Another reason for an LLC is that it makes you an entity rather than a person, and this allows some access to pricing and deals via travel sites and travel brokers.
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I never mentioned negligence; that is something you brought up.
I would not consider becoming a DM without planning to carry personal (dive) liability insurance.
It can be.Is there an inherent liability just by having the DM cert? I am DM certified but am not employed by a shop and don't act as such. I thought I was "inactive" or something like that.
It can be.
My answer to this today is different from what I would have written in the past. The world is changing. It depends to a large degree on local law, but there have been several cases recently in which the most experienced/most certified diver in a group has been in trouble merely for that reason. It is rare, but it can happen.
The more likely problem occurs if you present yourself in any way as someone on whom a diver can rely for assistance during a dive. This is especially true if you accept any compensation--even a beer--in exchange for some kind of service, like showing someone around or giving them some tips. In that case, you are acting as a professional, and the diver will be perceived as being dependent upon your advertised superior skill.