Due diligence trip advice

[CAROL BERMAN]

I am a single woman planning a 10-12 day due diligence trip to Costa Rica in the beginning of November. I am looking at George Lundquist’s 7 day combination tour (Central Valley and Southern Pacific). Is this tour a good tour? Do you have other recommendations for me? In addition to looking at multiple areas and housing, I need to check out some medical specialists, get advice on insurance for pre-existing conditions, and check out veterinary services for my labs who will be moving down with me. If I like what I see, I plan on moving down within the next year. Appreciate any advice.

[JASON HOLLAND]

Hi Carol,

I haven’t personally been on George’s tour but I hear good things from people who’ve done it. My top recommendations are to get a good sense of some towns that you might be interested in living in during the tour and then trying to spend more time there before you head home. Try to meet some expats there, check out rentals for your next visit/long term stay, and just explore. Get to know the area, the shops, services, etc. Try to see it as if you live there, not as a tourist.

As far as medical specialists, you will find the best in the country and the largest variety of specialists in and around San Jose and its suburbs, though you will also find some in the Southern Zone. So if medical care is a top priority for you, you might want to focus your search on the Central Valley, which offers quick access to San Jose. A place for you to visit might be CIMA Hospital, one of the top private facilities in the country. They have an international patients dept. where you can ask plenty of questions about care.

For insurance, once you become a legal resident, say with pensionado status, you join the Caja, which is the public healthcare system. There are no age or pre-existing condition exclusions and after you pay your monthly fee you get free doctor’s visits, prescriptions, testing, and surgeries. You can also get private insurance through companies like INS, the local Costa Rican insurance. But they do have strict policies on pre-existing conditions, as do many international insurance companies. You can contact this broker for more information on insurance. They recently spoke at the IL conference in Costa Rica in July: http://www.garrettbrokers.com

On vet care, there are excellent vets throughout the country. I have two dogs myself and while they haven’t needed any major treatment, I’ve been very impressed with the level of care and the price.

[CAROL BERMAN]

Thank you, Jason. I’m coming down the first two weeks of November and I’ve signed up for George’s tour of the Central Valley and the Southern Pacific for the first 6 days of the trip. I’ll follow up on the insurance information you’ve posted and I am sure this will not be the last you will be hearing from me!

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