep my entire deposit or what?
Sammi says
Hi William, flat tires are not covered by any insurance. What you need to do is change it and if you are unable to change it yourself, you can go to a mechanic or autobody shop and they can help you for very cheap. And then find the closest Adobe office so that they can give you the normal tire and change out the spare. They won’t keep your deposit but you do need to get it changed and taken to an Adobe office.
yeison says
Hello Keith,
Thank you for your comment, the extended protection insurance is an extension of the Car Protection insurance and you need to get both insurances to be fully covered.
Many of our readers use their Credit Card insurance to waive the Car Protection insurance (LDW) and then, they buy the extended protection insurance to by fully covered.By doing this all the damages caused to the car you rented will be covered by your Credit Card insurance and the Extended Protection insurance will cover you for vandalism, tires, windshield and the will raise the liability to $ 4 million dollars.
Thank you for reading our blog and have a good night!
Keith says
when you buy the extended protection the description says that it covers “100% of damages including 3rd party up to $4 million”. As such, this implies that the The extended protection has the car protection (LDW) included in its optional protection price of about $18 a day.
If I buy the mandatory liability insurance and the optional extended protection then I would be fully covered with zero deductible…..correct?
Michelle chalmers says
Hi does Adobe take American Express as a form of payment?
Sammi says
Hi Michelle, yes they do! 🙂
Carlos says
Hello again! I really have doubts about insurance. My credit card covers up to 50000 dollars.
Do you think that only with the first insurance offered by adobe, and the insurance that my card provides, will I be fine? or do you recommend to add the third insurance?
thanks!
yeison says
Hello Carlos,
This question is one of the most common questions we get about car rental insurance, and to be honest it’s almost impossible to know if you are going to be fine with just the Car Protection insurance and liability or if you are going to need the extended protection.
We have had readers that didn’t purchase the Extended Protection and they returned the car without any problem and readers that got involved in an incident and they didn’t pay anything because they had the extended protection, like any other insurance you never know when you are going to use it and the most we can help you is by explaining you in detail every single insurance and in what cases you will have to pay or not.
If your credit card company covers you up to $50,000 in case of an incident Adobe will charge your credit card and then they will help you sending you all the paperwork your credit card company will require to reimburse you the money.
I hope this answer will help you to decide, and please let us know if you have further questions.
Sammi says
Hi Jane, actually we have taken that flight many times and dropped off our car and you can drop off the car at 4:45 AM and make it in time for the airport. The airport and Adobe office is a 2 minute drive away and the Liberia airport is not big so you will be able to make it. We actually made a video of the process here
Jane says
We are staying near Flamingo in a rental house. Our flight leaves at 6:50am. You stated that Adobe does not start receiving cars until 4:45am which will not gives us enough time to make the 2 hour window for our flight. What do you suggest we do? Thanks.
kelly lent says
I love all of your tips and advice. First time going to CR, so been reading many of your posts. Specific questions about car rental. Glad you have a relationship w Adobe! I finally get the insurance lingo, just get all 3 types unless your credit card covers option (2) car protection. Right?!
My question is about debit card and deposit. One of your posts mentioned $1,000.00, while your info page specifies $500 if you choose extended protection. Are we sure about $500 deposit?
Will Adobe accept a debit card with a mastercard logo. Had trouble with this in Mexico so ended up giving them a cash deposit instead, they made an exception for us which was very kind.
I they don’t accept a debit card, will they take cash deposit. If they accept a debit card, is there any issues with this?
And, I read some crazy blog that said the numbers had to be raised/embossed on the card, not just printed as most are now? If not, the card won’t work.
Lastly, we plan to go end of December. Does a reservation require payment or deposit? I will go ahead and reserve it now and might have to adjust after we get flights in a few months.
Sammi says
Hi Kelly! I’m glad that the blog has been helpful and that it made all of the insurances clear. With Adobe, the $500 deposit is a new benefit for our readers so if you rent a car and take the Extended Protection, the deposit will only be $500. If you don’t take the Extended Protection Insurance, the deposit will be $1000.
Adobe can take a debit card, it will take a bit longer to return the deposit which is why they prefer credit card since it’s faster but they can take your debit card and they don’t need the raised numbers on the card. They can take the cards that have flat numbers (which is what most cards are becoming anyways).
