is DAN insurance worth it?

[tphelps]

I've had my DAN insurance for several years, and I like the idea of supporting our industry, but I usually only get to go on a scuba trip about once a year, which means the 1 year membership fee really only gets applied to one trip - for my wife and I that's $60 to $80 on top of each trip. I'm just wondering what other people's opinions are. Do you think it's worth it?

I always encourage my students to get DAN insurance. It is just like life insurance, you aren't planning to get in an accident; and no matter my proficiency or confidence in my abilities, I still carry it.

 

[qwimjim]

If I will be diving in Cozumel (I only go diving on one trip every couple of years), my travel insurance with work covers up to 5 million dollars per occurrence for any medical emergency including hospital to hospital air ambulance, what it doesn't include is air rescue ie no helicopter rescue from a remote location to get me to the hospital in the first place, in this case it only covers ground ambulance. recompression chamber is covered.

so is it worth paying $60 for a family plan plus another $40 for myself and $40 for my wife when it will essentially just be covering us IF our primary insurance fails to do so? DAN would be a secondary insurance provider in our case.

and a question specific to this trip to cozumel, would helicopter rescue even be an option given how close the recompression chamber and hospital are to the dive sites, if something were to happen i'm assuming the quickest way to either would be by boat?

not trying to be cheap but i buy enough insurance in life that i don't want to buy insurance i already have
thanks!

 

[flots am]

If I will be diving in Cozumel (I only go diving on one trip every couple of years), my travel insurance with work covers up to 5 million dollars per occurrence for any medical emergency including hospital to hospital air ambulance, what it doesn't include is air rescue ie no helicopter rescue from a remote location to get me to the hospital in the first place, in this case it only covers ground ambulance. recompression chamber is covered.

so is it worth paying $60 for a family plan plus another $40 for myself and $40 for my wife when it will essentially just be covering us IF our primary insurance fails to do so? DAN would be a secondary insurance provider in our case.

It's not a question of money it's a question of availability and access.

If you're bent and get taken to a chamber, the chamber might or might not accept your insurance company's word that they'll cover your treatment. They want to know they'll be paid, before they stuff you into the chamber. This means that even if your trip insurance is good, you'll still need something the chamber accepts now. That generally ends up being DAN or Visa. It doesn't do any good if you can collect your money next month, when the chamber wants it now.

Also, your trip insurance may or may not know where the nearest available chamber is, or how to arrange for treatment, or for that matter, have any interest in doing so. Most insurance is just money. When you're bent, you need treatment now, not dollars later.

 

[Wookie]

If I will be diving in Cozumel (I only go diving on one trip every couple of years), my travel insurance with work covers up to 5 million dollars per occurrence for any medical emergency including hospital to hospital air ambulance, what it doesn't include is air rescue ie no helicopter rescue from a remote location to get me to the hospital in the first place, in this case it only covers ground ambulance. recompression chamber is covered.

so is it worth paying $60 for a family plan plus another $40 for myself and $40 for my wife when it will essentially just be covering us IF our primary insurance fails to do so? DAN would be a secondary insurance provider in our case.

and a question specific to this trip to cozumel, would helicopter rescue even be an option given how close the recompression chamber and hospital are to the dive sites, if something were to happen i'm assuming the quickest way to either would be by boat?

not trying to be cheap but i buy enough insurance in life that i don't want to buy insurance i already have
thanks!

As long as you have a black Mastercard or American Express, you're all set. You don't think that medical facilities in other countries accept your word that you promise your insurance company will pay, and if they don't just send me a bill, do you? Have you traveled overseas much?

Payment is due before services are provided.

 

[DandyDon]

If I will be diving in Cozumel (I only go diving on one trip every couple of years), my travel insurance with work covers up to 5 million dollars per occurrence for any medical emergency including hospital to hospital air ambulance, what it doesn't include is air rescue ie no helicopter rescue from a remote location to get me to the hospital in the first place, in this case it only covers ground ambulance. recompression chamber is covered.

so is it worth paying $60 for a family plan plus another $40 for myself and $40 for my wife when it will essentially just be covering us IF our primary insurance fails to do so? DAN would be a secondary insurance provider in our case.

and a question specific to this trip to cozumel, would helicopter rescue even be an option given how close the recompression chamber and hospital are to the dive sites, if something were to happen i'm assuming the quickest way to either would be by boat?

not trying to be cheap but i buy enough insurance in life that i don't want to buy insurance i already have
thanks!

I think flots am explained the money-now thing well. If you have the room on your card, your travel insurance may well suffice - subject to your understanding of that policy and the reliability of the company. For medical evacuations, that company would probably want to handle the bookings - ask them, and ask if they would pay for that direct or not. For Coz, if you get hurt - the ground ambulance would probably meet your boat at the closest dock. Even if you are not a DAN member, DAN medical emergency doctors will still take your call and counsel with their opinions, maybe more - so call anyway, or have your spouse call. The Mexican docs will do what they want to do, but it's still always good to have expert advise a call away. See details and get the number at: Divers Alert Network

It might still be a good idea to get the family membership with DAN TravelAssist even if you don't get the dive insurance. I would. At the least you'd be supporting the non-profit dive organization that still supports all divers, and get a nice magazine.

