DAN Membership/Insurance

[outofofficebrb]

Lower (i.e. None!) Deductible.

Good point.

Is a deductible common for travel medical insurance? I have not noticed it (or thought about it) in products I researched. I should recheck!

Thanks.

Geo Blue Traveler medical health insurance has a Voyager Choice plan with a $0 deductible option. It’s not much more than the deductible options.

For scope, I purchased a policy for 35 days with $1M coverage, $0 deductible, 100% coverage including dental for $88. Im in my mid 30’s. I have health insurance at home and covers internationally but not 100%

 

[Bigbella]

To the best of my knowledge anyone can call DAN to get advice. No need to buy insurance. Maybe you should feel obligated to buy membership afterwards?

Their list of so called experts is lacking. And yes I have first hand knowledge of this.

There is nothing special about air evacuation or hyberbaric treatment. They are routine in the medical world and covered by "outstanding" medical insurance products. And lots of just normal products.

Instead of a DCS hit, consider the case of a common heart attack. A very critical and costly situation. Covered by normal medical insurance. Which one costs more? Diving is not that special.

P.S. I would be interested to know what medical coverage you have that does not cover the items you referred to? And why do you have it? Maybe it is extremely low cost or free?

Over the past several decades, I have witnessed six or more remote evacuations due to, not heart attacks; not stubbed toes; but the onset of DCS; pneumothorax; and, in one case, mediastinal emphysema. Of those that I could follow up upon, the evacuations and care ran into the several hundred thousand dollar range; and not everything was entirely covered by even Cadillac insurances, especially in the age of The "Affordable" Care Act. Diving is indeed seen by some as risky behavior. It's not BASE jumping; but is seen by many insurers as accident prone.

Having used DAN coverage for comparatively minor issues -- a ruptured eardrum; dental barotrauma -- I have found them to be professional, knowledgeable, and straightforward. The doctors and referrals were all first-rate. Did I mention that there was no deductible on a 12K bill?

Free? That's insulting. My insurance is through HealthNet in California; and I drop close to 900.00 a month out of pocket, by law, just to have continued access to my long-time personal physician, now only available through that network -- you know, one of those doctors Obama assured us that we could keep?

Even at that cost, the limitations and exemptions pages of that policy -- maybe an age thing -- read longer than Paradise Lost . . .

 

[DandyDon]

Is a deductible common for travel medical insurance? I have not noticed it (or thought about it) in products I researched. I should recheck!

It varies a lot, by company, plan choice, your state of residence as each state insurance department will have respective requirements - and we don't even know if you live in the US. It's usually not much if at all, but you should check yours, yep. And I do always take Trip Insurance for international trips as my regular coverage pays little out of the country, and I nag all family members to do so - taking a better plan, not one of the cheaper ones. Insurance companies like to sell coverage of course, not pay benefits so much, but the one we've been using paid well on the couple of claims we've had - and we are currently way ahead with benefits paid being far greater than total premiums paid.

I too have wondered if I really need DAN Dive Insurance since I have $100K medical coverage for my Cozumel trips and $1Million for needed medical evacuation, but even the top tier Trip policy I usually take excludes coverage if I go below 130 feet (which I intetionally have a few times) or dive without a DM, common on shore dives. Sometimes the belt & suspenders approach is a good one, especially when it's a cheap call.

 

[Bigbella]

I too have wondered if I really need DAN Dive Insurance since I have $100K medical coverage for my Cozumel trips and $1Million for needed medical evacuation, but even the top tier Trip policy I usually take excludes coverage if I go below 130 feet (which I intetionally have a few times) or dive without a DM, common on shore dives. Sometimes the belt & suspenders approach is a good one, especially when it's a cheap call.

Read that policy very well; refresh your knowledge of Aramaic and colloquial Sanskrit.

A lawyer once told me, that "the definition of an unnatural act, was an insurance agency writing out a check" . . .