The reservation isn’t paid for until you sign the contract and pick up the car and the deposit will be taken from the beginning of your car rental and they will return it when you return the car. But for debit cards, it does take a little bit longer to return the deposit (credit cards are 24-72 hours and debit is a bit longer).
Let me know if you have any other questions and if you made a reservation, let us know so we can check over the details and make sure everything is good!
Amanda Wind says
I am interested in renting with Adobe but have not been able to find much information on their website or get an answer on their phone number. Am I able to rent from this company being aged 21?
Sammi says
Hi Amanda! I apologize you weren’t able to get them on the phone, I have sent you an email regarding the minimum driving age.
Chris says
Hello,
I am looking at possibly renting in May. My question is if I get the total coverage does that include the mandatory insurance coverage? Also with the deposit am I just looking at the $500 based on total package or would I be looking at $1500 as I would also need to purchase the mandatory?
Please let me know.
Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Chris, if you get the Extended Protection, that will include the mandatory insurance because that insurance is mandatory so it’s included in all reservations. With reservations with Extended Protection Insurance, the deposit will be $500.
Dominique Bordereaux says
I am sorry to be confused but can you explain what SPP insurance is?
Is it mandatory in CR?
Sammi says
Hi Dominique, sorry that line should have been changed since it was from the previous insurances. Adobe now has 3 insurances: Liability, Car Protection and Total. Total is what the SPP was and it’s the complete coverage, optional to the client. Liability is the one that is mandatory. I just changed it so should make sense.
Dominique Bordereaux says
It is still not clear to me what insurance I need to purchase. In one place you mentioned only 2 ways. Then below you mention 3 possibilities. I am getting confused.
El Roberto says
Thank you, Sammi! I was able to call up Visa’s benefits administrator and request a letter; it arrived via e-mail before I finished the call. It looks as if I’m good to go! Thanks again!
Sammi says
That’s great I’m glad to hear that! Most companies can give the letter, it’s just a matter of asking them.
El Roberto says
My credit card company (Visa) and the issuing bank (Chase) have a Guide to Benefits booklet that explains their “Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver” in pretty excruciating detail. Would this be sufficient, or would I need to get Chase to issue a letter specifically for me (which I think it’s unlikely to do)?
Sammi says
Hi, yes they do require a letter specifically for you from the credit card company. The letter needs to have your name, the company details and last 4 digits of your credit card number and it needs to state that they will cover this specific insurance. If you ask, many companies do give out the letter.
Alyse says
Hello,
Do you know if there is an extra charge for a 24 year old driver? Other websites seem to include a fee for being under 25.
Thanks so much for your help!!
Sammi says
Hi Alyse, with Adobe the minimum age is 23 so you are fine 🙂
Bibba says
Hi Sammi,
I have a few questions about Adobe insurance and delivery service.
We are arriving at San Jose Airport at 9pm but we are staying at an Air BnB place near Atenas. What would you suggest we do to collect the car? Should we collect that night or will they do a drop off the next morning as far as Atenas and to an Air BnB property rather than a Hotel? Or should we get a taxi to the property for the evening and then come back to the airport the following day to collect the car?
Also, we do not have the Credit Card insurance cover (we do have a credit card though), so do we have to have the Car Protection Insurance?
On the Adobe website, where does it give the option to add an additional driver? And if booked through MyTanFeet, is this free? I have found how to get a childs booster seat but not the additional driver.
Thanks for all your advice.
yeison says
Hello Bibba,
I just double check with Adobe and they can deliver a car in Atenas at no extra cost (Mytanfeet benefit) but unfortunately they can only do that at hotels, so if by any chance you know any hotel close to your airbnb we can arrange the delivery to be there or the other option is to get the car the night before.
If you don’t have the Credit card insurance you will have to get the Car Protection insurance, By default all Mytanfeet readers can get 2 additional drivers for free there is a HUGE note in the reservation with the list of all the benefits. Please let us know what will work better for you and thank you again for reading Mytanfeet.com.
Have a great day!
Yeison
Mytanfeet.com
Rod says
Hello,
Your site has been helpful and we appreciate all of the info. One quick question regarding insurance. Is the Car Protection and Extended Protection an either or? If I buy the Extended does it include the Car Protection or do I have to buy both to get the Extended Protection? Thanks again and we can’t wait to visit.
