What would you have done?

[Kingpatzer]

Agency recommendations in the USA are 130 fsw for NDL recreational sport divers.

Just to follow up a bit . . .

I think you will find that that is not quite what PADI training materials state.

PADI recommends 100' and puts 130' as the absolute maximum safe depth, and 140' as the absolute emergency contingency depth

(the language might not be exact there, i don't have the materials in front of me, but it's close to that).

The result is that a lawyer with a nit to pick might well focus on that 100' number.

Could they make it stand in court?

Maybe. But that's not my point . . .

My point is not that thish particular dive would or would not be covered.

My point is that one can not assume that having insurance gives one free reign to ignore one's training. You may not be covered if the cause of the mishap is a failure to attend to one's responsibility to act within one's training.

Blatently irresponsible actions on the part of the diver will lesson an insurers responsibility to cover damages.

 

[Skeeter1097]

The only thing you did wrong was to stay as long as you did. But I too did the same thing once. I waited to long because of a DM that did not take time to lead me as I was very new and that was his job. I did not pay him and I learned a lesson too.
Watch out for myself but watch everyone.

 

[TheRedHead]

Making a solo ascent was wrong and not very smart either, but I blame the buddy/instructor. The OP agreed to a bad idea because he is green. When you call a dive, a dive is ended - for both buddies - that's it, the end, no questions - ever.

Do you know how many diving accident reports contain the line "we last saw him at the ascent line?"

 

[nereas]

..
Do you know how many diving accident reports contain the line "we last saw him at the ascent line?"

The other common phrase that also comes to mind in the accident reports is "... at which point the buddy team became separated..."