Splash-X, you seem to be confusing Standards with recommendations. In many courses and for diving with Jr. Divers or Scuba Divers there are hard Depth Limit Standards, but for recreational dives or leading recreational dives PADI only recommends not exceeding 60' (OW Divers), 100' (AOW Divers) and 130' (Deep Specialty).
Every day guides without the Deep Specialty are guiding fresh OW Divers below 100' (and more) without violating Standards.
You're taking my comments out of context.
Q:
I am in the same position i.e a DM without doing the Deep Speciality. My insurance states that I am insured to dive as long as I do not exceed the depth that I am certified to dive to. I have been told by many people that this is 40m but can not find anything that confirms this officially. Do I need to do the Deep Speciality to be able to go to 40m and still be covered by my insurance or am I already covered to 40m?
A: The insurance is going to cover you so long as you are diving within the limits of the policy. If the policy clearly states that you can not exceed the depth limits of your highest level of certification then the answer is clear, what ever your highest depth rated certification is, that is your limit.
Q: I agree with what you are saying. So given that I am a DM but do not have the Deep Speciality, what depth am I certified to dive to? What is "the depth limits of my highest level of certification"?
A: Deep Diver certification allows you to dive to 40M. Advanced Open Water allows you to dive to 30M
I personally don't care how many trip leaders take people to 40M, 50M, 60M, 100fsw, 130fsw. The question is to what depth can you dive. To be covered by your insurance policy your maximum depth is that in which you were trained to dive to.
Just like ANYTHING, if you don't abid by the rules set forth in your insurance policy your policy is null and void. As a DM, he must carry a valid liability policy to cover any accidents that occure.
There is a reason dive operators require a AOW card to do deep dives..... and if you're on a trip with a place that doesn't care what your skills are then that operator is engaging in careless behavoir.
As a Dive Leader it is your responsibility to care for the divers that have been placed in your care. Letting a diver who has little to no experience with diving beyond say 60ft have no business being lead by a DM to a depth beyond that in which they were trained for.
If you as a DM decide to have a fun day and you and a friend head out on a charter and you're not working the trip, do what ever you want.... but if you're involved in leading the trip then you better follow the guide lines set forth by your training and those set forth by your insurance.