We always have the top Dan plan...for peace of mind and since it doesn't cost much more than the lower plans. For specific info though, I am going to defer to the ScubaBoards resident Dan expert. He will be along shortly....don't mind the Texas accent, he's actually a very cool guy. Mat..meet Don. Don...help Mat.
While you're waiting on him to reply, I'd like to offer my opinions too, as I so often do here.
thanks for the reply. still wondering if the cheaper plan offers the insurance benefit of the chamber and associated costs.
OMG! You dived without dive insurance...?! :shocked2:
Actually I have known a few who have done that, two on one Cozumel trip. One of them took a hit the first day, the other got worried after seeing that and signed up for DAN dive insurance that night online, and two days later I helped load him onto an ambulance. They both came out okay, but one was out a lot of money. (The group I was traveling with had a drinking problem, mostly in leadership, and I no longer go with them.)
I have less than 500 dives but have seen 6 divers leave in ambulances. Serious accidents are rare, but certainly possible. Two of them would not have lived without DAN arranging and financing their emergency evacuations back to the states, one from Cozumel with the plane skirting Cat-5 hurricane Dean to retrieve her before it was expected to hit the next day.
Now I have also known one or two divers who thot they had excellent medical coverages, even outside of the US, that would cover their dive accidents fully, and had excellent MC or Visa cards with limits that would fund the expenses to be claimed later - or so they claimed. Rare incidents have been known to cost well in excess of $100,000 USD and I have to wonder how well MC and Visa will keep advancing credit to a diver on death's door, but it was their call.
I also know of a college boy who was diving with his large family, all certified but well - anyway, he took a bad one. Not expected to ever walk again but I see a news story now and then from google alerts for his name that sound a little promising. His mom joined in that accident discussion here on SB and within the posting she was asked if they were all covered by DAN ok? She didn't know what that was, so I suppose not unless they were without her knowledge. Dad might have handled that; I dunno.
Edit: Sorry, I got carried away last night when I should have been in bed. I don't guess all of those scary stories were necessary, but then didn't your instructor tell you to get dive insurance? He should have signed you up on the free student plan during training.
But enough of those stories. Severe accidents are rare and you probly won't have one, hopefully not even a minor one, but coverage for all accidents is readily available, guaranteed issue - no underwriting, and cheap. It just seems insane to dive without coverage as it
could happen to you.
As far as which company to use, DAN is the original, and their dive insurance is great. I do not think much of their trip or gear insurance, and there could be other corporate issues to discuss another time, but no questions on their dive insurance. Dive Assure is newer to the business but seems fine, never heard anything bad about them, and they are licensed to do business in most states - including California. You can compare plans and prices, then chose whichever, you like best. Both companies offer family discounts and choices of levels.
DAN's insurance requires separate membership @ $35/yr plus whichever plan you chose. See
http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/insurance/compare.asp Like Bill, I have the top plan which totals $105/yr and I think that is the most popular among members here.
Just do not get the cheapest plan! It's a real loser*, and the middle plan is far better for only $10/yr more - so get the middle or the top.
Or go with Dive Assure if you like. See
DiveAssure Scuba Diving Insurance | DiveAssure Programs Their plans are structured somewhat differently and the prices are not obvious, but I think their bottom plan is $79/yr and middle plan is $99/yr if you skip death benefit coverage which is included on the two good DAN plans - both good plans; their top plan is combination dive insurance and Travel Protection - perhaps more than you want to do at once. (I get my trip insurance from TavelSafe.com, but that's another story.) You can open new tabs by clicking both links, compare the plans, compare the prices, and good to go.
* DAN bottom plan: I actually had the pleasure of a phone chat with DAN's CEO on another matter once, really pleasant fellow - available to anyone who asks for him I suppose as I'm no one special, and aside from the main discussion I asked him why the hell they still offered that loser plan?! He said that some of their members want it and nothing more. I still think it needs to be canceled, but he's the CEO, and he works for the members. I just hate that so many sign up for the cheapest plan without looking at the comparisons; actually I think I did myself, but I know I have talked with many since who have - one currently in Roatan now. I talked them into upgrading before they left tho. This is why I go on and on about getting at least the middle DAN plan if not the top one or Dive Assures.
Hope that helps you some. This is not at all a Cozumel topic as you need dive insurance for any body of water in the US or away, but whatever - glad you asked and glad you're taking action.
. So does anyone have two cents to give a couple who try to dive regularly? Is one plan better than the other? Like I said we are doing our own research but I thought someone might want to chime in. Two weeks and counting the days.
