Socorro Liveaboard Grounding

[Marie13]

Uh, it was not a diving accident, so why should they? The boat operator should be liable, but good luck on that.

It always looks better when you get someone else to start the GFM. I very rarely contribute to those. I've been tempted to donate $1 with a note about saving on insurance premiums, but I've never been so rude and hope I never do.

Infamous last words. My primary reason for trip insurance and for nagging my kin anytime any of us leave the US is for medical coverage since our home coverage won't cover us outside the US and repatriation, but it wouldn't cover $20K. You may want to shop around more, or at least frame that claim as a possible reminder.

State Farm offers an excellent personal articles policy that would cover a lost dive camera for a tourist and much more, but it may not be enough for you. See Personal Articles Policy | State Farm®

I recently upped my renter’s insurance to $75K with all the dive gear I’ve got now, plus the CCR on order. I’m with SF. Will have to check into that personal articles policy. Thanks for the link!

@DandyDon
Yep, totally with you on the GFM thing.

 

[DandyDon]

I’m with SF. Will have to check into that personal articles policy.

One does not have to be a State Farm customer to buy their PAPolicy. I bought one once, and they paid very easily and well when I had a bad year. They even paid when my laptop got fried by a surge in a lightning storm. I was not surprised at being dropped after such a bad first year, and they kept their promises without argument.

 

[Marie13]

One does not have to be a State Farm customer to buy their PAPolicy. I bought one once, and they paid very easily and well when I had a bad year. They even paid when my laptop got fried by a surge in a lightning storm. I was not surprised at being dropped after such a bad first year, and they kept their promises without argument.

True, but when you’re a SF customer already that usually means a bit of a discount.

 

[DandyDon]

Typically on a trip, I won't have more than $20k worth of gear with me. To cover everything everywhere would cost me in the range of $5k per year last I checked.

Based on this, I think $200/year might cover you. You should ask them or State Farm.
From https://www.byarswright.com/everyth...ting-your-valuable-items-this-holiday-season/

How much does a personal articles policy cost?

Personal articles policies are typically very affordable! Depending on the insurance company, where you live, and other factors, these policies typically cost about 80 – 90 cents per $100. I have customers with $12,000 worth of jewelry, and a policy that only costs them $125 for the entire year.

 

[rddvet]

Reading the response on her post has me shaking my head. I am amazed how many people think that this dive operator will pay to replace all of the gear.
If you can't afford to replace it, you insure it. I do trip insurance sometimes, but it is a rarity. I don't have any of my dive gear covered as it is cheaper to replace than insure unless I lost everything at once. It is covered within my dwelling as a rider in case of a fire. Typically on a trip, I won't have more than $20k worth of gear with me. To cover everything everywhere would cost me in the range of $5k per year last I checked. I come out ahead by not insuring it and assuming the risk.

It will be an unpopular opinion, but I despise when people get go fund mes set up for them or do it themselves for this stuff. If you're going on a big dive trip like that, especially if you're a dive professional either get trip insurance or have property insurance that will cover it. I was supposed to go to Truk in 6 weeks (canceled of course). I paid for Dan's additional trip insurance for the year.
It's a sad situation and it's not her fault, but this is why insurance was created. If people are too ignorant or cheap to get appropriate insurance it's on them. All gofundme does is reward bad choices.
Some people say it's charity. I say it's having your bad choices rewarded by your friends. But I'm also an a--hole who hates most people, so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Marie13]

It will be an unpopular opinion, but I despise when people get go fund mes set up for them or do it themselves for this stuff. If you're going on a big dive trip like that, especially if you're a dive professional either get trip insurance or have property insurance that will cover it. I was supposed to go to Truk in 6 weeks (canceled of course). I paid for Dan's additional trip insurance for the year.
It's a sad situation and it's not her fault, but this is why insurance was created. If people are too ignorant or cheap to get appropriate insurance it's on them. All gofundme does is reward bad choices.
Some people say it's charity. I say it's having your bad choices rewarded by your friends. But I'm also an a--hole who hates most people, so take it with a grain of salt.

