Blindly telling divers to buy DAN insurance is poor advice. My health insurance (which is nothing spectacular) pays for evacation if required as well as hyperbaric treatment. Does yours? Maybe yours does and maybe yours does not, but you should read your policy before deciding whether to spend more money on more insurance. I am a DAN member, because DAN contributes to the diving community immensely. However, I do not buy DAN dive accident insurance, nor do I buy life insurance or disability insurance from DAN (both of which DAN offers). I also do not buy extended warranties on products I buy at the store or additional insurance on rental cars (all of which are generally considered to be major rip offs, and the latter of which is generally covered by my standard auto policy).
While DAN is a non-profit organization, its insurance is underwritten by a wholly owned for profit insurance company located off shore. Some chambers stopped accepting DAN insurance because of disputes over non payment. DAN has been sued more than once for not paying its bills. I understand that DAN has taken steps recently to clean up its act with insurance, but let's not equate DAN medical research with DAN insurance; they are separate entities.
And dive gear/travel insurance? You've got to be kidding me. I buy insurance if the cost of incurring a loss would be financially devastating to me. I have auto liability, homeowners, and health insurance, because those losses can reach into the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Insurance companies make money by taking in more than they pay out, so chances are you as a policy holder will pay out more than you will take in. If you buy extended warranties, all of the optional coverage for rental cars, and cannot bear the thought of having deductibles on any of your other insurance, then gear/travel insurance may be for you. Otherwise, forget it. If you can afford the vacation, you can probably afford to lose the cost of that trip, too.
I would be interested in advice on this thread from divers who sell health and other insurance.
While DAN is a non-profit organization, its insurance is underwritten by a wholly owned for profit insurance company located off shore. Some chambers stopped accepting DAN insurance because of disputes over non payment. DAN has been sued more than once for not paying its bills. I understand that DAN has taken steps recently to clean up its act with insurance, but let's not equate DAN medical research with DAN insurance; they are separate entities.
And dive gear/travel insurance? You've got to be kidding me. I buy insurance if the cost of incurring a loss would be financially devastating to me. I have auto liability, homeowners, and health insurance, because those losses can reach into the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Insurance companies make money by taking in more than they pay out, so chances are you as a policy holder will pay out more than you will take in. If you buy extended warranties, all of the optional coverage for rental cars, and cannot bear the thought of having deductibles on any of your other insurance, then gear/travel insurance may be for you. Otherwise, forget it. If you can afford the vacation, you can probably afford to lose the cost of that trip, too.
I would be interested in advice on this thread from divers who sell health and other insurance.
