Dive Equipment insurance

[tboxcar]

I am sure this has been mentioned a few times before, so please direct me elsewhere if so.
Looking to purchase dive equipment insurance, I"m already a DAN member and have used a group 'through them' "Senn and Marsh" I believe. Now I am looking at a policy with D.E.P.P.. My major concern is getting my gear stolen, or lost, as I dive in alot of 3rd world countries and travel on alot of dodgy buses/Trains and such.
Has anyone had experience with either of the above groups. Has anyone ever had to file a claim? Did they replace your gear or give YOU the money to do so.
Any insight would be helpful

 

[Taxgeek]

There are lots of discussions somewhere. Especially with regard to camera gear, there are big threads over at wetpixel.

I just went with DAN rather than DEPP because it's alot cheaper, at least for camera gear, and they give you money rather than replacement products. This is turning out to be important, here's why. In 2 weeks, I leave for Cocos Island. Last Sunday, I flooded my strobe connector and toasted the electronics in my housing. I want to take these with me in 2 weeks to Cocos! So I shipped them off to Ikelite, will pay them to fix or pay them for new ones, and probably will have the fixed or new pieces to take with me. Having filed my claim with Senn and Marsh (who by the way are a small operation and very friendly), they said I should just send them the bill from Ike and they will cut me a check. So I can pay Ike now, and get my new stuff likety split without having to wait for the insurance company to go through its procedures and get me the check, I'll just get the money after the trip, no big deal. If instead I had had DEPP, I would have had to involve them in the rush-rush process of getting the fixed/replacement gear before I leave. I didn't really think about that at the time I signed up, but am happy now.

I haven't used DEPP, but I thought their website was hokey, and together with being more expensive and issuing replacement gear, that tipped the scales. Plus, I am pretty sure DEPP makes you insure dive gear in order to insure camera gear, whereas with DAN you only have to insure the pieces you want to insure. It sounds like you're interested in insuring your dive gear, not camera gear, but seems like the same issues would be important.

As I said above, Senn and Marsh have been really friendly and responsive so far, and they use Fireman's insurance, which I've at least heard of. I've been pleased so far.

 

[Mo2vation]

DAN has been great. Camera got bounced by a butterfingered DM last year - I sent it off to the factory for an estimate. Sent the estimate to DAN, they sent me a check.

Rocks!

---
Ken

 

[Meng_Tze]

Looking 'Hard' also helps.....
People that look like victims often are made victims....especially with small time criminals

 

[djanni]

I'm insured with DAN. Used them once. Relatively hassle free. I like that DAN writes you a check and DEPP wants the equipment. It seems DAN makes it an easier process.

I have camera equipment covered and as I recall pricing was reasonably close between the 2.

 

[O'Malley]

Plus, I am pretty sure DEPP makes you insure dive gear in order to insure camera gear, whereas with DAN you only have to insure the pieces you want to insure.

I recently insured my camera equipment with DEPP and the representative I spoke with stated it is no longer a requirement to insure a full set of dive gear before insuring flood items; thier website, however, does not reflect this policy change.