DAN and AIG travel insurance absurd response ; Sinking boat not covered!

[KathyV]

This is why I have always advised against anything AIG. They're expensive and they find a way to deny any claim that isn't 1) Diver's illness or accident caused missing trip and doctor's letters to prove it. 2) Diver's loss of employment forcing cancellation, also requiring proof.

I had AIG coverage for my household goods when I shipped them from Ecuador to US. Shipper caused a big problem that caused many things of great value (paintings, etc) to be damaged with mold and mildew. Claim denied.

Had clients who once missed their Cocos liveaboard due to the airline deciding to enforce YF vaccinations without telling anyone and refusing to allow them to board in Quito. Undersea Hunter didn't know anything about the enforcement. Agency who chartered the liveaboard didn't know anything about it. Clients had booked their own flights from Quito to Costa Rica. AIG refused to cover.

Only the Dive Assure coverage has a liveaboard rider, but I far prefer DAN dive insurance because of the way they manage accidents. DAN worries about the diver first, the cost second. As it should be.

DAN insurance is AIG insurance, the excerpt below is from their downloadable insurance handbook:

"...DAN TravelAssist services are provided under a service contract with Travel Guard. U.S. benefits are covered by insurance that is underwritten by The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York. Service fees and/or premiums for DAN TravelAssist are paid from DAN membership funds. Policies issued by The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York (US Life). Issuing company US Life is responsible for financial obligations of insurance products and is a member of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Products may not be available in all states and product features may vary by state..."

Plus older divers may not have much choice. Currently DAN is denying coverage with their top plan for older divers - and that may be the only DAN plan available in some US states, see link below:

I'm 71 and DAN won't insure me -- now what?

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

DAN insurance is AIG insurance, the excerpt below is from their downloadable insurance handbook:

"...DAN TravelAssist services are provided under a service contract with Travel Guard. U.S. benefits are covered by insurance that is underwritten by The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York. Service fees and/or premiums for DAN TravelAssist are paid from DAN membership funds. Policies issued by The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York (US Life). Issuing company US Life is responsible for financial obligations of insurance products and is a member of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Products may not be available in all states and product features may vary by state..."

Plus older divers may not have much choice. Currently DAN is denying coverage with their top plan for older divers - and that may be the only DAN plan available in some US states, see link below:

I'm 71 and DAN won't insure me -- now what?

Wow...did not think DAN's dive insurance was also underwritten by AIG. Thought it was only travel. Have you tried World Nomad's? Many liveaboards do require it.

 

[caydiver]

While DAN’s travel insurance may or may not cover as much as others, please make sure you have DAN or the equivalent of your choice to cover dive related health issues. It is heartbreaking to see people turn down treatment and loved ones trying to convince them to have the treatment despite the fact they are not covered. This is not a few hundred dollars for disrupted travel plans, this is thousands of dollars which can quickly hit $10,000 and above that is required immediately. Don’t let a discussion about travel payouts make you think DAN is stingy in dive related medical emergencies. They are wonderful. DAN America does not does not even require a call before treatment begins. DAN Europe does. Almost every single patient says (a) they never thought this would happen to them and (b) they did nothing out of the ordinary. Dive smart by having yourself covered — for those to who require multiple treatments they are already stressed out and so are their family and friends. No reason to add in how to come up with tens of thousands on top of that. I don’t know the other carriers but know it is a relief for the patients and the caregivers when the insurance is DAN.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I agree with @caydiver. Please do not let this incident with DAN's travel arm discourage you from the dive accident arm. I know a few people who had to make claims with their accident side and had no issues. They really came through when things went wrong, including hospitalization for weeks and flying my friend home.

 

[KathyV]

We renewed our DAN dive insurance on Saturday and we were happy to do so, but we are getting older and it is concerning to think that DAN and/or other dive insurance, may not be an option for us in the future - or for other older divers like @Peter Guy.

I think that the recent report by @The Chairman about his serious leg injury clearly demonstrates the need for good insurance:

My broken leg...

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

I looked in my policy after the Conception dive boat fire, to see if there was any compensation in that type of scenario. They do have 30K for accidental death/dismemberment under the guardian plan (15 k for the others) but it is only in relation to a "covered diving accident", it additionally states "benefit also payable for death resulting from named water sport" Boating is a named sport "riding on a boat which is docked or on the water" but it specifies the coverage to be for medical services, supplies or treatment.