Rod
Sammi says
Hi Rod, they are separate and they cover separate things. You can read in the post exactly what each one covers and when you make the reservation, you can not get Car Protection if your credit card covers this insurance and Extended is optional. But if your credit card doesn’t cover what Car Protection covers, then you will need to get it.
yeison says
Hello Steven,
Thank you for reading our blog! Regarding your questions I am not 100% sure if Adobe will take your “Lieu” Protection is that a car rental insurance service provided by your credit card? Adobe does take Credit Card insurances but I am not sure if the one you have.
Regarding the rest of your questions yes you can purchase the Extended protection if you declined the Car Protection (CDW), and you can technically go to all the destinations you are planning to go renting a 4×2 SUV but I would not recommend you to get a sedan specially for Rio Celeste.
Steven and Brooke Chilcott says
We really enjoy your blog and find the info shared so beneficial in planning our first trip to Costa Rica in December.
We have several questions regarding car rental (the last detail to organize):
We have $25k coverage for Rental Car Damage through our trip insurance. This includes damage due to collision, theft, vandalism, windstorm, fire, hail, flood or any cause not in our control….up to the limit of $25k. It does not cover damage to any other vehicle, structure, or person as a result of a covered loss.
Question 1: will Adobe accept our travel insurance to in lieu of Car Protection Insurance? We have proof of Insurance as well the Description of Coverage.
Question 2: Can we then purchase Adobe’s Extended Protection (Total Protection) insurance?
Question 3: Can we get by with renting a 2X2 SUV rather than a 4X4? We traveling are traveling from Puntarenas (town) to Fortuna, then to Celeste Mountain Lodge, Tamarindo and leaving the car at Liberia airport.
Muchissimas Gracia por su ayuda! Brooke and Steven
John Lee says
Hi:
We are thinking about renting a car for one week and a 4X4 for a week. The vehicles would be exchanged in the middle of rental. My question is we will be Playa Coco where is the closest pick up and drop off spot for free and if there is a charge to drop off at Playa Coco what is that charge?
Thanks John
Sammi says
Hi John! Through our partnership with Adobe, our readers get free drop off and pick up to Playas del Coco to hotels/hostels and condo neighborhoods. When you make a reservation, just write in the comments you would like to get the car dropped off at your place in Coco.
yeison says
Hello Rachel!
I will definitely rent a H1 VAN instead of the 7 passengers, when you use the 6th and 7th seat the space in the back gets smaller because that is where the extra seats are.
Rachel says
Hi Yeison and Sammi! Your blog is amazing, thank you for such helpful information! 🙂
We are a group of 6 travelling late September 2017 landing at SOJ airport and driving to Puerto Viejo. If we rent the 7 passenger vehicles, it will accommodate us, but will it be big enough for our luggage and groceries? Could we rent a van, or would a 4X4 be more suitable for that drive?
We are told that the drive is 3 hours long. Thank you for your assistance!
Pura Vida!!
Ingrid says
Hi Sammi,
Very informative blog! Do you know what the extra charge is for drivers under age 25?
Thanks for your help!
Ingrid
yeison says
Hello Ingrid, how old is the extra driver?
Jill says
Hi. I’m know you wrote all about this but I’m having a heck of a time deciding what to do. I am traveling with my 2 young children ages 4 and 5.
What insurance should I get… all 3?? Or should I call my insurance to see if they cover rental cars in foreign countries? I am not sure why I can’t make a decision on this.
Thanks for your help!
Smiles, Jill
Sammi says
Hi Jill, the Total Protection is optional and you can decline the Car Protection by presenting a letter from your credit card company. If this is your first time traveling to Costa Rica and/or not used to driving internationally, I do recommend getting the Total Protection Insurance especially with young children. I always get the full protection to be on the safe side since it can be a bit scary driving in a foreign country when you’re not used to it. Also don’t forget Mytanfeet readers also get free baby and booster seats, just write in the comments how many you’d like 🙂
will says
Sammi –
We plan to use Adobe through your link. We get in around 8PM. I’m assuming better to just wait until the morning to get the car. My question is, would it be less hassle and faster to just take the shuttle back to the airport in the morning to meet Adobe instead of listing the pickup location as the airport hotel? How about returning the car? Better to go straight to the airport or let them come to the airport hotel?
