Since the borders were reopened and the country began to receive visitors, tourists have purchased more international policies, a situation that could be explained by the lower prices compared to insurance offered locally.
Data from the Costa Rican Ministry of Health show that between August 1, 2020 and February 11, 2021, 209,779 health insurance policies have been filed.
Discounts in fitness centers, in dental services or in consultations with psychologists, are some of the benefits offered by insurance companies in Costa Rica to maintain their portfolio of clients and attract new ones.
The National Insurance Institute (INS), Sagicor, Pan American Life Insurance, Océanica de Seguros and Mapfre, are some of the competitors in the Costa Rican market that offer this type of privileges in their policies.
Income from voluntary insurance premiums grew by 25% compared to April 2015, due in most part to the increase in personal insurance.
From the quarterly report by the Superintendent of Insurance of Costa Rica:
"Revenues from voluntary insurance premiums increased by 25% in relation to April 2015, reaching ¢265 billion colones.The growth of this type of insurance remains one of the main driving forces, but its growth responds, on the one hand, to an increase of ¢ 38.6 billion colones in the SOA, since RT premiums decreased by ¢12.9 billion colones.
The reduction of 30% in premium income from compulsory work risk insurance accounted for most of the 8% decline in revenues from total premiums up to March.
In March general insurance and personal insurance maintained the upward trend that had been seen the previous months, with growth rates compared to the same month in 2014 of 6.1% and 8.3%, respectively.
In Costa Rica insurance companies are seeking to increase sales of policies to SMEs and take advantage of a hitherto untapped market.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) represent 77% of businesses in the country, and therefore insurers are seeking to enter this market niche which has not been fully exploited. There are currently 5 companies that have focused on this market segment, but it is expected in 2015 one more will be added offering health insurance, and life insurance and workplace accident policies, among others.
Between January and September revenue from sales of these policies increased by 74% compared to the same period in 2013, with the sale of group insurance policies to companies being the factor driving the growth.
According to data from the Superintendent of Insurance, in January-September, the sector as a whole has accumulated $116 million in premiums for such policies.
US insurer BlueCross BlueShield, has announced the opening of its operations in the country, which will be part of the Puerto Rican Triple-S Group.
From a statement issued by BlueCross BlueShield Costa Rica:
Insurer arrives in the country with plans for complementary health
• Member of the BlueCross BlueShield Association (BCBSA), an organization of more than 37 healthcare companies in the United States and other countries and which serves, through them, over 100 million policyholders.
The state run Nacional de Seguros and PanAmerican Life share 88% of the market in the segment of accident and health policies.
The segment for Accident and Health policies showed that up to March 2014 the majority market share was held by Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) with 46.4% and 41.7% was held by Pan American Life, according to the Superintendent of Insurance (SUGESE).
In the last interannual period personal insurance increased by 11%, general by 5% and compulsory by 9%.
From a bulletin on the Insurance Sector in November 2013 by the Superintendency of Insurance:
BASIC INDICATORS
The total amount of direct premiums collected reached c436,3 billion in November 2013. The involvement of voluntary insurance equaled the average of the last four annual periods - Nov 20l0-Nov 20l3), 73%.
Five years after the opening up of the market, there have been 500 new products and some prices have dropped by up to 40%, but penetration is still low.
In an interview with María Morales from Markets & Trends undertaken with the Superintendent of Insurance in Costa Rica, Tomas Soley, the official explained that the opening of the market has led competitors to offer more value added products.
Since the opening of the insurance market in 2008, this segment has doubled, being worth $60 million at the end of 2012.
According to figures from the Superintendency of Insurance (SUG), between January and August this year, insurers paid out a total of $34 million in claims for health and accident insurance.
"Of the total paid in the past eight months, 73.2% was disbursed by the National Insurance Institute (INS), 24.7% by Pan American Life Insurance, and the remaining 2.1% corresponded to all other companies." reported Nacion.com.
During the first half of 2012, the insurance sector in Latin America had a premium volume of $77,085 million, maintaining growth rates of two digits.
According to César Quevedo, deputy director of the Institute of Science at Seguro de Fundación Mapfre, the insurance industry is "key" to this global market.
On presenting the report, "The Latin American insurance market," the official noted that this "is a key region for the present and future in global insurance."
In Costa Rica, 4 years after the opening up of the sector, the 10 private insurance companies have a 9.8% market share.
The undisputed leader remains the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS), with a 90.2% market share and among the private companies the strongest are Mapfre and Assa with a 9.6% share between them.
According to the Superintendent of Insurance, the largest segment of the market is the general insurance category (51%), followed by sickness insurance (26%) and personal life policies (26%).
The Central Bank of Costa Rica is putting to public consultation the Regulation for Defence and Consumer Protection Insurance.
The regulation will be under consultation until 27 December.
Nacion.com reports that "According to this regulation, all natural or legal persons who are properly identified can make complaints or appeals with insurance firms provided these requests relate to their interests or legally recognized rights."
Two new companies sold 17% of this sector of the Costa Rican market.
Panamerican Life and Seguros de Alico are the main rivals of the National Insurance Institute (INS), with a share of 14% of the personal insurance policies sold in the Costa Rican market, while other private companies control 4%.
The INS still retains 83% of the market, reported Nacion.com.