 

[qwimjim]

As long as you have a black Mastercard or American Express, you're all set. You don't think that medical facilities in other countries accept your word that you promise your insurance company will pay, and if they don't just send me a bill, do you? Have you traveled overseas much?

Payment is due before services are provided.

What you should be asking is whether I've had a medical emergency while overseas? Have you? Are there actual reported cases of people being refused life saving medical assistance, or more specifically chamber time? People that had insurance but were refused, because the staff did not "trust" their insurance company to pay the bill after they spoke with them?

What happens to people who are injured and unconscious overseas but need emergency medical assistance? They can't talk, they can't call their insurance company, they can't pull out their amex black... so are they just left to die?

And if that's the case, why would anyone buy emergency medical insurance if no one "trusts" it and will only save your life if you have a wad of cash or amex black on you?

Or why would DAN (an insurance company) be trusted to pay the bill, but not any of the other insurance companies on earth?

Please help me understand

 

[Wookie]

What you should be asking is whether I've had a medical emergency while overseas? Have you? Are there actual reported cases of people being refused life saving medical assistance, or more specifically chamber time? People that had insurance but were refused, because the staff did not "trust" their insurance company to pay the bill after they spoke with them?

What happens to people who are injured and unconscious overseas but need emergency medical assistance? They can't talk, they can't call their insurance company, they can't pull out their amex black... so are they just left to die?

And if that's the case, why would anyone buy emergency medical insurance if no one "trusts" it and will only save your life if you have a wad of cash or amex black on you?

Or why would DAN (an insurance company) be trusted to pay the bill, but not any of the other insurance companies on earth?

Please help me understand

I was bent very badly in Cozumel and refused recompression therapy until I returned to the USA 5 days later. That had nothing to do with DAN insurance, but because I was seen by a chamber tech instead of the doctor, who wasn't there.

You are asking specifically about DAN insurance. Chambers understand DAN insurance, and know that DAN will pay them, even if your healthcare chooses not to. It's like having a black AMEX at a chamber. If you break your leg in Cancun, you will have to pay before play, or show your international insurance card. Luckily, a simple fracture in Cancun will cost you about a grand US, so it isn't that big a deal.

When I travel, I carry my BCBS card, a copy of my international insurance policy card, and my DAN card. I also carry a platinum AMEX, because I don't want to pay the fees for the black one. They will take one of the 4 for sure. You will not be allowed to leave the country in many countries until you've satisfied the medical provider. That's a fact, Jack, as Bill Murray would say.

 

[DandyDon]

What you should be asking is whether I've had a medical emergency while overseas? Have you? Are there actual reported cases of people being refused life saving medical assistance, or more specifically chamber time? People that had insurance but were refused, because the staff did not "trust" their insurance company to pay the bill after they spoke with them?

What happens to people who are injured and unconscious overseas but need emergency medical assistance? They can't talk, they can't call their insurance company, they can't pull out their amex black... so are they just left to die?

And if that's the case, why would anyone buy emergency medical insurance if no one "trusts" it and will only save your life if you have a wad of cash or amex black on you?

Or why would DAN (an insurance company) be trusted to pay the bill, but not any of the other insurance companies on earth?

Please help me understand

There are a variety of answers. Yeah, bent divers have been refused chambers until the money arrived. I wear DAN ID on my BC and my dog tag, always.

I've also seen two divers medivacted back to the states who would have died if not, and not much mercy on those: Pay or stay - DAN paid.

A good buddy who will stay with you and get things done is important too. I've read some stories about that risk.

 

[flots am]

What happens to people who are injured and unconscious overseas but need emergency medical assistance? They can't talk, they can't call their insurance company, they can't pull out their amex black... so are they just left to die?

Yes, sometimes they are.

In any case, I'm not the DAN salesman. If you don't want it, then feel free to do whatever you want (or not). If someone drags my ass out of the water after a dive and I need to go to a chamber or hospital, and then fly back home on a very expensive charter flight, I'll consider it $75 well spent.

flots.

 

[Wookie]

From "Do you have the Right Dive Insurance", Undercurrent Magazine, June 2006:

Several recent incidents got us thinking about dive accident insurance. The first occurred last August when a UK diver’s insurance carrier declined payment of nearly $70,000 for DCS treatment because he had exceeded his policy’s depth limit. He was only able to leave Egypt after paying much of the local bill himself. Then early this year ten recompression facilities for several months refused to accept DAN’s “reasonable and customary” payments, instead presenting the stricken diver with the bill.Dive injuries and related costs can run into staggering numbers. Last year, a 10-year-old Discover Scuba student in Grand Cayman, was bitten on the arm by a moray eel while diving the Sand Bar. The tab for medical attention, a private Leerjet back to the States and physical therapy approached $100,000. The family, despite having a dive insurance policy, had to put the money up front.