is DAN insurance worth it?

[MAGELLAN]

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?

 

[gcarter]

Not until you need it. Can you afford to pay out of pocket if you have an incident? If not, $60 - $80 a year sounds like a pretty good payment plan for peace of mind.

YMMV

 

[andrewy]

I have DAN at 100$ a year stupid not to have it even if you only dive 1 week out of the year (especially in that case)

 

[Mike]

Only if you use it

Another thing regarding DAN, not only were these the nicest people we've ever dealt with, they paid, 100%, of the air ambulance from Aruba to Miami ($180,000) AND they're reimbursing us for the air ambulance from Bonaire to Aruba ($1,700) AND they paid to fly him home first class. They also told us to submit the bills for the co-pays and things not covered by our insurance & they would consider paying them or a portion of them. You just can't beat DAN!

 

[miked]

I ( sadly) only go on 2-3 scuba trips a year. I still will have the DAN insurance until I do no trips per year.
I needed it, it worked, and I wouldn't dive without it.

 

[CaveMD]

I have averaged over 100dives /Yr since certification. I would have DAN even if I only did 1.

The one time I had to use Dan was when I got a reverse block in my right frontal sinus >2000' back in peacock 3 siphon . I had to swim out anyway and it fairly traumatically equalized 20minutes later. I spent the rest of the exit clearing blood and mucous from my mask.

DAN took care of everything at no additional cost to me. If I never dive again(lol right) and pay my max membership plan every year for the rest of my life I still would come out ahead.



Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

 

[MAGELLAN]

Thanks for the replies! I think I see a consensus building.... This may just be one of those things that I know I should do, I just need a little help making myself do it. I guess one of the most encouraging things about the responses is that most people have had really good experiences with DAN when they did need it. The decision would be alot harder if the company's reputation wasn't so good.
Also, just getting older, I'm getting more conservative anyway - in fact, I often say "If I could go back in time" I'd tell myself to short the fool out of the financial stocks in 2007, and no matter what, don't fall down! You wouldn't believe how much residual pain and discomfort I've had (so cliche' I know, does't everbody eventually complain about back pain?) over the last few years beacuse of a simple slip on the steps one morning!

 

[DandyDon]

A comprehensive and honest answer would depend on how wonderful your regular medical coverage is, if it covers you out of country, covers dive accidents without exclusion, will guarantee or advance funds if needed, etc. - and if you always take good trip insurance, there might be some coverage there.

You could still keep DAN membership even without the dive insurance: $55/year for the family includes the magazine and TravelAssist emergency evacuation. Oh, I have seen 6 divers leave by ambulance, 2 evacuated to the States - some on their first trip.

Still, in my opinion - yeah, I'd still keep DAN dive insurance even if I had great medical coverage abroad, at least the middle/$40 each plan. The cheapest/$30 each plan is bad choice if you compare the benefits: http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/insurance/compare.asp

I do not care for any of their other insurance plans, feel I can do better elsewhere on the others.

 

[supergaijin]

DAN is a diving specialist insurance company. If you have problems needing evac, you're in a lot of financial hurt (Edit*** If your insurance doesn't specify diving emergencies)

If you consider the hoops that people have to go through dealing with mainstream insurance companies to receive a payment.... $100 or so is worth every cent.

BTW some DCs operate a single day $11 / 1 week $23 /2 week $36 DAN insurance plan. We do for example. I don't know whether you can request the operator to have this option or not. I know that we (as a DC) don't have to pay anything to DAN to register for this. What we are doing is paying an amount up front- say $100 and then adding that to the cost of the dive(s). I'm not sure whether this can be done by individuals- maybe worth contacting DAN directly.

The only downside that I have is that it requires internet access, and a the time that it takes to make the registration before they do their dive(s). An example where it goes bad is that a guest signs up for a DSD the next day. If I register the insurance, the money is taken from our account. If the guest cancels, that money has to be paid even though they didn't dive. The other option- and one that we do, is to register them just before diving, but due to intermittent internet connection, this can be painful.


***Edit- my post wasn't clear. Thanks Don

 

[DandyDon]

DAN is a diving specialist insurance company. If you have problems needing evac, you're in a lot of financial hurt.

DAN membership will provide that for members in US & Canada, even without insurance - but as I said above, I'd still feel better with the coverage.