Is DAN membership worthless?

[flyboy08]

[QUOTE="apenland01, post: 9105167, member: 518700" I am 5 hours from San Carlos and Rocky Point Mexico, so that would really be the only "out of country" diving I would do, but it seems it has good value if I ever needed it there.

The dive accident insurance isn't just for traveling outside the US, it is also used in the US. Typical medical insurance in the US doesn't cover anything related to dive accidents unless you chose a special option that will be extremely expensive as I found out.[/QUOTE]
My USA BCBS will cover diving related accidents as long as I'm not performing professional services.

 

[davehicks]

Was this DAN travel insurance, or dive-accident insurance?

This was the Accident Insurance. There is only one tier in WA State these days, but there used to be the full range. The "Preferred" plan I had at the time included reimbursement for medical cancelation. I just looked at the DAN site now and it's $10,000 lifetime dive trip cancelation coverage.

They have annual travel coverage plans, but are not selling anything right now due to COVID. Honestly, any traveling diver should get a good Travel Reward credit card like the Chase Reserved card. A benefit of these card is free travel insurance that is just as good (or bad) as what you pay Hundreds for $$$ for a single trip. As long as you pay for the trip with the card, you are covered.

Edit: Adding the below image for the current DAN travel lose coverage details.

 

[Dsix36]

St Croix, deep dive, got DCS and paralyzed from the waist down, 6 chamber rides over 4 days, ER room and ambulance rides to and from chamber, willing to low level evac me if I did not feel the services were good. I took my first chamber ride before my insurance or DAN were dealt with. DAN is secondary to primary insurance and I ended up merely paying a small deductable for about 80k worth of bills.

If you dive without DAN insurance you are an (fill in the blank)

 

[BoltSnap]

St Croix, deep dive, got DCS and paralyzed from the waist down, 6 chamber rides over 4 days, ER room and ambulance rides to and from chamber, willing to low level evac me if I did not feel the services were good. I took my first chamber ride before my insurance or DAN were dealt with. DAN is secondary to primary insurance and I ended up merely paying a small deductable for about 80k worth of bills.

If you dive without DAN insurance you are an (fill in the blank)

Did you recover fully and are you able to dive now?

 

[Bigbella]

DAN covered an exploding tooth as well as a partially-ruptured eardrum, with very little fuss, more than a decade ago. They didn't balk at the sizable cost of emergency dentistry or of a Lamborghini-driving otolaryngologist, when my standard medical insurance carrier did -- thanks Blue Cross, you f****, when the latter initially refused my request to see a specialist, while blood was seeping out of my ear.

I saved some 15K, if not more, when all was said and done; and, perhaps, my hearing as well. Still have occasional tinnitus.

The DAN premium is per year -- not monthly; and I've carried their insurance -- now their premium, when that became available -- since the early 1990s; and will continue to do so . . .

 

[rjack321]

I just signed up and paid $35 for a membership. After paying, I read through all the information and noticed they won't pay for any medial stuff if you don't call TravelAssist and get a pre-auth. If I'm floating on top of the water and someone helps me, how would they ever know I had DAN membership and how would they know who to call? Seems like a membership that isn't worth the $35. Am I missing something???

You paid for a membership and the magazine not insurance

If you ever go to a chamber you are going to want DAN or comparable secondary INSURANCE coverage. Even if your primary covers the chamber ride you will max out your deductible and you might not be with a "preferred provider" so you co-pays can be high as well.

Chamber treatments, if you can get them, start at about $50K and you might need a bunch. So one DCS hit can easily rack up a $250,000 bill. Read the terms carefully on the policy

 

[Uber Dave]

Just to be safe I ordered dog tags with with my DAN Membership number along with emergency contact info and DAN Hotline number.
$5.95 for two tags and chain. Free shipping
Pet ID Tags, Personalized Dog Collars & Custom Cat Collars

 

[ginti]

Chamber treatments, if you can get them, start at about $50K and you might need a bunch. So one DCS hit can easily rack up a $250,000 bill. Read the terms carefully on the policy

Ah.

This is France, 16th July 2018, day after the football world cup final match. I had to do some hyperbaric treatment (it was the day after the dive, and I did not need any ambulance to go there, so no extra-expenses). The bill was 1400 euro. Despite I had DAN insurance, the Italian government covered the bill (in case you are guessing: I am Italian; both Italy and France will cover you for any emergency, at least partially; I guess this is common all around Europe).

besides the coverage offered by European governments, well.... 1400 compared with 50k is quite a difference.

I have to remind to carefully check any insurance before going to the US; with respect to medical issues, it is really a different world...

 

[The Chairman]

I broke my leg in Fiji last year... glad I had DAN. Flew me home in first class after they paid for me to be fixed.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I would buy their travel insurance too but they don't sell it in my state.

I have been buying the highest tier of DAN for years, and have never filed a claim. It's a small price to pay in comparison to the rest of the scuba gear, and one day I might need it. I feel all divers should have it.