DAN Dive Accident Coverage?

[CoasterFreak]

I hope this is the correct sub-forum to post this, but can someone help me with what the DAN Dive Accident coverage gets me over my regular low-deductible family medical insurance plan? I have the membership (gets us all the evac coverage) and the trip insurance, but am trying to figure out what the accident coverage buys me in addition to my other normal coverage, especially if my medical covers dive accidents?

Not looking for any specific advice, but has anyone else been in this same situation and made the decision one way or the other, and why?

Thanks in advance

 

[robint]

check your personal health insurance carefully. Some don't cover "dangerous" sports, like scuba.

We always get the DAN insurance every year, just in case. We have never had to use it and hope we never will. But every year we hear about people who get bent, or other problems, and they don't have DAN so they end up having to put their medical bills on a credit card. Medical evac, low level airlift in the case of bends, etc, are VERY VERY expensive. DAN insurance is the only medical coverage I know of that will cover it. Some destinations, from what I am told, do not accept DAN at all, you must put medical bills on credit card, then get reimbursed afterwards from DAN.

 

[Wookie]

The deductible, and any quibbling that your primary provider has. It also lets your spouse come home with you on the evac plane, it makes sure your luggage and dive gear get home after your evacuation. It provides an answer 24 hours a day when you need an evacuation. With a phone call. You don't have to wait for a decision, you can get one while you are on the phone with the tech. You do not have to make sure that the chamber in Chuuk is an authorized provider for your primary provider, just about any hyperbaric facility in the world is.

---------- Post Merged at 06:42 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 06:40 PM ----------

check your personal health insurance carefully. Some don't cover "dangerous" sports, like scuba.

We always get the DAN insurance every year, just in case. We have never had to use it and hope we never will. But every year we hear about people who get bent, or other problems, and they don't have DAN so they end up having to put their medical bills on a credit card. Medical evac, low level airlift in the case of bends, etc, are VERY VERY expensive. DAN insurance is the only medical coverage I know of that will cover it. Some destinations, from what I am told, do not accept DAN at all, you must put medical bills on credit card, then get reimbursed afterwards from DAN.

DiveAssure has excellent coverage. They don't do any research with the membership fees, and I've seen firsthand how much DAN does to support recreational and technical diving. But they do have an excellent program.

 

[muzikbiz22]

DAN is a must, and it is cheap. DAN is VERY EXPERIENCED in handling dive accidents. Your health provider, is probably not. DAN will evacuate you, and do what is necessary. Your health provider may not. DAN answers the phone around the clock & on weekends. Your health provider may not. DAN will make necessary arrangements for treatment & travel for you. Your health provider may not. DAN has a great reputation. Your health provider may not. DAN can help you, both locally and Internationally. Your health provider may not.

So with that said, it certainly doesn't hurt to check you personal health coverage. Better to know now than . . . Get the top level coverage. $110 a year sure beats a $40k bill, from your "vacation in the Caribbean".

So now with ALL of that said, I take it one step further. Not advising you or anyone to do the same, this is just me being me. I have great personal health insurance, I have the highest level from DAN, AND I also have American Express Travel Medical Protection. This is $100k of coverage that starts 150 miles away from my home. What my personal health insurance and DAN won't cover, THEY WILL, no questions asked. They too will "front" medical payment, out of the country, and take care of evacuation. It's $9 a month. Again, cheap insurance. So, between the 3 different insurers, I'm covered, and can relax on vacation.

 

[TSandM]

After watching DAN organize (and eventually pay for) an airlift off Moorea to Tahiti, and eventually first class airfare home to the States for my friend who broke her arm on the dive boat, I can say that the cost of the insurance is worth it just for the help. Getting the communication and making arrangements is priceless, when you are injured or ill and far from home.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Wookie covered pretty good....

With most US insurance companies, accidents outside the US are "covered" in that eventually they will reimburse you the "customary and reasonable" charges. The problem being they get to call what is "customary and reasonable" and they will take their sweet time paying up. The local provider will most likely demand full payment at the time of service and you get stuck with the difference and no way to effectively fight either the provider (being out of country) or the insurance company (most being huge corporations).

On top of that, the folks at DAN have a lot of experience with dive accidents, out of country trips and insurance. They have a strong motivation to get your insurance company to pay up and access to data to fight the insurance company for coverage when they low ball you.

 

[Akimbo]

I concur with statements so far. Just try to call your insurance company to verify they cover diving-related hyperbaric treatments. Every time I have attempted it the answers ranged from inconclusive to contradictory.

 

[rbnelsoncausa]

I had a friend who took a DCS hit in Truk. In no time, she was talking to a doctor in Australia and was soon in the chamber, with a follow up ride the next day. We stayed 3 days extra and they paid for the hotel and all costs except food. They helped with getting her further evaluated when she returned to the states. The chamber was right there and the people there were awesome, they took really good care of her. DAN picked up the remaining cost that her insurance didn't cover. Always travel with DAN, have done so for many years - it's a bargain!

 

[Wookie]

I concur with statements so far. Just try to call your insurance company to verify they cover diving-related hyperbaric treatments. Every time I have attempted it the answers ranged from inconclusive to contradictory.

What Akimbo said^.

 

[flots am]

but am trying to figure out what the accident coverage buys me in addition to my other normal coverage, especially if my medical covers dive accidents?

Besides the actual coverage it gets you access to a chamber.

If you pull out your <whatever> insurance card in <somewhere far away>, you'll find that the only card they'll accept besides DAN is "Visa" or "MasterCard".

Chamber operators want to get paid and they're not going to mess around with your local insurance company.

flots.