DAN 'Preferred' Insurance PROBLEM

[lord1234]

I tell all my friends "DAN sucks, use DiveAssure" because of situations just like this.

 

[KeithG]

You have that with Blue Cross? ?

annual plan with package option. you can choose from 17 to 180 days for your maximum individiual trip length and from $1,500 to $5000 per person per incident for trip cancellation. the higher limit you choose, the higher the premium.

Annual Plan with Package option

i am not suggesting this is lowest or even low cost. but the payout for a single 1 night return flight delay due to bad weather on a long weekend trip to boston has almost covered the cost of the annual premium. the hotel and restaurant bill were covered. actually a very fancy hotel would have been covered since the policy covers $300 per person per day for hotel expenses.

we travel a lot. while we are still healthy. many small short pleasure trips. so the annual policy price makes sense when you consider all of or trips together. if i was doing only 1 or 2 trips per year, then i would simply buy (or not) insurance via RBC for each individual trip.

---------- Post added October 29th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ----------

I tell all my friends "DAN sucks, use DiveAssure" because of situations just like this.

not sure this is a good recommedation... have you heard of GolfAssure? what about SkiAssure? ShopAssure? would you use them if they did exist?

blindly using a company / service / product with a particular catchy "marketing" name is not being a smart consumer.

insurance is insurance. marketing is maketing. be careful not to mix the 2 concepts.

always consider getting your insurance from a general purpose name brand provider. they normally do not specialize for a specific audience and hence will have a much wider and more varied risk base. which leads to lower cost products. they also normally cover a wider range of situations. like golf, skiing and shopping, there is nothing special about scuba that requires "scuba" insurance. there really is no such thing as "scuba" insurance, just scuba marketing companys selling insurance with different limits, exclusions and prices.

you do need to read the fine print to understand your coverage. maybe the company's underwriting weenies have decided that scuba, like bull fighting, mountain climbing, chain saw juggling and car racing is a "dangerous activity" and so have provided a specific exclusion for it.

 

[DandyDon]

I tell all my friends "DAN sucks, use DiveAssure" because of situations just like this.

It just depends on how the policy is stated. Dive Assure is fine competition for DAN's dive insurance, and it's good to have an alternative - but it their policy stated that they covered the insured person only, that's all they would pay on too.

What I dislike about Dive Assure is they make a deal claiming to be Primary coverage, which really doesn't matter, but then - in the details of their policy they negate that anyway.

 

[lord1234]

annual plan with package option. you can choose from 17 to 180 days for your maximum individiual trip length and from $1,500 to $5000 per person per incident for trip cancellation. the higher limit you choose, the higher the premium.

Annual Plan with Package option

i am not suggesting this is lowest or even low cost. but the payout for a single 1 night return flight delay due to bad weather on a long weekend trip to boston has almost covered the cost of the annual premium. the hotel and restaurant bill were covered. actually a very fancy hotel would have been covered since the policy covers $300 per person per day for hotel expenses.

we travel a lot. while we are still healthy. many small short pleasure trips. so the annual policy price makes sense when you consider all of or trips together. if i was doing only 1 or 2 trips per year, then i would simply buy (or not) insurance via RBC for each individual trip.

---------- Post added October 29th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ----------


not sure this is a good recommedation... have you heard of GolfAssure? what about SkiAssure? ShopAssure? would you use them if they did exist?

blindly using a company / service / product with a particular catchy "marketing" name is not being a smart consumer.

insurance is insurance. marketing is maketing. be careful not to mix the 2 concepts.

always consider getting your insurance from a general purpose name brand provider. they normally do not specialize for a specific audience and hence will have a much wider and more varied risk base. which leads to lower cost products. they also normally cover a wider range of situations. like golf, skiing and shopping, there is nothing special about scuba that requires "scuba" insurance. there really is no such thing as "scuba" insurance, just scuba marketing companys selling insurance with different limits, exclusions and prices.

you do need to read the fine print to understand your coverage. maybe the company's underwriting weenies have decided that scuba, like bull fighting, mountain climbing, chain saw juggling and car racing is a "dangerous activity" and so have provided a specific exclusion for it.

Instead of using snark you should actually do a quick Google, and identify that there are chambers that very specifically do NOT accept DAN, but accept DiveAssure with no questions.


Dive Assure is primary insurance(which means you pay no copays/deductibles) whereas DAN is secondary insurance which means you pay copay + insurance.


From a personal standpoint, I have had DAN deny a claim for trivial matters, whereas DiveAssure has always been great and comfortable to deal with. Also the 10$ difference in price is FAR worth it based on customer service.

 

[DandyDon]

Instead of using snark you should actually do a quick Google, and identify that there are chambers that very specifically do NOT accept DAN, but accept DiveAssure with no questions.

Doubtful. Got links?

Dive Assure is primary insurance(which means you pay no copays/deductibles) whereas DAN is secondary insurance which means you pay copay + insurance.

Incorrect.

 

[lord1234]

Doubtful. Got links?

Please read the entirety of this thread where not only are convenience of chamber rides mentioned but also DiveAssure discusses your claim below not once, but twice!
Why does it matter if your health insurance already pays part of the claim or not? It still results in no immediate money out of your pocket...that's what matters

Incorrect.

Can you provide the policy terms that state it is not primary insurance?

 

[Wookie]

The one time I used my DAN insurance DAN picked up everything that my primary insurer did not, including co-pays and deductibles and everything. Not to say I have anything against DiveAssure, I don't know them, having never used them.

I'd like to see a web page of a chamber that doesn't accept DAN insurance. Yes, it's true that SSS has been in bitchfights with DANs underwriter over "reasonable and customary charges", just like your primary insurer has been in the same fights with your local hospital. Difference is, you don't hear about it when it's your local hospital (unless you get the remainder of the bill), but DAN gets bad press every time they turn around, then someone like you brings up 2 year old news as if it happened yesterday. I don't hear anyone advocating to not use (your primary insurance carrier of choice) because they will screw you if you use your emergency room of choice.

Yes, I am a DAN fanboy, not only because they took care of me personally, but also as a dive operator, they are on the other end of the sat phone every time I call, and when we have a case that requires evacuation, they get on it. The Coast Guard won't always fly on a boat captain's word, but they sure will when DAN calls them. I only have to make one phone call for an injured diver, then wait by the radio for the CG helo to come to the rescue.

That's worth every bit of insurance, membership, and sponsorship I pay for.

 

[Hawkwood]

I tell all my friends "DAN sucks, use DiveAssure" because of situations just like this.

What "situation" are you referring to, the OP's situation?

If you are, the OP purchased the "Preferred" Plan - that Plan does not include the companion. They had the option to purchase a plan that does.

Why does the OP's choice not to do so mean that "DAN sucks"?

 

[lord1234]

DAN sucks because of personal experience...regardless, get DiveAssure.

 

[chillyinCanada]

What was your personal experience?