Sammi says
Hi Will. Adobe waits for every client when they fly in so you can still pick up the car when you land at 8 PM. They have a shuttle to take you back to their office to pick up the car but if you don’t feel like driving that night after a long day of flying, all Mytanfeet readers get free delivery and pick up to nearby hotels so you can have them deliver the car to your hotel at 8 AM the next day and you don’t need to shuttle back to the airport or anything. Then for returning the car, you can drop it off at the office or have Adobe pick it up, either way is fine but the latest they can pick up is 5 PM and then you will need to find your own transportation to the airport. I hope this clarifies your questions, I think that it would be better to have Adobe deliver the car to your hotel the day after you land in the morning so you don’t need to worry about driving at night.
Tony says
Just booked! I emailed them to confirm the delivery of the vehicle to our hotel (we get in late, so we will shuttle to the hotel and go from there).
It should be noted that once you make the reservation, you still need to contact them via email or phone in order to give them your credit card informationion. If you don’t, they can’t guarantee the vehicle.
Your blog was amazingly detailed and so helpful. I appreciate all of the time you have taken to help others!!!
Sammi says
Hi Tony, thanks for reading our blog and please let us know if you have any questions with your car rental 🙂 Our main goal is to make sure everyone has a safe and fun trip to Costa Rica!
yeison says
Hello Dawn,
First of all we want to thank you for reading our blog and We hope you are doing great!
Here are the answers for your questions:
1) This is a great questions, so let me start telling you that the only one that you can’t decline is the Liability Protection (PLI) because the credit card companies only cover the rented car damage. Then as you know you can declined the Car Protection insurance by presenting a letter from your credit card company and the Total Protection is optional. Now if a reader would like to declined the Car Protection and get the Total Protection it will apply only to the third parties damages, with the Total Protection only you will not have to pay the 20% deductible and in case of injuries to pedestrians it will cover up to 5 million dollars instead of the $100 000 for the PLI. If you get all three the only situation where you will have to cover something is if you driver under the influence, drive the car where in there are not roads at all or negligence.
2) An Adobe representative will be waiting for you at the arrivals area, there are very easy to see and after that they will take you on a shuttle to their airport office which is located 3-5 minutes ride from the terminal.
Finca rosa blanca is a beautiful place we stayed there a few months ago the attention was great here is an article about our visit Finca Rosa Blanca.
Please let us know if you have any questions and thank you again for reading Mytanfeet
Dawn Vogelgesang says
HI there. Awesome information. I also liked your Facebook page which is amazing to see all your post from all the fun you both are having.
I am your website using he wiget – Adobe. On Adobe it is showing Mytanfeet in the top corner.
If we want Total Protection do I select all 3 insurance options or the ?
We arrive SJO airport on April 22 in the morning 7:00am. Customs I heard was about 2 hours. So I put 9:30 shuttle pick up from airport.
We are going to Mal Pais. I selected 4×4 Hyundai Sante Fe.
Returning to SJO area April 30th around 1-2:00pm(coming from Mal Pias).
Adobe will give us a shuttle up back to SJO airport?
*April 30 – May 3rd – we are going to Finca Rosa Blanca resort- coffee plantation for 3 days after we drop car off. Finca Rosa Blanca does have shuttle to pick us up at SJO airport for small fee $25 *
Sammi says
Hi Michelle, you can check around the widget and see which cars are available, sometimes there are last minute cancellations and a car opens up. You can also email us at web @ mytanfeet. com and please include your dates and location and we’ll talk to Adobe and see if they can find a SUV.
Michelle says
Hi,
I understand that an airport fee is incurred when picking up a vehicle from areas around the airport; is the estimate given include that extra cost? Seeing as I will be landing at SJO at 9pm I do not wish to drive at night in unfamiliar terrain. How do I arrange for the car to be dropped off at my hotel in the morning? I will be driving to La Fortuna as well as Monteverde, will the Hyundai I10 be able to navigate the more difficult terrain?
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions.
Sammi says
Hi Michelle, with Adobe there is no airport fee, they have a free shuttle to pick you up at the airport to take you back to their office and pick up the car there. You can also arrange for the car to be delivered to your hotel if it’s nearby San Jose, just put a note in the comments the hotel you are staying at and that you’d like the car to be dropped off there including the time. The road to Monteverde is very bumpy and not well maintained as well as the roads around MOnteverde so it is necessary to have a 4×4, a Hyundai i10 is a compact and is much too small, I recommend getting a 4×4 for Monteverde.
Michelle says
The Hyundai was the only car available for that time period according to the site. Will there be more availabilties if I choose a different pick up area? Or will I have to browse other companies? I would love to use Adobe since it seem to be such a trusted company.
Thank you so much for your prompt reply.
