DAN VS. Dive Assure

[Hoosier]

The guy is still fighting with DAN 4 years later.

That is the part he needs a home lawyer.

 

[del_mo]

I have DiveAssure (Diamond Plan) and have filed and was reimbursed in a somewhat timely basis for trip interruption due to a threatening hurricane. I thought they were more than fair in determining my damages (more than I expected).

I chose DiveAssure for a couple reasons, the primary reason is that the policy covers trip interruption due to health/death of family members that don't live at your address. My mom is at the age where anything can happen at any time.

 

[divenutny]

I have been covered by DAN for over ten years. Luckily, I never needed a chamber. I have heard good stories of DAN's coverage from the few people I met that needed chamber treatment inside and outside the US. Regardless, DAN insurance may not be accepted at many chambers outside the US. If you search the net, you will find threads on this topic. In 2006, agreements between DAN and many chambers fell apart. I suspect due to Dan not paying or slow payment of claims. DAN claims to have solved the differences. Time will tell. My message is you can not put total trust in DAN or any other insurance company. You need to know what is covered and where it is accepted. Dan does a lot of research that benefit divers. However, nothing like learning that you do not have coverage when you about to enter a chamber.

I do not mean to trash DAN. I am still a member. They should have never allowed the insurance coverage issue get out of control as they did in 2006. I hope they solved the issue. I am not confident they did. I would research the area you intend to dive and learn if you are covered. Do not assume anything.

Tom

 

[Charlie99]

As an aside, earlier this year we did a trip on the Belize Aggressor, with a couple of days at Ambergris Caye. The chamber at Ambergris is right next to the airport (airstrip?), so I dropped in to take a look.

After being greeted by the nice lady there, I asked, conversational-like, if they took DAN insurance. They snickered. Then I showed them my Dive Assure card, asking if that would do? The smiles told me more than advertising could.

I'm happy that I carry DiveAssure.

Belize Diving, Hyperbaric Chamber on Ambergris Caye, San Pedro
Is this the chamber you are referring to? The website says it is the only chamber on Ambergris Caye. It also says that the chamber "is a Divers Alert Network (DAN) referral center and Platinum DAN sponsor,... "

It is one of the SSS chamber network, the group that had a billing dispute (on what is the appropriate "customary and usual fee" schedule for reimbursement, I believe) with DAN back in March 2006, but my understanding is that things quickly came to a head and were settled in late March or early April 2006.
edit: Latest press release -- final settlement was this month
DAN Divers Alert Network : DAN and SSS Issue Joint Press Release

The the website above, and the SSS network website below say they accept DAN coverage. Did the people at the chamber tell you differently? Did they tell you they want up front payment?

The website for the SSS network, Welcome to the SSS Recompression Chamber Network shows SSS as being a referral center for all 5 regional DAN operations, including DAN America.

It would be nice to hear of peoples actual experience rather than vague comments about "snickering".

 

[love2fishfork]

Does the LDS get a commission for signing up someone with Dive Assure? Or DAN?

 

[UncleJoes]

Yes, But I want to offer my customers what is best. I don't want to overload them with excess coverage. That is a really easy way to lose their trust.

 

[prthd9]

Yes, But I want to offer my customers what is best. I don't want to overload them with excess coverage. That is a really easy way to lose their trust.

As a consumer I appreciate your concern. On the other hand, I want my options. My needs may be different than someone elses requiring a different amount of coverage. Not that you are doing this, but I do think some service providers try to water everything down and fail to remember that this is the internet age. Consumers can and should be taking responsibility for their purchases.

I know more about the equipment I am buying in the LDS than the minimum wage highschool kid behind the counter. Even your an insurance agent I am going to ask for multiple option and pick the one that best suits my needs. Offer both.....let them choose. Would you offer one regulator, because you thought it was best or one BC or one computer...no you offer a wide range of price and quality and insurance should be no different.

 

[jscott099]

I am a member of DAN and teach their courses. I am a DiveAssure partner. In OW classes I offer info on both to students without favoritism. For me, its DiveAssure. Like most folks with insurance, the companies count on you not to rock the boat or bother changing or even to bother comparing rates. As for me my reasons were: primary coverage, single rate for dive insurance, multi-trip insurance, equipment insurance. Good deals on adding family members. 'Significant other' is treated like a spouse when quoting rates. Shop around folks, you can still be a DAN member without the insurance if you want to. Competition is a good thing.

 

[fdog]

<snip>It would be nice to hear of peoples actual experience rather than vague comments about "snickering".

I miswrote. After refering to my logbook, the date I was at the Ambergris Caye chamber was 10 November 2006.

What I did write was not vague and was not a comment. They snickered. I stated that they did. It was my actual experience.

If you had been there, too, it would have been brutally apparent that they were very happy to see a DiveAssure card and thought the idea of DAN was amusing.



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I'm not knocking DAN as an organization, I firmly believe that they are a benefit and worthy of support.

Don't make the mistake of lumping DAN the non-profit organization in with DAN and it's for-profit relationship with Accident & General Insurance, Ltd, and United States Life Insurance Company.

Although it's all old news, here is an entertaining timeline of DAN's woes in the insurance business.


All the best, James