When a liveaboard trip is cancelled the day you arrive....

[outofofficebrb]

Interesting. Which LOBs require DAN insurance?

Neither of the 2 LOB providers we use in the Caribbean require any insurance. They both strongly suggest you have insurance and provide some suggested suppliers.
Dive & Trip Insurance - Explorer Ventures

Liveaboard Scuba Dive Yachts Vacations & Trips | Aggressor Fleet

We carry trip and medical insurance, but not DAN.

Before anyone freaks out that @giffenk does not have dive accident insurance....I was reading the fine print in your coverage earlier in the week and yours does not exclude scuba diving as a high risk activity. Many health insurance policies Stateside (and travel health insurance policies) exclude or put a low limit on accidents that happen as a result of scuba diving, hence the need for many of us to get DAN accident insurance. Plus, your medical policy had quite a high maximum compared to the normal Stateside medical options as well as travel medical options.

 

[BDSC]

If someone is wanting to book an Aggressor boat, read as many reviews as possible and stick to some of the boats that have been operating in the same area for a very long time like the Belize boats and the Cayman Aggressor boat. But if it's a new destination for them, run, run, and then run even faster away from them. They have a history of rushing boats into service when they were not even close to being ready. The results have been a disaster for those on board.

 

[outofofficebrb]

If someone is wanting to book an Aggressor boat, read as many reviews as possible and stick to some of the boats that have been operating in the same area for a very long time like the Belize boats and the Cayman Aggressor boat. But if it's a new destination for them, run, run, and then run even faster away from them. They have a history of rushing boats into service when they were not even close to being ready. The results have been a disaster for those on board.

Wise words. FWIW, I was on the Raja Ampat Aggressor in October and it was really, really good. The crew is amazing. They are very attentive to your needs and your preferences (then remember them!), are very thoughtful, super friendly, and warm. The facilities were very clean and well kept and food was really good. You dive until you're low on air and you come up with your buddy to the dinghy. No fuss. Great camera and deck facilities. Spacious. I highly recommend and would return in a heartbeat. While Raja Ampat has great diving, I don't think this in any way affected my perception of the boat, operations, and crew. I would have been really happy on that boat stuck in the middle of nowhere without getting to dive.

 

[KeithG]

Before anyone freaks out that @giffenk does not have dive accident insurance....I was reading the fine print in your coverage earlier in the week and yours does not exclude scuba diving as a high risk activity. Many health insurance policies Stateside (and travel health insurance policies) exclude or put a low limit on accidents that happen as a result of scuba diving, hence the need for many of us to get DAN accident insurance. Plus, your medical policy had quite a high maximum compared to the normal Stateside medical options as well as travel medical options.

Agreed. From my policies perspective there is nothing special about scuba diving or using a LOB. It also does not care why any travel supplier defaulted on me. It is a high end product, unfortunately it also has high end premiums.

 

[BDSC]

I was on the Raja Ampat Aggressor in October and it was really, really good.

So what flight route from the States did you take? I have a trip booked for 2020 to Raja Ampat.

 

[Stoo]

If you have trip insurance, I would think that might come into play... Unusual situation for them to sort out, but that shouldn't be your problem...

 

[outofofficebrb]

So what flight route from the States did you take? I have a trip booked for 2020 to Raja Ampat.

I will PM you so that we don't de-rail this thread.

If you have trip insurance, I would think that might come into play... Unusual situation for them to sort out, but that shouldn't be your problem...

I'm pretty sure insurance companies would try to get out of paying out if they could. This is where fine print comes into play, hence, my post above with the bolding.

 

[BDSC]

I will PM you so that we don't de-rail this thread.

Thanks! No rush.

 

[chillyinCanada]

How was the trip won?

 

[Schwob]

I honestly don't know of any policy that would include it, including yours when I went through the fine print. (See the bolded items....) This would not fall under accident or illness, and not fortuitous either because the definition of that is by accident or luck/chance. It is not by accident or chance that the liveaboard company cancelled on her because of not having enough passengers. It is by negligence or poor communication via a business decision. This is definitely something an insurance company would argue against having to pay out for. (Unfortunately for us.) I don't think this would be covered under Dive Assure's or DAN's either. This may be one of those examples that may not be covered under any travel insurance policy and rests on how well or poorly a liveaboard company manages this situation. Perhaps this is a lesson to us all to inquire about their policies if minimums are not met....and also with the agent for those of us who like to book through Diviac or Liveaboard.com. (I know I do!)

In the OPs case, all that aside, the lead time on the notice was appalling.

I would like your post because I think it is right on, but of course there is not much to like about the situation it communicates...

As much as that seems ironical, it does seems the OP'chances (as low or high as they may be) for compensation are quite better here with Agressor than with the insurance.

My only experiences with Agressor (Red Sea) was great too. I however don't think a trip where nothing went south can ever be used as an indication towards quality of actions when something does go south. But maybe as a very slight indicator about the liklyness of something going south... maybe not.

The Agressor actions of the US office however really seem to speak loud and clear and sad...