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A Closer Look at Divers Insurance

A Closer Look at Divers Insurance

Written by Nevin
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Published on March 7, 2010

Divers Insurance is something that is important to have for any recreational Scuba Diver, however there simply isn’t enough awareness as to its benefits which is why so many people fail to opt for it. A diving related accident is a very serious matter and can involve major medical expenses and related expenses that most ordinary medical and travel policies simply do not cover. Diver’s insurance gives you specialized coverage designed specifically for divers including a wide range of diving related accidents, injuries, and even extended coverage such as dive equipment and dive trip cancellation coverage.

Companies or Organization specializing in Diver’s Insurance are not very common and the six biggest providers are: DAN, PADI, NAUI, DiveSafe, DiveAssure and Diver’s Security Insurance (DSI).  It is important to find out whether the insurance provider is a primary insurer (provides coverage itself) or is a secondary insurer (engages another company to cover) as rates and policy flexibility depends on this.

What does Divers Insurance cover?
Divers Insurance policies cover everything from Dive Accident Insurance, Trip Insurance, Dive Equipment & Camera Insurance to Group Life Insurance.

Dive Accident Insurance
Dive Accident injuries and related costs can run into staggering numbers, as it may include the cost of airlifting the insured to seek medical attention at the nearest hypobaric treatment facility, which may involve Helicopter or private jet fees, as well as the treatment itself which is highly expensive and may require a series of re-compression treatments.  Dive Accident Insurance usually covers dive related hyperbaric chamber treatment and emergency evacuation, both at home and abroad and includes other injuries that may occur while scuba diving.

Some policies have depth restrictions, commonly 130 feet. Which may seem like a lot, but accidents being unintentional could involve unexpectedly dropping below 130 feet being dragged by sudden currents or equipment failure, where a policy without a specified depth limit is better to have. Also ensure while selecting your policy that the plan covers dive injuries other than DCI and also snorkeling and skin diving, otherwise it isn’t suitable.

Dive Accident insurance is no substitute for a primary medical insurance plan, as certain treatment of Dive related injuries such as rehabilitation, associated injuries etc, are usually not covered.

Trip Insurance
More comprehensive scuba accident policies provide trip cancellation and interruption benefits as well, often providing a broader coverage against airline cancellation and natural disasters. Diver’s insurance policies usually have several different categories of coverage (eg: Gold, Silver, Platinum plans etc) which describe the degree of comprehensive cover specified the above including the standard Diving Accident insurance.

Dive Equipment & Camera Insurance
Dive Equipment & Camera Insurance, covers loss of scuba gear and equipment due to water damage and also loss of equipment due to theft or lost baggage.