I have a bit of a dilemma that I'm sure is not all that uncommon in the diving world. I'm a US citizen living overseas and I live in a country where I don't speak or read the local language all that well. I'd imagine quite a few people who end up living in East Asia or SE Asia have similar problems.
I want to get an Equipment insurance policy and I'd much prefer to buy it from DAN in the USA since all information is in English but I don't know about how residency requirements would come into play should I ever have a claim. I did find this written by DAN's president:
http://www.noonsite.com/General/Glo...-canadian-citizens-is-dan-insurance-an-option
It seems to indicate that for regular DAN membership you can do it as long as you spend at least 1 day a year at your US residence, which I do, typically I spend 3-4 days a year there. But that post is more specifically for regular DAN membership and dive emergency insurance, not the separate equipment insurance.
I could get a policy in Japan but I can only find one company that issues them and they claim that they don't have a single sales agent who can speak English (common for Japanese companies to make this claim, they often just don't want to deal with it even if they have some bi-lingual staff). It may also be on included already in my renters insurance just as it would be with homeowners policy in the US but I have no idea because again the only information I have on that policy is Japanese only, just bought it to satisfy the building owner.
People familiar with DAN Equipment Insurance claims, how is it paid out if you have to file a claim? Check mailed or direct bank transfer? In my case a check adds a bit of a hassle factor since someone would have to mail it to me from my residence address in the US but at least Bank of America can handle check deposits via mobile app. Is it likely that my policy would get cancelled due to living the majority of the year overseas or is it the same "at least 1 day" requirement as DAN membership?
I did notice that DAN Japan (why we have to be a separate region from Asia-Pacific is beyond me) seems to have limited information in English but they don't offer Equipment insurance, only dive emergency insurance.
I want to get an Equipment insurance policy and I'd much prefer to buy it from DAN in the USA since all information is in English but I don't know about how residency requirements would come into play should I ever have a claim. I did find this written by DAN's president:
http://www.noonsite.com/General/Glo...-canadian-citizens-is-dan-insurance-an-option
It seems to indicate that for regular DAN membership you can do it as long as you spend at least 1 day a year at your US residence, which I do, typically I spend 3-4 days a year there. But that post is more specifically for regular DAN membership and dive emergency insurance, not the separate equipment insurance.
I could get a policy in Japan but I can only find one company that issues them and they claim that they don't have a single sales agent who can speak English (common for Japanese companies to make this claim, they often just don't want to deal with it even if they have some bi-lingual staff). It may also be on included already in my renters insurance just as it would be with homeowners policy in the US but I have no idea because again the only information I have on that policy is Japanese only, just bought it to satisfy the building owner.
People familiar with DAN Equipment Insurance claims, how is it paid out if you have to file a claim? Check mailed or direct bank transfer? In my case a check adds a bit of a hassle factor since someone would have to mail it to me from my residence address in the US but at least Bank of America can handle check deposits via mobile app. Is it likely that my policy would get cancelled due to living the majority of the year overseas or is it the same "at least 1 day" requirement as DAN membership?
I did notice that DAN Japan (why we have to be a separate region from Asia-Pacific is beyond me) seems to have limited information in English but they don't offer Equipment insurance, only dive emergency insurance.