First diving trip to Cozumel - a few questions

[riceowls]

Just checking, are you a member of DAN? That's really essential IMO. Surprises and accidents happen to anyone, and you want them if needed. Membership also includes emergency repatriation, and I am keeping my membership even when I get too old for this sport. It's also required to obtain their dive insurance which for most is also essential.

I am not, usually agnostic to buying extra insurance unless it is mandatory. I assume the emergency coverage of my regular insurance will cover the emergency part of the treatment and the probability to hit a very large (north of $5k) bill that is not covered is rather small. With diving a few times a year, is it really worth it?

 

[DandyDon]

I assume the emergency coverage of my regular insurance will cover the emergency part

Assumptions are dangerous. Does your regular insurance cover you in Mexico? Mine doesn't so I also take Trip insurance with good medical coverage anytime I leave the US. Could your cards easily be used to cover a $50K emergency while you collect receipts to file later? Does your coverage cover repatriations? I'd hate to be suffering in another country unable to obtain needed treatments.

the probability to hit a very large (north of $5k) bill that is not covered is rather small. With diving a few times a year, is it really worth it?

Yes, hell yes! I'm almost to 500 dives and I've seen six other divers leave in ambulances. Two of them had to be repatriated by emergency medical evacuation. I never learned if they were covered, got the kids to mortgage the home, or what. I've also heard of members of a group taking hits and the others donating to pay for their treatments, but I would not be inclined to be generous in such a case. That's what insurance is far.

 

[divezonescuba]

We’re all different. I used to know a gal who wore a dry suit diving Cozumel.

I dove in a drysuit in Cozumel one trip. It wasn’t because I was cold.

I had a leg wound injury that I could not get wet due to infection concerns. I sealed myself up before I left the dock and did not doff the drysuit until I was back on shore. The dives even included one thru Devi’s throat. On the very last trip back, I decided to come out early. Just before we got to the dock, the boat his a huge wake, and it all came down inside my now open drysuit.

The dm and boat captain thought is was hilarious that I didn’t get wet in the water all week, but got drenched on the boat on the way back on the last day.

 

[deepsea21]

With diving a few times a year, is it really worth it?

You'll open a can of worms with that question. I personally find dive insurance to be a total waste of $ if you have primary insurance and if you aren't diving somewhere remote where the "closest medical facility deemed capable of treating you" you isn't a helicopter or airplane ride away. Why do I say this? Because those who pound the table claiming you need dive insurance don't read the full policies. It is SECONDARY insurance that pays what your primary insurance won't pay. The common belief that these policies will pay for your medical evac on a charted medical plane back to the USA for treatment is absolutely false. Don't believe me? Go to the DAN website and read the entire policy (all the fine print). Also remember that DAN insurance is only a brand name that is underwritten by multiple insurance companies around the world. There is no DAN Insurance Company.

 

[DandyDon]

I personally find dive insurance to be a total waste of $ if you have primary insurance

Does yours cover you in Mexico? Restrictions. Sports exclusions?

 

[deepsea21]

Does yours cover you in Mexico? Restrictions. Sports exclusions?

All covered... Anywhere I go & scuba diving is covered as long as my dive plan was to remain within the 130' recreational limit. Have you ever read your entire primary insurance policy Dandy? I assumed you had but when you ask questions like this I'm now thinking you haven't which is why you waste $ on DAN insurance. If your primary insurance doesn't cover you everywhere you go or has an exclusion for common recreational scuba diving you have crappy insurance.

 

[DandyDon]

Have you ever read your entire primary insurance policy Dandy?

Yeah. I was asking about yours. If yours does cover outside of the US, and you have the means to pay megabucks then & there, then file claims later - great.

I'd still suggest DAN membership which includes repatriation. I'm keeping that even after I get too old for this sport.

If your primary insurance doesn't cover you everywhere you go or has an exclusion for common recreational scuba diving you have crappy insurance.

Many policies don't cover outside of the US so it's imperative to understand that aspect as well as general coverage. Medicare doesn't; my supplement has a little coverage outside, but not much.

 

[Andrew Dawson]

I had a buddy get unexpectedly bent on a technical dive trip to Truk Lagoon. He spent 6 days in a hyperbaric chamber, missed his pre-paid week in Palau following the Truk trip...and missed all flights home. All of it was paid for including his several times a day phone calls to DAN docs in Australia and getting back home. Pretty cheap for $140/yr. My medical insurance does cover scuba accidents...but not all treatments for it...that is, some treatments are and some are not. DAN would overlap my primary medical insurance...filling in all gaps and providing extra coverage for things covered if cost limits were breached. Cheap for $140/yr. This is, of course, just my opinion...not intending to change anyone's mind

Plus, the travel insurance and other benefits...etc

 

[deepsea21]

Yeah. I was asking about yours. If yours does cover outside of the US, and you have the means to pay megabucks then & there, then file claims later - great.

I do travel with 2-3 high limit credit cards that offer me about $40K-$60K of credit if needed. A former DM of ours recently had 3 stents placed in Cancun who was suspected of having had a heart attack. Cost was less than $20K. You don't get 3 stents placed in the states for less than $20K. A couple of high limit credit cards should take care of about everything that could happen in an emergency. And remember, for DAN to pay anything the medical emergency must have occurred while diving or on a dive boat... not on land. Have a heart attack or stroke on land, get hit by a car, fall down a flight of stairs or trip on a Mexican sidewalk and break your neck... don't call DAN.

 

[DandyDon]

And remember, for DAN to pay anything the medical emergency must have occurred while diving or on a dive boat... not on land. Have a heart attack or stroke on land, get hit by a car, fall down a flight of stairs or trip on a Mexican sidewalk and break your neck... don't call DAN.

Some Dive Insurance plans do include some non-diving accident coverage, but their primary purpose is Dive insurance. I take Trip insurance with good medical coverage for non-diving needs outside of the US. I think your medical coverage that includes outside of the US and your high-end cards are more than most have so DAN serves the others more than it would you. I think it'd prudent to inform new divers of the possible need and resource.

Does it cover repatriation? If not, you might want to be a DAN member just for that.