By Ivo Henfling

Nothing is better for business than a good service to your clients. In my business, Costa Rica real estate, I have always tried to excel in service as to my opinion it means the continuity of your business and it is a lot easier to keep an old client happy than making new clients. But mostly the larger business like banks and insurance companies have a hard time making their employees understand what good customer service is and end up with lots of frustrated clients. I am one of those who complain when service is bad. But I also think that when people do a good job, they deserve a pat on the shoulder.

This time it is don Isidro’s turn for a well-deserved pat on the shoulder. Who the heck is don Isidro some of you might say? Those who have asked me, after closing on their house, where to get their home insured and their car insurance, or a medical insurance, know who don Isidro is. Isidro gives an extraordinary service as an insurance agent for INS, learn how he keeps his clients happy.

By Ivo Henfling

When you move to Costa Rica, you will of course do so as legal as possible, which means, you will become a resident in Costa Rica while you keep your own countries’ passport.

This will give you a residency card, also called a cédula de residencia. To become a legal resident, you not only need to cut through all the red tape that becoming a resident in any country of the world will oblige you to, now you also need to become a member of the Costa Rica social security system, called Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social or CCSS.

You will, besides the CCSS, want to have a complementary medical insurance that I.N.S. (Instituto Nacional de Seguros) offers.

By Ivo Henfling

Many of you might not know about the renewed traffic restriction/prohibition into San Jose as part of a new Costa Rica traffic law. You can read all about this in this AM Costa Rica article  but to give you a short answer, all vehicles, have a one day prohibition, by license plate number, into San Jose. With the renewed restriction though, passenger cars with 4 persons, to promote car pooling, will be able to drive from 6 - 8 am and from 4 - 7 pm. A Tico solution to a worlwide problem. And why not re-invent the wheel and copy other proven plans by cities 20 times bigger than San Jose? Don't we love to invent our own solutions here?

By Ivo Henfling

I received awesome attention by Urologist Dr. Carlos Calvosa Allegretti. Since most of our clients are over 50 years old, I though it well worth it to tell you about a great experience that I have had with my urologist.

After living 30 years in Costa Rica I still hate those doctors that love to fill up their waiting room and probably need to show us, their patients, that they are busy professionals. I am a busy real estate agent and there is nothing worse than sitting in a waiting room for more than 15 - 20 minutes.

Actually, just this week, my Otorino had me again waiting for 1 1/2 hours in his waiting room, but I'll tell you more about that one another day. For now, let me give you the good news.

By Juan Pablo Arias for La Nacion on 22/11/2010

Source: La Nacion

From the 1^st of December 2010, competition in the car insurance business will be more dynamic once Assa Insurance Company will have its debut in the market with its first product in this niche and will compete against Mapfre and the National Insurance Institute (INS).

"We received the approval of our policy just last Friday," said Rodrigo Peralta, commercial manager of Assa.

So, the payment of “the marchamo” and the proximity of December will be utilized by the three insurers to dispute the preference of car owners.

The INS initiated the pulse when made available to the public two complementary policies called "Civil Liability" and "Your life."

By Ivo Henfling

Health, Life and Car Insurance in Costa Rica. If you have had a health insurance in your home country all your life, ask your insurance agent back home if you can keep it when you relocate to Costa Rica. You’ll find that most won’t cover you here, unless you’re a veteran but it is always good to check and make sure.

There are several ways of getting health insurance in Costa Rica

One way of getting health insurance in Costa Rica is through the I.N.S., (Instituto Nacional de Seguros) which is the Costa Rican Insurance Company, a state monopoly and officially you are not allowed to purchase a foreign insurance in the country. They carry very decent priced health insurances. Ask your GoDutch realtor for an insurance agent referral. They also carry home insurance, car insurance and others. Soon, the system will open up for private insurances, just like the banking system did some years ago. That will create competition but you need to beware and make sure you pick the right company as nothing can assure you against them going broke on you.