Specific diver insurance in Canada?

[Thalassamania]

Check for the availability of riders on existing insurances to get you the coverage that you need. Keep in mind that DAN is secondary insurance and pays nothing 'till you exhaust all other forms of insurance. Riders are often cheaper and can give you better coverage.

 

[Papa_Bear]

You have the full faith of the Canadian Government! You don't need no stinking private insurance! That's what they say right? All UK countries will honor treatment and most others as well under treaty...... Socialized medicine is great, we all want free stuff as long as the rich pay for it! I say ask for it all make the Government pay for you DAN insurance! Just tax another rich guy, maybe your boss! Ya, that's the ticket!

 

[JeffG]

You have the full faith of the Canadian Government! You don't need no stinking private insurance! That's what they say right? All UK countries will honor treatment and most others as well under treaty...... Socialized medicine is great, we all want free stuff as long as the rich pay for it! I say ask for it all make the Government pay for you DAN insurance! Just tax another rich guy, maybe your boss! Ya, that's the ticket!

You have no clue.

 

[Darnold9999]

Got to agree with Jeff on this one - you really don't have any idea what you are talking about do you.

Better to have a government that steps in when the rich make poor investment decisions than one that steps in to help make sure everyone has basic health care. Yeah that's how it should work.

To the OP, as I read the DAN policy it doesn't serve any purpose for diving within 50 miles of home and only kicks in to deal with things that the Province does not pick up. So it will depend on where you do your local diving if it makes sense.

I regularly dive more than 50 miles away and know that I would end up paying for transport so figure DAN is fairly inexpensive insurance if only for that purpose. However I also do one or two trips a year outside of Canada. Would not dive outside of Canada without it. The potential liability is pretty large if you need air evac from some remote location.

 

[rdolmat]

Yup...I think better safe than sorry...seems smarter to sign up and not worry for the next year!

Is it worth to sign up for the PADI/DAN double membership thingy? Or should I just go DAN? I'm not sure what the PADI membership really brings.

 

[electric_diver]

One other thing to keep in mind is where exactly you are diving. If you are diving near the border (like Brockville area) the first responders to an emergency may be the US Coast Guard. They will evacuate you to a US facility. In which case you will be totally screwed without some form of out-of-country insurance.

 

[Belmont]

Speaking of the US Coast Guard, are you at risk of getting charged for their services?

 

[DandyDon]

I wondered if there was an accident included on this thread, since it's in A&I forum...?

Not every service is covered by the Provinces, so it certainly pays to understand specifically what is not covered and what the DAN insurance will supplement.

I know from experience here in Alberta that emergency transportation (ie. ambulance - air or ground) is not covered by Alberta Health. Supplemental insurance of some type has to cover that unless you are going to pay out of pocket. My wife's ambulance ride in Canmore two weeks ago was about $400.

I didn't know that. Most Canadian divers carry DAN in case of accident outside of Canada including border waters, but I know one in Alberta who doesn't. I'll mentioned this to her.

Look at it this way - DAN insurance is INCREDIBLY cheap. Why not sign up for it?

Yep! Forget the $25 plan tho; too many shortcomings. At least get the $35 plan with much for for little more, if not the top plan. All require $29 membership, which includes participation in a great organization, a great magazine, and arranged medical transportation services.

Get it now, it's for a year.
You'll have it when you travel, one less thing to bother about before leaving.
As Hawkwood said, medicare doesn't cover everything,.
When DCS is concerned a quick response is necessary and an air evac is not always
covered by government plans.

I've seen divers who intended to get it before a trip, but forgot - and got hit.

Check for the availability of riders on existing insurances to get you the coverage that you need. Keep in mind that DAN is secondary insurance and pays nothing 'till you exhaust all other forms of insurance. Riders are often cheaper and can give you better coverage.

BUT they guarantee payments at the time services are needed, which can be an issue if you're in pain or worse in a location that won't treat you unless payment is guaranteed.

You have no clue.

Again.

Yup...I think better safe than sorry...seems smarter to sign up and not worry for the next year!

Is it worth to sign up for the PADI/DAN double membership thingy? Or should I just go DAN? I'm not sure what the PADI membership really brings.

I see no need in the Padi membership.

One other thing to keep in mind is where exactly you are diving. If you are diving near the border (like Brockville area) the first responders to an emergency may be the US Coast Guard. They will evacuate you to a US facility. In which case you will be totally screwed without some form of out-of-country insurance.

Yep!

Speaking of the US Coast Guard, are you at risk of getting charged for their services?

Interesting question. Just maybe for US citizens altho not likely. For other nationalities, I think it's free per treaties.

 

[Hawkwood]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hawkwood
Not every service is covered by the Provinces, so it certainly pays to understand specifically what is not covered and what the DAN insurance will supplement.

I know from experience here in Alberta that emergency transportation (ie. ambulance - air or ground) is not covered by Alberta Health. Supplemental insurance of some type has to cover that unless you are going to pay out of pocket. My wife's ambulance ride in Canmore two weeks ago was about $400.

I didn't know that. Most Canadian divers carry DAN in case of accident outside of Canada including border waters, but I know one in Alberta who doesn't. I'll mentioned this to her.

In this case our insurance from work will cover the ambulance ride. This particular "incident" was not a diving accident. We were at a restaraunt after a weekend of diving and my wife choked. Two of us did a series of over 9 thrusts before she was able to inhale - she was going blue and we were ready to put her down on the floor when she began to wheeze. Ambulance arrived shortly thereafter and took her to hospital for observation.

 

[NudeDiver]

Speaking of the US Coast Guard, are you at risk of getting charged for their services?

If not, you should be.