What I learned when I lost my camera

[Efka76]

I was just looking at their policy and found this:

"Personal Diving Equipment" - means:  Diving equipment, Your property or property in Your control, which feeds compressed or enriched gas  Floating balance  Rapid release buckle on the diving appliance 6 | P a g e  Belt and on the weights  Instrument to measure time and to measure depth (one per couple)  Warning instrument showing depletion of gas in the tank  Personal diving equipment also includes HOOKAH diving gear property of You or in the Your care, custody or control"

I suspect when they refer to coverage for "Diving gear - dive accident" they are referring to the gear that makes up our scuba (self contained breathing apparatus) gear. So ... maybe regulator, BC, computer, fins, mask? No where else in the document does it define or refer to "Diving gear". I suspect a camera would not be considered "diving gear". But a phone call would clarify it (gotta go work so don't have time now).

I do not know about current DiveAssure policies but at that time there had to be "diving accident" and proof of it should be report from doctor. Only then you claim would be considered..... also, you are right..... camera might not be considered as dive equipment..... need to read everything very carefully in policy.

 

[GameChanger]

Is it just me or is a ton of stuff lost on Paradise Reef?

I lost my overpriced expensive Apeks spool and overpriced Halcyon 5' DSMB there. (I now clip my replacement overpriced Apeks spool and overpriced Halcyon 5' DSMB inside a pocket of my overpriced Apeks Tech Shorts)

 

[Snoweman]

Ok insurance folks ... AAA will only insure my camera up to $1,500 (which is fine because the cost is less than that), but the dedictible is $1,000 (which isn't fine because the whole rig costs about $1200).

Any recommendations of how to insure the camera without it become one of those 'law of diminishing returns' sort of things?

DAN might cover it. The definition of covered diving accident is vague enough that you could argue being forgetful is not on purpose, and therefor an accident.

 

[Kimela]

I feel your pain. Two years ago I was diving in Brothers islands in Red Sea. At the end of dive when I was boarding RIB, my brand new camera snapped from my wrist mount and sink to sea bottom. Brand new Go Pro with expensive SD card and housing. Sadly I was watching how it sink to the bottom. I did not try to rescue it as I had appr. 50 bar of air left in my tank and bottom in that place was quite deep - aprr. 80-100 m. My thinking was pretty simple - it is better to lose camera than life.

Oh, that's heart breaking. But you made the right call. Still heart breaking though ...

Ya know, I've always handed up my camera because I didn't want it banging on the ladder as I climbed back on the boat. My husband had suggested I put two D-rings on it and clip it to two places on my BC so I don't have to take it off. Reading your story has made me think this might be a good idea. Also, sometimes I see crew put cameras in the mask rinse bucket, and I'm told the soap is bad for the o-rings.

 

[tursiops]

Also, sometimes I see crew put cameras in the mask rinse bucket, and I'm told the soap is bad for the o-rings.

The problem is the soap on the lens....
NOTHING should go in the mask rinse bucket these days, especially masks!

 

[Kimela]

The problem is the soap on the lens....
NOTHING should go in the mask rinse bucket these days, especially masks!

Thank you for the clarification. Now I won't freak out when I see a camera in the soapy water bucket. I haven't used the mask bucket for many years. I've always thought of it as a petri dish. I feel a bit guilty using my fresh water from a bottle for my rinse, but I try to bring water from the room if I'm in Cozumel.

 

[jejton]

DAN might cover it. The definition of covered diving accident is vague enough that you could argue being forgetful is not on purpose, and therefor an accident.

I asked DAN about this yesterday when renewing my DAN Insurance. While they do offer some coverage for dive gear, photo/video gear is not covered. I did not ask about DAN Trip insurance though. That may cover it.

 

[Marie13]

Thank you for the clarification. Now I won't freak out when I see a camera in the soapy water bucket. I haven't used the mask bucket for many years. I've always thought of it as a petri dish. I feel a bit guilty using my fresh water from a bottle for my rinse, but I try to bring water from the room if I'm in Cozumel.

Why the guilt? Heck, I’ve never even been on a boat with a mask bucket.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

Ouch, I'm sorry for your loss!

My philosophy is to try and force yourself to hold the camera, and any clips should be short so you have to take an action to clip it off. I don't like using leashes, because of the risk of thinking it's clipped off, but not really--but in shore entries or rough water, then a leash is good. Accidents happen, unfortunately.

I am a do-er like yourself, and I didn't do a dive without a camera for half a decade until I started rebreather diving. That gave me something else to focus on underwater, but even then, I have a gopro on a boltsnap that I can use for casual snaps.

Regarding insurance, I stopped using H2O and started using State Farm personal articles policy. They cover stuff outside of diving too, and I believe they cover losses like yours. They won't cover my DPV but they do cover drones, cameras, computers, and rebreathers. I believe they would cover my DPV if I had bought it new with receipt, but it is used and modified.

There was a time in my life where in a months span, I broke 3 strobes and a primary light. A DS125 that I didnt seal right and battery pack flooded on a 20' saltwater dive. A DS50 that I didn't seal right and flooded also on a 20' saltwater dive. And a DS125 that must have gotten dropped or banged and stopped working. Hit the wallet pretty hard and was discouraging, and also all on uninsured equipment. Started insuring my strobes, and ended up finding great deals on DS161's used. I'm sure the universe has great pictures in store for you!

 

[Kimela]

Why the guilt? Heck, I’ve never even been on a boat with a mask bucket.

Because I know fresh water is less available, therefore more valuable on an island. I imagine you've

Ouch, I'm sorry for your loss!

My philosophy is to try and force yourself to hold the camera, and any clips should be short so you have to take an action to clip it off. I don't like using leashes, because of the risk of thinking it's clipped off, but not really--but in shore entries or rough water, then a leash is good. Accidents happen, unfortunately.

I am a do-er like yourself, and I didn't do a dive without a camera for half a decade until I started rebreather diving. That gave me something else to focus on underwater, but even then, I have a gopro on a boltsnap that I can use for casual snaps.

Regarding insurance, I stopped using H2O and started using State Farm personal articles policy. They cover stuff outside of diving too, and I believe they cover losses like yours. They won't cover my DPV but they do cover drones, cameras, computers, and rebreathers. I believe they would cover my DPV if I had bought it new with receipt, but it is used and modified.

There was a time in my life where in a months span, I broke 3 strobes and a primary light. A DS125 that I didnt seal right and battery pack flooded on a 20' saltwater dive. A DS50 that I didn't seal right and flooded also on a 20' saltwater dive. And a DS125 that must have gotten dropped or banged and stopped working. Hit the wallet pretty hard and was discouraging, and also all on uninsured equipment. Started insuring my strobes, and ended up finding great deals on DS161's used. I'm sure the universe has great pictures in store for you!

Wow - you really took some hard hits!! I'll look at State Farm. We haven't been very happy with the customer service at AAA. They have our home, auto, and of course you are required to also have the roadside service. I'm sure there are better deals out there. Thanks. Here's to hoping neither of us ever flood, break or lose another bit of gear (due to operator error anyway).