Dive Trip/Travel Insurance?

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Altamira

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I have seen multiple anecdotes on SB concerning trip/travel insurance covering the cost of lost dives in the event you can't dive on a trip. However, after reviewing the DAN trip insurance policy, underwritten by Travel Guard, I see sections pertaining to trip cancellation and trip interruptions. But, I do not see specifics outlining the reimbursement for lost dives resulting from an illness (head cold for example) that would prevent you from diving, but does not result in having to cancel or get off the trip. I can see where an insurance company might have some difficulty in refusing to reimburse you for the missed dive days on a liveaboard for example, but am not sure how they handle missed dives, due to illness, on a cruise or land trip, where it might be argued that a head cold might prevent you from diving, but not prevent completion of the trip. I would be interested in hearing about your actual experiences with insurance reimbursements for planned dives that were lost on a trip other than a liveaboard, or the insurance company's interpretation of "trip interruption."
 
I would be interested in hearing about your actual experiences with insurance reimbursements for planned dives that were lost on a trip other than a liveaboard, or the insurance company's interpretation of "trip interruption."

I would be absolutely shocked if any type of travel insurance would reimburse you for lost dives as you have described while on an actual dive trip. We did have a guy who had both DAN accident and travel insurance. We were on a 7 night liveaboard and on day 5 he had an apparent heart attack or some sort of heart event. We went to the closest island and a private plane had to be brought in and he was taken to Miami to a hospital and a couple of days later he was flown back home to NC. His entire expense was less than $200 for all of that.

As far as reimbursement from the travel policy, it is my understanding they prorated his trip and refunded him for roughly two days of the trip cost and he was satisfied with that.
 
I think a heart attack would would certainly qualify for reimbursement under the trip interruption clauses. My questions are in response to a post I read on another thread stating that trip insurance would cover any non-refundable dives that you had contracted for (in that particular thread--Aruba), but could not dive for something like a head cold. I have heard other divers make the same comment about insurance for lost dives when the trip was not "interrupted", and I have a lot of doubts as to what an insurance company like DAN/Travel Guard would actually cover. I called DAN & Travel Guard but could not get a straight or definitive answer. More like "...it might depend on what you put on your claim form." It seems a bit foolish to pay for insurance coverage for lost dives if the insurer can just say, "Well your trip was not interrupted just because you had a cold. You just could not do some of your planned activities."
 
I typically don't buy travel insurance anyway but I did last year and will probably do so this year. My dad is now 90 years old and his health is not the best. Last year I had 5 trips and this year I have 5 trips so I purchased the DAN annual trip insurance. I like the fact that it covers all my trips and not just dive trips. I think with the plan I bought it ended up averaging around 150 per trip so to me that was worth it. Of course I hope I don't need to use it but in the situation I find myself in, I decided it was wise to buy it.
 
I typically don't buy travel insurance anyway but I did last year and will probably do so this year. My dad is now 90 years old and his health is not the best. Last year I had 5 trips and this year I have 5 trips so I purchased the DAN annual trip insurance. I like the fact that it covers all my trips and not just dive trips. I think with the plan I bought it ended up averaging around 150 per trip so to me that was worth it. Of course I hope I don't need to use it but in the situation I find myself in, I decided it was wise to buy it.

A medical event with your dad is a covered reason or covered event? Just curious.
 
A medical event with your dad is a covered reason or covered event? Just curious.

Not really sure what the difference in the words "reason" or "event" would be in this case but I do know it is definitely covered. I made sure I asked and also read the fine print. Should something happen to him and I not be able to go on a trip because of it, I would be covered. Now exactly what kind of proof I would need I'm not sure.
 
Not really sure what the difference in the words "reason" or "event" would be in this case but I do know it is definitely covered. I made sure I asked and also read the fine print. Should something happen to him and I not be able to go on a trip because of it, I would be covered. Now exactly what kind of proof I would need I'm not sure.

The reason why I used the terms “covered reason” and “covered events” is that I read it in DAN’s description of their terms and conditions online, but it didn’t give me additional details cause I didn’t actually buy the policy. If that’s covered, it’s a good policy. Usually, the trip insurances I’ve encountered only cover medical events that happen to the policy owner or their travel companion, which is very narrow.

Unfortunately, Canadians are not eligible for DAN travel insurance, only DAN dive accident insurance.
 
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So I just went and looked at what is covered and here is one of the covered events:

Sickness or Injury of a Family Member not traveling with the Insured

I made sure before I bought the policy last year that if something happened with my dad I would be covered and they said yes so I went with the policy. They have three coverage levels and I went with the middle level which for me would be $319 for the year and I think that's what it was last year so I was off on my numbers above. $319 for 5 trips worked out to be $65 or so per trip. Cheap enough.
 
So I just went and looked at what is covered and here is one of the covered events:

Sickness or Injury of a Family Member not traveling with the Insured

I made sure before I bought the policy last year that if something happened with my dad I would be covered and they said yes so I went with the policy. They have three coverage levels and I went with the middle level which for me would be $319 for the year and I think that's what it was last year so I was off on my numbers above. $319 for 5 trips worked out to be $65 or so per trip. Cheap enough.

Well worth it for the peace of mind. Since you go on many trips a year, it works out to a good deal.
 

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