INS - Instituto Nacional de Seguros (institutional profile)

The Instituto Nacional de Seguros (INS) is the state insurer of Costa Rica, founded in 1924 (Law No. 12). For almost 84 years it administered insurance as a state monopoly, until the Insurance Market Regulation Law (No. 8653, in force since August 2008) opened the market to competition from private insurers. That same law created the Superintendencia General de Seguros (SUGESE), the regulator of the insurance market, which is a separate entity from the INS.

Despite the market opening, the INS remains the state insurer and the largest in the country, and it continues to manage the insurance policies that the law declares mandatory.

Main lines of insurance:

• Work Risks: mandatory policy for every employer with hired staff (see separate sheet “Work Risks Policy”).
• Mandatory Automobile Insurance (SOA): included in the annual payment of the vehicle registration tax (marchamo), covers persons injured in traffic (see separate sheet on marchamo and technical inspection).
• Voluntary insurance: automobiles with additional coverages, life, health, fire, natural hazards, civil liability, among others (see separate sheet on voluntary vehicle insurance as an example).

Since the market is no longer a monopoly of the INS, for some of these voluntary policies you can also obtain quotes from private insurers authorized by SUGESE — the INS is an option, not the only one.

Contact: central phone 2287‑6000, toll‑free customer service line 800‑TELEINS (800‑835‑3467), WhatsApp 2287‑6100, email contactenos@grupoins.com. Office hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Central offices in San José, avenues 7 and 9, north side of Parque España, as well as a network of branches and service points throughout the country. Official website: www.grupoins.com.

Note: for claims related to traffic accidents under the SOA, or for quotes and exact conditions of any policy, the most reliable source is to consult directly with the INS or with an authorized insurance broker, as coverages and specific amounts change according to the product and the insured’s profile.