Click here to support Dive Boat Conception Missing Divers Relief Fund organized by Christopher E Richardson

 

[togatown]

While DAN’s travel insurance may or may not cover as much as others, please make sure you have DAN or the equivalent of your choice to cover dive related health issues. It is heartbreaking to see people turn down treatment and loved ones trying to convince them to have the treatment despite the fact they are not covered. This is not a few hundred dollars for disrupted travel plans, this is thousands of dollars which can quickly hit $10,000 and above that is required immediately. Don’t let a discussion about travel payouts make you think DAN is stingy in dive related medical emergencies. They are wonderful. DAN America does not does not even require a call before treatment begins. DAN Europe does. Almost every single patient says (a) they never thought this would happen to them and (b) they did nothing out of the ordinary. Dive smart by having yourself covered — for those to who require multiple treatments they are already stressed out and so are their family and friends. No reason to add in how to come up with tens of thousands on top of that. I don’t know the other carriers but know it is a relief for the patients and the caregivers when the insurance is DAN.

As someone who has lived through a serious diving accident abroad firsthand, I can tell you that our air ambulance bill was almost $ 60,000 alone, and another 60k in treatment.

Do NOT dive worldwide without first, contacting your domestic carrier and ask them what is covered abroad and do they have an international wing to cover such scenarios ( such as BCBS Global Care ), and if not, make sure you buy PRIMARY dive insurance, and not secondary. That way, if you do have serious accident, you won't have to front $$$ prior to treatment and then wait to be reimbursed. Do NOT think it can't happen to you, because it can.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I looked in my policy after the Conception dive boat fire, to see if there was any compensation in that type of scenario. They do have 30K for accidental death/dismemberment under the guardian plan (15 k for the others) but it is only in relation to a "covered diving accident", it additionally states "benefit also payable for death resulting from named water sport" Boating is a named sport "riding on a boat which is docked or on the water" but it specifies the coverage to be for medical services, supplies or treatment.

Click here to support Dive Boat Conception Missing Divers Relief Fund organized by Christopher E Richardson

Many years ago in Belize, the Wave Dancer had many fatalities (20, I believe) as a result of a hurricane and poor decision making on the captain's part. DAN did not pay out because the deaths were not a result of a dive accident.

Do NOT dive worldwide without first, contacting your domestic carrier and ask them what is covered abroad and do they have an international wing to cover such scenarios ( such as BCBS Global Care ), and if not, make sure you buy PRIMARY dive insurance, and not secondary. That way, if you do have serious accident, you won't have to front $$$ prior to treatment and then wait to be reimbursed. Do NOT think it can't happen to you, because it can.

This is not directed at you but as information for everyone else. I know a couple of people who have had to use it, including a multi-week hospitalization and a business class fare home with no issues. DAN dive accident coverage is secondary coverage and not primary. DiveAssure dive accident is primary but I don't think they offer coverage within the United States. In any case, this thread is about the travel side and not the dive accident side.

 

[togatown]

Many years ago in Belize, the Wave Dancer had many fatalities (20, I believe) as a result of a hurricane and poor decision making on the captain's part. DAN did not pay out because the deaths were not a result of a dive accident.



This is not directed at you but as information for everyone else. I know a couple of people who have had to use it, including a multi-week hospitalization and a business class fare home with no issues. DAN dive accident coverage is secondary coverage and not primary. DiveAssure dive accident is primary but I don't think they offer coverage within the United States. In any case, this thread is about the travel side and not the dive accident side.

Apologies, I was under the assumption that the purpose of this thread, is to help others as much as possible when it comes to travel and insurance, and I was responding to the thread I quoted in my original post, but I see it have gotten off course. But regardless, to me Dive Insurance and Travel insurance should be coordinated closely. We carry DAN as well buying as Trip specific coverage ( and if your carrier offers a Liveaboard rider, and you are on a Liveaboard, you should take it). If, a carrier like DiveAssure, offers the choice between either primary or secondary, you should do your homework and then decide which to choose. We used our policy for both the travel side and dive accident side.

 

[Louisville Diver]

We always buy insurance, but do it the opposite direction - we get "all events" travel insurance through Travelex and then purchase the dive rider, which has all the DAN benefits and then some.

We've never had a problem getting losses paid.