With reference to DAN's dive insurance, I am very confident they will cover dive injuries you might sustain at 30m as that is still within the limits for recreational diving. The same applies to their travel insurance. After all of the discussions on this board, I am amazed that some folks can't let go of the myth that OW divers are limited to 60'. Yes, some dive ops may limit an OW diver to those limits, but I usually find that once the DM figures out you have your act together and don't need close monitoring, the 60' "limit" goes out the window. On a recent trip to French Polynesia, after one dive @60' or so to assess capabilities, and then asking what depth I was comfortable diving to, we all dove to 100+ft. If I ever find a dive op that is hard over about having the AOW card, I will know about their policy before I sign up for the dives, and just find someone else to dive with, or dive some other place. Life is too short to put up that kind of BS. Yes, I know it's their boat and their rules, but it is my money and for me, that rules.
I am a DM for my local shop. The instructions from my boss are: I do not lead anyone a dive that is deeper than their certification limit. If they only have OW, that limit is 60'. AOW, the limit is 100'. Full Deep specialty, the limit is 130'. The reason is simple: Being sure our insurance will cover it if there is an accident. If I take someone with only OW, no matter how much experience they allegedly have, to 100' and there is an accident, it is TOO easy for their lawyer to show that I took them to 100' with no proof that they were qualified to go that deep. And I said allegedly because it is too easy to fake evidence of experience. Looking at someone in the water and then deciding that they are okay to go deeper is also no help when you're being sued. People who are doing that are putting themselves out on a limb.
If I have to go through it all over again I will still complete the AOW with couple of speciality courses but definitely NOT MSD.
Why not? Why the seeming negative attitude about it?
I did 4 full specialties that I wanted to do. More, actually. Including Rescue. After I had those and 50 dives logged, I asked my shop about it and they put in my MSD, printed the card, and gave it to me. It didn't cost me anything (beyond the cost of the specialty courses that I wanted to do regardless). What's the problem? Why make a remark that makes it sound like getting an MSD means there's something wrong with me?
If you know what MSD means, then I can just show you my card and you know I've had a certain amount of training and experience. Why is that bad? It's easier for me than showing you a log and a stack of other cards?