Being dropped by insurance for diving?

[ishmaelcat]

Try to purchase individual Health Insurance in the U.S. in our wonderful insurance-company-dominated health care system, and see what happens if you admit you dive any deeper than 60 FSW. I don't remember the exact amount, but I was told by the agent that this would increase my premium by over $100 per month. (He had it in writing in a company rate chart)

 

[RTee]

Try to purchase individual Health Insurance in the U.S. in our wonderful insurance-company-dominated health care system, and see what happens if you admit you dive any deeper than 60 FSW. I don't remember the exact amount, but I was told by the agent that this would increase my premium by over $100 per month. (He had it in writing in a company rate chart)

You could tell them that you never dive beyond an EAD of 60 ft and see if they will catch it...

 

[Big John]

Try to purchase individual Health Insurance in the U.S. in our wonderful insurance-company-dominated health care system, and see what happens if you admit you dive any deeper than 60 FSW. I don't remember the exact amount, but I was told by the agent that this would increase my premium by over $100 per month. (He had it in writing in a company rate chart)

I am an agent in the Health Insurance business and I have never heard the question of diving or any other hobby come up in the underwriting process. I represent a number of well known companies and none of them have an additional rating for avocation. The caveat here being insurance varies from state to state, what one state allows another may not, I can only speak for the industry in North Carolina.

As to the question of life insurance, I broker for a wide variety of companies and the question of diving comes much into play here. I have several clients who are also divers,there are several companies who will not cover divers, some that will rate a diver (typically between $3 and $9 per thousand) and those who do not rate recreational divers.

To the OP, take your time and shop around. There are many good companies out there who will insure a diver with little to no additional rating.

 

[boulderjohn]

Try to purchase individual Health Insurance in the U.S. in our wonderful insurance-company-dominated health care system, and see what happens if you admit you dive any deeper than 60 FSW.

I am an agent in the Health Insurance business and I have never heard the question of diving or any other hobby come up in the underwriting process.

There is not a word related to this in my Health Insurance, and it is one of the biggest and most well known there is.

 

[seaducer]

There is not a word related to this in my Health Insurance, and it is one of the biggest and most well known there is.

My company pays my health insurance, and if they could kick back some of the charges to me as a diver, they would hop all over that like rabbits in a carrot patch.

If your health insurance gives you a hard time, show em your DAN insurance and tell em to take a hike....they dont have to pay it all if they want to whine about it.

 

[Q1988]

I have been insured under a term policy for over 15 years and then the renewal came for the next period and the question
do you Scube dive? yes
How many dives per year? 50
your policy will increase by about 40%

My response was is that too many or not enough? Which is more dangerous too much, so called exposure, or one dive every year without experience from a Mexican dive boat on rented gear?

Of course they did not know this was a scam based on an accuaries analyses and statistics. There are too many types of divers and dive types to answer this simple question and have it make any relevance.

The number of dives vs probability of an accident is a bell curve.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I have been insured under a term policy for over 15 years and then the renewal came for the next period and the question
do you Scube dive? yes
How many dives per year? 50
your policy will increase by about 40%

My response was is that too many or not enough? Which is more dangerous too much, so called exposure, or one dive every year without experience from a Mexican dive boat on rented gear?

Of course they did not know this was a scam based on an accuaries analyses and statistics. There are too many types of divers and dive types to answer this simple question and have it make any relevance.

The number of dives vs probability of an accident is a bell curve.

The policy increase may not have been due to Scuba. When my old policy expired after 10 years, they want to double it just based on my age, SCUBA was never mentioned. I believe they though they could scare a few policy holders into renewing at the highest possible rates.

I declined and found a much more reasonable policy with a different company and I did say yes when they asked if I dive. I of course had to submit to some lab test, but it worked out.

Bottom line you have to shop for insurance every couple of years or they will screw you.

 

[Peteco]

I just (3 months ago) got a $1.5MM life policy and Scuba diving made my rate go up 15 bucks a month.

In almost all states, you can't be dropped under any circumstances after having coverage in place already. Doesn't matter if you take up lion taming, fire walking, Scuba diving, flying, etc.