Keith says
Hello Sammi and Yeison,
Thanks so much for the great blog and all the useful information.
We are travelling to CR in April. We will arrive at LIR around 8pm and we are spending the night at a nearby hotel about 1km away from Adobe. Would we need to get a shuttle to the Adobe office or is the car available for pickup at the airport? If so, is the shuttle free? Our other option is to find a way to get to our hotel, and then have Adobe deliver our car there the next morning. What would you suggest? Also, I saw that you were setting up another user with a cooler from Adobe, that would be a great perk as we’ll be doing a bit of travelling. Would it be possible for us to get one as well?
Sammi says
Hi Keith, since you are landing a bit late, you can get a shuttle/taxi to your hotel and Adobe can deliver the car to your hotel in Liberia free of charge for Mytanfeet readers. Many of our readers do this if they’re landing later at night so they don’t need to worry about driving and looking for their hotel in the dark. And yes, just leave a note in the comment section that you’d like a cooler and we’ll reserve one for you if there is one available 🙂
Keith says
Thanks Sammi, I’ll book today!
Sammi says
You’re very welcome!
Senthil says
Hi Sammi,
your blog is super helpful. I have a trip coming up in April. I am flying into San Jose (SJO) and want to pick up the car there. I’ll be flying out to Liberia airport (LIR) a week later. I have two questions. Is there an extra charge for returning the car at a different location from pick up ? My return flight is at 7.30am. But the location at Liberia opens only at 8am. Is there anyway i can return the car at 4.00am in the morning at LIR ? What should i do in this case ?
yeison says
Hello Senthil
Thank you for reading our blog, regarding your questions there is an extra fee for delivering the car in a different office you will see how much it is in the online reservation system when after you select the car, then the Adobe Liberia office opens by 4:50 AM, you will not have any problem returning the car at 5 AM.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Lori J. says
Hi!
We have rented a car from Adobe through you for March. We will be arriving at the San Jose airport around 8 p.m. on a Friday. Would it be better to take a shuttle to our hotel that evening and have the car delivered in the morning or pick up the car when we arrive and drive into San Jose? I’m a bit concerned about driving in the evening. Thanks!
Lori
Sammi says
Hi Lori, if you are getting a pre paid sim card with data or have international data, you can use the gps app Waze to get around San Jose. It works amazing in the city and can take you on roads to bypass traffic. 8 PM shouldn’t have too bad of traffic in San Jose and you can get by fine as long as you use Waze. If you don’t plan on having data on your phone or getting a GPS, I recommend getting a shuttle to your hotel and have the car delivered instead because San Jose roads are not great and signage is awful, they don’t even have addresses or street names so it’s difficult to find your way around and it’ll be even more stressful at night and if it’s your first time in Costa Rica.
Lori J says
Thanks, Sammi! Great info to help make our decision. Your blog has been an excellent resource for planning our first trip to Costa Rica!
Sammi says
You’re very welcome and I’m glad the blog has helped plan your trip 🙂 Thank you for reading!
Jess says
Hi,
My name is Jess. I was wondering if u could tell me.
With the adobe insurance. If I totalled the car completely i would be charged no more than $1,000 correct? Say a rock hits the side of the vehicle and dents it, they can assess the value of it. Maybe its only 400 to fix so they charge me that. Or maybe its 1300 but id only get charges the 1000.
Now: If i however choose to pick the total protection i would be charged $0 in the event of a rock hitting the vehicle, me hitting a driver,? Or does this just cover window and the tires?
Thanks for ur help in this matter. Please email me. I greatly appreciate it.
yeison says
Hello Jess,
Thank yo for reading our blog! Regarding your questions you are correct, with the Car Protection insurance you have a deductible of $1000 for your vehicle damages and up up $20000 for third parties with $0 deductible (For the 3rd party damages). With the Car Protection there is no deductible $0 and it covers tires, windshields and your cover goes up to 5 million USD, this is the best cover you can get you are 100% cover on everything.
The only scenario where either insurance will not apply is in case of an accident driving under the influence or for negligence for example if the police officer or witnesses say that you crash or hit another car in purpose, or if by any chance the driver decides to go a cross a deep river, you know things like that.
Please let us know if you have any questions
Tony says
Hi,
Does Total Protection cover roadside assistance (including tire and windshield)? If so, is it 24/7?
