DAN Dive insurance

[dwwest101]

I had to use it and it really was worth the money. Basically it saved me from having who knows how much out of pocket for a chamber ride.

 

[divengolf]

: Their Gear and Trip insurance plans suck, but their Dive Ins is essential...!

DD,

I've had DAN Premier for several years, but I agree that their other plans are not great. Who do you use for gear and trip insurance??

Harry

 

[DandyDon]

DD,

I've had DAN Premier for several years, but I agree that their other plans are not great. Who do you use for gear and trip insurance??

Harry

Yeah, I guess they got requests for other coverages, tried to find good providers, and something went wrong.

I insure my cameras, dive computers, laptop, analyzers, all electronics with State Farm "Personal Articles Policy." Cheap premiums, no deductible or worse - the DEPP game, good reputations for claims paid. Personal Articles

For international trips, I always do Travel Safe trip insurance, mostly for out of area medical, but the other aspects are good too. Our most popular product! | TravelSafe

 

[Tricia]

Thanks to all of you for this interesting info. It made me check my policy and I suddenly realised that I was registered for DAN at my parents' address in Atlanta. And the problem is that if I had to be repatriated, DAN would naturally send me there, when actually, I need to be repatriated back here to France - with the French medical system and my private insurance, etc.

So I went ahead and signed up for DAN Europe, but it's a lot more expensive: nearly double the price of the US programme for the basic policy. But considering that I usually dive in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, so it's a translatlantic flight, I'd rather pay the extra to be certain I'll get back here.

Trish

 

[DandyDon]

Thanks to all of you for this interesting info. It made me check my policy and I suddenly realised that I was registered for DAN at my parents' address in Atlanta. And the problem is that if I had to be repatriated, DAN would naturally send me there, when actually, I need to be repatriated back here to France - with the French medical system and my private insurance, etc.

So I went ahead and signed up for DAN Europe, but it's a lot more expensive: nearly double the price of the US programme for the basic policy. But considering that I usually dive in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, so it's a translatlantic flight, I'd rather pay the extra to be certain I'll get back here.

Trish

How interesting. The US basic policy, while better than nothing, is a poor choice - as for $10 US more you get far superior coverage. Under US DAN, I strongly suggest the middle or top policy, but your coverages are quite different. https://www.daneurope.org/eng/english_.htm Maybe the Basic plan is sufficient for you.

 

[DandyDon]

A similar discussion has been active on SB this week which made me think of and find this post...

Let me also give an example, from a dive operator's point of view. A few years ago I had an extended family group diving with me. Seven people if I remember correctly, three generations and three vertically (ie three siblings and families).

My standard registration form asked for details of insurance. I required it for tech divers, but only recommended it for rec divers such as these. Every member of the group had cover (all DAN I think, but there are others) except the group leader, the only man with kids in the group.

Anyway, they were all experienced and good divers and had been diving with us for a few days, so we were pushing more towards the edge of the envelope as that's what they wanted. Still well within no-deco limits mind. At the end of the first dive one morning the DM had completed the safety stop and was just starting the final ascent to the boat. This man, who was an avid photographer, spotted several eagle rays on the bottom 70ft below, and went straight down to them. The DM (who is now a renowned local instructor, despite being very young) sent his wife & kids and the rest up to the waiting boat and stayed at 15ft watching the photographer. After he'd fired off a few snaps he rocketed back up towards the boat. The waiting DM stopped him and held him there, very much against the photographer's will, for over 10 minutes, then surfaced for the boat. The man was mildly annoyed at what had just happened and clearly didn't appreciate why the DM had behaved in that way. He insisted he was fine, and the DM didn't see anything untoward, so when the boat went out again an hour later the photographer was on it.

After lunch he (the photographer) was walking along the beach with his 12-year old daughter who had been in the dive group when he suddenly collapsed unconscious. Luckily Belize's only recompression chamber is here in San Pedro and it took maybe 20 minutes to get him there. I knew none of this, as I was elsewhere on the island doing something else. I had a call from the chamber several hours after he was admitted, and went there when his first course of treatment was due to end. That's when I found out all the above, from his wife and my DM.

When the man emerged from the chamber he looked terrible, with a bubble on one eyeball that was bigger than the eye itself. He was in a lot of pain from joint bends, and his skin was crackling like a crisps packet. I talked with him and he was a changed man, deeply apologetic. His wife showed him scant sympathy.

To cut a long story short, he had repeated treatments over the next eight days, and was then discharged. He wasn't allowed to fly for at least another three or four days, and then only when a certificate had been issued by the chamber.

Throughout all this time his family stayed close by, though they had to move hotels as theirs was fully booked after their prebooked term had expired. Obviously all flights had been cancelled and not rebooked because no-one knew when he'd be ready to fly.

As he didn't have any dive insurance he had to pay the lot. I participated in a scheme to support the chamber financially which meant that their charges for my divers were capped, but even so he was charged US$35k for chamber and all his medical costs. Add to that the cost of cancelled flights and almost two weeks of additional hotel accommodation for 7 people and you can see that for him it was a VERY costly mistake not to have insurance. US$65 spent on DAN cover as I had recommended would have meant that most if not all of these costs would have been covered.

If he had been diving elsewhere in the country, at least several hours away from the chamber, it was the view of the senior doctor that he might not have made it at all. So there are two lessons here - GET INSURANCE and DIVE CONSERVATIVELY, or at any rate not stupidly, bearing in mind what medical support is available to you.

A few notes...

DAN's cheapest dive insurance plan would not cover the extra accommodation and extra transportation expenses. The medium level or Master plan should be the minimum considered for only $10/year more!

To avoid confusion, Peter's suggestion of "$65 spent on DAN" is slightly short, as the actual cost would be $35 membership + $35 plan = $70, altho the family members could have had memberships @ $17.50 each.

And, DAN's dive insurance is the only insurance product they offer I like. Their trip & gear insurance really sucks I think. I suppose they were pressed to add those as "why don't ya?" ideas that failed. Their dive insurance product is outstanding those, as is their magazine and some of their retails products.​

Thanks

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[SeaSoulSelf]

Getting DAN insurance has been on my to do list. Thanks to the OP for starting this thread to remind me to get it done!

 

[Capt. Pete]

I just took my DMs and Instructors on a tour of our local chamber just yesterday as part of our yearly in-service training. They noted that they charge $1000.00 per hour for treatment with about 6 hours needed to treat the average diving accident! We are a DAN Business member and we carry dive insurance through them because we believe in their product. The cost for their insurance is very reasonable for what you get, we do carry their best policy.

The cost is low and the benefits are good, should something bad come your way.

 

[BOHUNTER]

After I started Diving and realizing how easy it could be to need some help, I decided to get it, when I saw it was only 105 bucks I then Immediately purchased it without thinking.

$105 bucks total.

I hope I never have to make the call...

 

[DandyDon]

Getting DAN insurance has been on my to do list. Thanks to the OP for starting this thread to remind me to get it done!

You have over 100 dives without?! Well some people are well covered on other insurance and dive US waters only, but if otherwise on either point - wow, get it online quick! Remember, the mid level is minimum; I don't know why they still carry the bottom plan as it is such a dog for the price.