Dive Insurance - Who Needs It?

Your health insurance policy may not cover you, if you have a diving accident. Find out who offers dive insurance and what they offer.

If you are not sure about your coverage, ask your insurance company and get all promises in writing. If your insurance company does not cover you, you can get a supplemental policy specifically for diving accidents.

These policies cover bills your primary health insurance will not, including deductibles. Look for coverage that meets all your needs.

Divers Alert Network (DAN) offers three levels of coverage.
Its package includes a membership fee. This fee helps support the nonprofit organization's research into hyperbaric medicine and dive safety. All DAN members are automatically enrolled in TravelAssist. TravelAssist provides up to $100,000 for emergency transportation and covers any medical emergency, but only if you are more than 50 miles from home. DAN's Master plan covers all injuries that occur while diving or snorkeling. The Standard plan and Plus policies cover only costs related to decompression illness. There are also depth limits. DAN's Standard and Plus policies cover only dives made within 130 feet, but their Master plan covers injuries at any depth.

Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI) also offers three levels of coverage.
PADI policies provide $100,000 for emergency evacuation through Assist America. The Silver and Gold plans will cover only evacuation of the insured diver, and only dive related injuries. The Platinum plan covers evacuation of the insured and immediate family for any travel emergency. All three of PADI's policies cover all injuries that occur while diving or snorkeling. PADI coverage extends only to 130 feet, but if there is an emergency it will cover below 130 feet. Any certified diver qualifies for the insurance.

Diver's Security Agency (DSI) has four narrow policies that can be combined to fit your individual needs.
A minimum purchase of $25 is required. DSI recommends that divers take all four classes of coverage for the most complete coverage. DSI's class C policy covers emergency evacuation only for diving accidents. It covers recompression chamber expenses. Class B covers all injuries sustained while snorkeling or diving. Class D covers all other injuries sustained while water skiing, sailing, fishing, or recreational boating. DSI's depth limit is 120 feet.

DiveAssure
There are 3 levels of annual coverage available: Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Family discounts apply to all programs. All plans offer coverage up to the policy limit for: Accident medical and rescue expenses following a diving accident, including emergency evacuation, and policy limit; Death as a result of diving accident; Accidental dismemberment or paralysis as a result of diving accident; Loss of diving gear left on site of claimable accident requiring hospital treatment; Repatriation of remains to home country; Flight or accommodation expenses following diving accident; No depth limit; Diving vacation cancellation and/or interruption.

DiveSafe
This is a simple straightforward plan. The annual premium includes: Emergency medical evacuation & medical dive accident limits; No limits on dive depth, equipment or breathing gases; Accidental death & dismemberment; Repatriation of remains; Extra accommodations and airline transport; Vacation cancellation and interruption; Lost diving equipment.

Choose the policy that best suits your needs, one that compliments your current policy, giving you complete coverage. Hopefully, you will never need it. It is better to dive safe than sorry.

Source: scuba.about.com