Thanks,
Tony
yeison says
Hello Tony, yes it does and the assistance is 24/7 they have different numbers and those number will be giving to you when you pick up the car
yeison says
Hello Ann, We have an agreement with Adobe and they will deliver and pick up the car at your hotel in San Jose at no cost and on top of that we have to extra freebies for our readers you can see all the details here: Costa Rica car rental discount
Ann says
Hi, We are coming to CR the first week in March and staying in San Jose. We think we only want a car for about 3 days during the week. Is there an office in San Jose we can get a car from?
Colleen says
Hello,
Thank you so much for your helpful blog. We will be traveling to Costa Rica in March with our kiddos. As far as getting the car, I see the choice of either at the airport (LIR) or at their office. Is there a price difference for picking up the car a the airport vs taking the shuttle to their office? Is it more of a pain to get the car at the airport? It seems like it would should be easier, yet in your video it seems like you like the shuttle service option.
Sammi says
Hi Colleen, there is no price difference for either option and the shuttle to their office is free. We like getting picked up and taking the shuttle to their office to get the car because it’s a little bit more comfortable than getting the car at the airport because you can relax a little in the car, use the bathroom and get some water at the office and then go on your way. But it is up to you as there is no price difference and some people want to get their car straight away. The office is only a 5 minute drive away.
Miranda says
Hello! We are visiting Costa Rica in March and your blog has been SO EXTREMELY HELPFUL!!! I was just hoping for clarification on one item regarding rental car insurance. Through Adobe it says they require a $1000 deposit. Could you please explain how that works? Is it a hold on a credit card? Or cash or check?
Sammi says
Hi Miranda, glad the blog is helpful and thanks for reading! The $1000 deposit is a hold on a credit card (no debit card) during the period of your car rental and it is released when you return the car.
Morgan says
Is there a minimum age to rent the car? I am 21 and my friends that are coming are 22!
Sammi says
It is 23, if your friend’s 23rd birthday is close when you guys are in Costa Rica, they may be able to waive it but the minimum age is 23.
Michael says
Hello,
We’re looking into over a week’s worth of car rental. If renting near Liberia, can you clarify the pick-up options? I see there is an airport option, office option, and other. Would other include an option of Adobe dropping off a rental car at a lodging within 30-45 minutes of their location or airport? If so, would the rental price be the same, less or more with this “pick-up” option? We will be getting to the area fairly late, so may want to take care of rental pick-up arrangements the following morning. If this question is better answered directly through Adobe, I am happy to reach out to them as well. Also, if there is a drop-off option by the company to a lodging location, how assured can we be that we will get the vehicle and features we reserved? Reply by email and/or post is fine; whichever is best for you. Thank you so much for your time, as well as Adobe’s partnership. If we book with Adobe here in the next few days, we’ll be sure to do so through your link! Happy New Year!
Michael
Sammi says
Hi Michael, you can get the car at the airport, at the Adobe office (they will pick you up when you land with their free shuttle to their office from the airport) or you can get the car delivered to a specific location. Depending on how far away your specified location is, there is usually an extra drop off and pick up charge. When you make the reservation, you’ll confirm it with Adobe including all the features you request such as GPS, baby/booster seat, etc. and they will bring that to you when they deliver the car, guaranteed.
John Fletcher says
It really is too bad that the basic LDW includes only $20,000 of SLI (3rd party). I have quite good credit card CDW (LDW) coverage, but of course no 3rd party liability from that, and we’ll be driving pretty much exclusively on good paved roads in CR. It would be great to have an option that includes a proper amount of SLI with the reduced LDW option. I wouldn’t ever consider driving with less than *at least* a million SLI, but to have to select the super protection just to get the increased SLI is unfortunate.
yeison says
Hi John, thanks for the comment I will pass your comments to Adobe rent a car management to let them know.
John Fletcher says
Well, I reserved a car (two separate reservations actually) for January anyway – the price with the full protection was only slightly higher than prices with other rental agencies without CDW, so thanks for all your work on this blog and I appreciate the Adobe affiliate link discount!
yeison says
Your welcome John and please let us know if you have any questions
Sammi says
HI Rebecca! Hmm that is really weird! Sorry about the inconvenience.
Sometimes it helps to clear your cookies and cache as well or try a different browser.
Rebecca says
Hi!
We are travelling to Costa Rica in less than 2 weeks and I am trying to book a rental car from Adobe through your blog. But everytime I click on Reserve Now or Rent Car, it just takes me back to your blog. Am I missing something?
Rebecca