Bingo! I hate most people, too. Of course, if anyone dared ask about why she didn’t have adequate insurance on FB, a lot of folks would pile on that person for being unsympathetic.

 

[O-ring]

It will be an unpopular opinion, but I despise when people get go fund mes set up for them or do it themselves for this stuff. If you're going on a big dive trip like that, especially if you're a dive professional either get trip insurance or have property insurance that will cover it. I was supposed to go to Truk in 6 weeks (canceled of course). I paid for Dan's additional trip insurance for the year.
It's a sad situation and it's not her fault, but this is why insurance was created. If people are too ignorant or cheap to get appropriate insurance it's on them. All gofundme does is reward bad choices.
Some people say it's charity. I say it's having your bad choices rewarded by your friends. But I'm also an a--hole who hates most people, so take it with a grain of salt.

This. I wonder how they know the Vortex and everything on board is a total loss already? Seems kind of premature for a GFM, but then again every time I see a GFM my sus meter pings off the scale. If she ends up getting some/all of her stuff back do the people that donated get their money back? Also, the Vortex is one of the most expensive LOBs operating in Socorro if not the most expensive. How is it someone can afford passage on her at ~$700 a day yet needs the diving community to pay for her lost equipment?

Agree with all the other posters on insurance too.. I generally eschew insurance and only buy it to hedge against potentially catastrophic events (home, umbrella, etc.), but if $50k worth of diving equipment was catastrophic to me then I would have an equipment insurance plan through DAN or someone else to cover it. Forget the LOB sinking...that wouldn't even have (probably) entered my mind, but flying with stuff I couldn't afford to replace would give me the willies every time I did it if the loss meant my livelihood was in jeopardy. The probability of the airlines losing it, damaging it or it getting stolen have to be exponentially higher than a LOB sinking.

 

[Tracy]

It will be an unpopular opinion, but I despise when people get go fund mes set up for them or do it themselves for this stuff. If you're going on a big dive trip like that, especially if you're a dive professional either get trip insurance or have property insurance that will cover it. I was supposed to go to Truk in 6 weeks (canceled of course). I paid for Dan's additional trip insurance for the year.
It's a sad situation and it's not her fault, but this is why insurance was created. If people are too ignorant or cheap to get appropriate insurance it's on them. All gofundme does is reward bad choices.
Some people say it's charity. I say it's having your bad choices rewarded by your friends. But I'm also an a--hole who hates most people, so take it with a grain of salt.

As I posted above, insurance costs more than the gear in most cases. Dan trip insurance would not replace your gear in this instance. It would refund the cost of your trip, but gear is only replaced if lost diving. Read the fine print. This was not a diving accident. It was a boating accident. As a non professional, you can add riders to your homeowner policy to cover your equipment. Whether it pays out for out of country is up to your fine print.
As a dive professional, her gear is different. She would need something called an Inland Marine policy covering a specific list of items. Getting that coverage within the US is quite affordable. I have one on my work equipment. Having that policy apply anywhere in the world typically makes it cheaper to replace the gear.
I would imagine most dive pros have no coverage on their gear even if they think they do.

 

[O-ring]

I looked at the DAN equipment insurance (through H2O) and it looks like you are right @Tracy . It covers a lot of stuff, but appears to not cover a boating accident/equipment overboard situation.

H2O Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

We DO NOT provide coverage for items that are lost underwater while you are diving, that fall off the back of the boat, or are swept overboard. Please see Divers PAC Coverage Document, #5 PERILS EXCLUDED which confirms that this policy does not insure against (d) items lost while in your care, custody and control – while in use both in and out of the water, dropped overboard or swept over-board.

 

[Tracy]

Based on this, I think $200/year might cover you. You should ask them or State Farm.
From https://www.byarswright.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-a-personal-articles-policy-and-protecting-your-valuable-items-this-holiday-seas

I detailed it above.
My gear, much like Marissa's isn't personal items. They are work tools and are specifically excluded in those policies. There are policy for it, but they are typically cost prohibitive. Medical insurance is the easy part.
That is why I choose not to spend $5k per year on a $20k maybe. Every four years I could throw away everything and replace it. That would break even. It just doesn't make sense.