SDI/TDI Solo Diving Certification

[Tod]

As an FYI having this certification will dramatically increase your risk rating for life insurance. This may be one of those courses where getting the training is better than turning in the paperwork for the C-Card.

That's the first time I've ever heard of this and I'm not so sure I'd take it on its face value. For one, there is no law that requires you to hold such a card before you go it alone.

Having taken the class I can say that the class will focus on preparing you to be a better (read: more prepared) diver. About 98% of the class is stuff that would apply to any diver whether they are with a group of divers or out there by themselves. So the course is a worthwhile venture for most. [I am sure there are some that already know everything.]

Nothing, however, replaces good common sense.

 

[JimC]

Yes, I know the 100 logged dives, will probably get it by March/April. I am on a crash course to tech diving.

Uhh.. YIKES.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

As an FYI having this certification will dramatically increase your risk rating for life insurance. This may be one of those courses where getting the training is better than turning in the paperwork for the C-Card.

Who's gonna tell the insurance mafia if you have it?:06: Not me. A buddy of mine told his insurance carrier that he was in recovery from alcoholism. They didn't raise his rates, they friggin dropped him! They never even questioned him when he was going to the hospital for falling down, running into doors, missing work, etc. I told him he was better off poisoning himself to death with the booze and keeping his mouth shut(not really)! So with those vultures it's a don't ask don't tell policy about anything. Smoke? No. Drink? No. Walk backwards? No. Dive solo? HECK NO, what do you think I am crazy?

 

[Xanthro]

That's the first time I've ever heard of this and I'm not so sure I'd take it on its face value. For one, there is no law that requires you to hold such a card before you go it alone.

My wife owns an insurance company and does business in more than ten States. Every major insurance company, such as Northwestern, PacLife have the same questions on their forms.

Even open water certification will increase your risk rating. Solo diving is a specific question that you have to answer. Note, the question is NOT "Do you dive Solo?" It's do you have a solo diver certification. Same questions for Rescue, Wreck, Cave, and then a general question of what other certifications do you have, and questions about how many dives you've done in the past year, broken down by depth, less than 60, 60-100, 100-130, over 130, and how many dives you plan in the next year based on the same depths.

I'm just letting people know that your rates will be higher with the certification.

 

[Xanthro]

Who's gonna tell the insurance mafia if you have it?:06: Not me. ...So with those vultures it's a don't ask don't tell policy about anything. Smoke? No. Drink? No. Walk backwards? No. Dive solo? HECK NO, what do you think I am crazy?

Unfortunately, they specifically will ask, and you have to sign that the answers are truthful. If you lie, then the claim can be contested within a certain time, usually two years.

Note, I'm not talking about insurance via your work. I'm talking about higher amounts of insurance.