Advice Needed: Car & Medical Insurance for Costa Rica

[MK17]

Fellow Travel Junkies,
I am traveling for the first time, since I left the service, to a foreign country (Coasta Rica). I am booking my rental car via UR points. Since I will be traveling with my wife, son and sister-n-law, I want to protect them while on our trip.
I am needing to find good insurance for my rental (Alamo). They are wanting to charge me $12.95 per day for DW w/2K deductible and $11.95 per day for up to $1 million for liability. I am in the process with checking with my own car insurance company (Gieco), but I thought you experienced travelers may have some better info.
I am also looking for some medical coverage. My insurance company does not cover outside the USA. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Take care.
MK17

 

[smittytabb]

Your credit card may cover the car rental. Several offer primary coverage. Ritz, CSP and United come to mind. Ritz has amazing medical as well. But, I have in the past carried MedJet Assist family coverage for evac. I usually do not get med insurance unless it is a long trip or especially remote location. But insuremytrip dot com is a good place to start if you want to compare prices.

 

[Stuck in KC]

I spent three weeks in Costa Rica a couple of years ago. Many of the roads are very rough. I saw more than one vehicle with a flat, ruined torn tire. I would be very cautious about having good insurance. Once you are off the highway, there are rocks and potholes everywhere. I would get something with high clearance rather than a basic rental car. You will be glad. I would take a small compass. Signage is poor. Sometime you can see the water on the east and the west at the same time and if it is misty at all, you may lose track of your direction, since there will not be a visible sun.
I got a rental phone with the car but the signal was so poor it was worthless.
Paved roads especially on the pacific side are narrow, not much in the way of shoulders, so pretty difficult if you need to stop for anything. There were also low water crossings, especially around the arsenal volcano.
We had a wonderful time. Would go back in a minute. Just get something with high clearance if you can.