 

[jonhall]

Geo Blue Traveler medical health insurance has a Voyager Choice

Any idea what the particulars are for the "Hazardous Activities" - scuba diving - section other than the $10,000 maximum benefit? As DAN spells out in its handbook what it covers, does GEOBlue give detail about what diving claims it would cover?

 

[outofofficebrb]

Any idea what the particulars are for the "Hazardous Activities" - scuba diving - section other than the $10,000 maximum benefit? As DAN spells out in its handbook what it covers, does GEOBlue give detail about what diving claims it would cover?

I’m not sure. I’ll have to look. I don’t buy Geo blue to cover any diving activities, to be honest $10K goes by quickly in the realm of a dive accident or problem and I’d want the experts at DAN to weigh in anyway. I have DAN dive accident Guardian level and dive travel insurance with Dive Assure which I buy for each trip that also has some dive accident coverage. They do consults with duke dive medicine. I buy geo blue purely for non-diving needs, up to worst case needing emergency surgery and medical evacuations, etc., hence the high amount and low deductible. It’s super affordable and it’s a supplement to my health insurance.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Any idea what the particulars are for the "Hazardous Activities" - scuba diving - section other than the $10,000 maximum benefit? As DAN spells out in its handbook what it covers, does GEOBlue give detail about what diving claims it would cover?

Any time you are unsure, feel free to phone the insurance company and ask. And ask again in different words. No need to get pushy or bitchy, just be clear and make sure you communicate any issues you have not received an understandable explanation of. Do this before you become a client - that is their cost of business. Be very open, clear and persistent. You have nothing to lose by being honest with your questions (even after you are a client - they hate fraud). But get your answers!

And yes the nebulous "hazardous activities" thingy warrants an officially documented transcription of your conversation. Many insurance policies talk about "dangerous activities" without defining them. As a consumer, you need a clear definition in order to make your purchase decision. So phone them and ask.

Your challenge is to make sure you understand what they have committed to.

Maybe someone who fully understands the insurance business can chime in and provide some guidance about how legally binding utterances of an insurance phone support person are?

 

[outofofficebrb]

Any time you are unsure, feel free to phone the insurance company and ask. And ask again in different words. No need to get pushy or bitchy, just be clear and make sure you communicate any issues you have not received an understandable explanation of. Do this before you become a client - that is their cost of business. Be very open, clear and persistent. You have nothing to lose by being honest with your questions (even after you are a client - they hate fraud). But get your answers!

And yes the nebulous "hazardous activities" thingy warrants an officially documented transcription of your conversation. Many insurance policies talk about "dangerous activities" without defining them. As a consumer, you need a clear definition in order to make your purchase decision. So phone them and ask.

Your challenge is to make sure you understand what they have committed to.

Maybe someone who fully understands the insurance business can chime in and provide some guidance about how legally binding utterances of an insurance phone support person are?

Great points. I would want it in writing in their coverage or exclusion documents regardless.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Found it.

“Benefits for claims resulting from downhill (alpine) skiing and scuba diving (certification by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) or the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) or other recognized national/international governing body required or diving under the supervision of a certified instructor): Reasonable Charges limited to the Trip Period Maximum or $10,000, whichever is less”

AKA (IMO) you should still have DAN dive accident.

for anyone who wants to read: https://www.geobluetravelinsurance.com/pdf_docs/certs/samples/SAMPLE_VoyagerChoice_0002.pdf

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

Found it.

“Benefits for claims resulting from downhill (alpine) skiing and scuba diving (certification by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) or the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) or other recognized national/international governing body required or diving under the supervision of a certified instructor): Reasonable Charges limited to the Trip Period Maximum or $10,000, whichever is less”

AKA (IMO) you should still have DAN dive accident.

for anyone who wants to read: https://www.geobluetravelinsurance.com/pdf_docs/certs/samples/SAMPLE_VoyagerChoice_0002.pdf

Thanks. Good info. It appears GeoBlue has a maximum benefit of $10,000 per trip for this product. Very limited.

How much does it cost?