Memberships, insurance, etc.

[lavachickie]

My husband (PADI OW two years ago, two dive trips under his belt) and I (noob to finish my last OWC dive once I arrive) are headed to Cozumel next month. :banana:

We've gone through "travel medicine" with Kaiser, getting the recommended vaccinations, etc. that they recommend for travel to Mexico. I've checked into what our health coverage does for us outside of the US (bupkiss).

From my readings, it seems the best ticket is to get membership in DAN ($55 for family) and each sign up for their top level Dive Accident Insurance ($70/year each).

It doesn't seem like trip insurance is necessary, though; this trip is modest in price and frankly the cost of this coverage doesn't make sense. If this were a $5k per person dream vacation, yeah, maybe.

But, maybe I'm missing something. :shortbus:

What do those more experienced recommend?

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I pay so much more each year for car insurance, and my dive insurance covers more stuff.

DAN insurance is such a good deal that I encourage every diver to carry the highest level.

Does your trip cost more than the insurance? Most likely, yes. What are the odds of your trip going sour? Lets say ten percent. Is ten percent of the trip cost higher than the cost of insurance? If so, I'd get insurance. I don't know if that's a really good rule of thumb, but I'm really convinced DAN insurance is the best deal in scuba today.

I carry "student insurance" that costs about the same every year, which protects my laptop and camera and stuff. Carried for three years only used once, but it was really, really, really nice to have it when I broke my camera on accident.

 

[vladimir]

From my readings, it seems the best ticket is to get membership in DAN ($55 for family) and each sign up for their top level Dive Accident Insurance ($70/year each).

It doesn't seem like trip insurance is necessary, though; this trip is modest in price and frankly the cost of this coverage doesn't make sense. If this were a $5k per person dream vacation, yeah, maybe.

But, maybe I'm missing something. :shortbus:

What do those more experienced recommend?

I agree with your analysis. I have the DAN Preferred plan.

Does your trip cost more than the insurance? Most likely, yes. What are the odds of your trip going sour? Lets say ten percent. Is ten percent of the trip cost higher than the cost of insurance? If so, I'd get insurance. I don't know if that's a really good rule of thumb

As a former actuary, I'd say your method of analysis is pretty good. However, the chance of a trip cancellation is a lot less than 10% and let's remember, it has to be cancelled for a covered reason, which lowers the odds of collecting considerably. Trip insurance is generally expensive and the potential loss manageable, so I skip it. If the loss of the price of a vacation is catastrophic you should probably reconsider whether you can afford the vacation.

 

[Aquabear]

Mexico woohooo!!!!
My wife and I have been on many trips for pleasure (and businss). That small percentage of stuff happening happened :depressed:. BUT luckily, we had med evac coverage already($40,000 paid in advance) so we flew me home to the hosp in NY - my wife is an Insurance consultant.
I agree get DAN- 5 year member n happy, if ur trip ins is mucho bucks let it be BUT for future reference get it or check if ur current coverage already has it - that was us.
I am the rarity of an accident but it does maybe should say did happen.
More than likely the worst that will happen is you singing margaritaville off key!!
if you want check my post in accidents area.
Sorry for the typos but I can only use one hand.
have a blast diving!!!!

 

[theduckguru]

I agree with your analysis. I have the DAN Preferred plan.

As a former actuary, I'd say your method of analysis is pretty good. However, the chance of a trip cancellation is a lot less than 10% and let's remember, it has to be cancelled for a covered reason, which lowers the odds of collecting considerably. Trip insurance is generally expensive and the potential loss manageable, so I skip it. If the loss of the price of a vacation is catastrophic you should probably reconsider whether you can afford the vacation.

Actually, the airline coverage of the travel insurance isn't too bad, the part the covers a scuba charter leaves too much of an out for the insurer.

 

[vladimir]

Actually, the airline coverage of the travel insurance isn't too bad

Even at the last minute you can usually re-schedule flights for a fee. A flat-out cancellation also incurs a fee, but usually not a total loss, so what are you paying to insure, exactly? The price of an expensive lunch; that insurance should be cheap.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I feel that DAN's policies are pretty lenient and not too hard to comply with.

A buddy got bent, DAN covered everything.

Covers me if I get hurt in or around a dive, covers my gear if anything happens to it, will get me out of the country or dive site, and it's dirt cheap compared to scuba gear.

 

[theduckguru]

Even at the last minute you can usually re-schedule flights for a fee. A flat-out cancellation also incurs a fee, but usually not a total loss, so what are you paying to insure, exactly? The price of an expensive lunch; that insurance should be cheap.

How do you rebook your airfare for tomorrow when your liveaboard leaves tonight? Assuming, there are any seats available on Friday.

There are some cases where it makes sense.

 

[TSandM]

I would highly recommend the DAN insurance. It's not just for decompression sickness. When a friend broke her arm in Moorea on a dive boat, DAN helped coordinate air evacuation to Tahiti for x-rays, and eventually arranged first-class flights home for her and her husband (on the theory that sitting in coach with an unstable fracture would be too painful!) Having someone to help with all that may have been even more valuable than the bills they (eventually) paid.

And it isn't just for travel, either. When I fell and broke my orbital floor in April, DAN covered what our personal health insurance didn't.

It's worth it.

 

[lavachickie]

DAN membership and dive insurance are new tools in our toolbox. Thanks for the input, all!

As for trip insurance, I look back on 20 years of traveling and look at all I might have "lost" due to the things that trip insurance would have covered. In that 20 years, it doesn't amount to the cost of the insurance for this one trip.

I've always viewed insurance as something to be there to assist with the catestrophic things I might not be able to handle, not something to cover EVERYTHING. [That's not what insurance was ever intended to be, and those that keep low deductibles on their auto insurance and turn in a claim for every little ding and dent end up paying WAY more over time than those who keep high deductibles and take care of the little things themselves.] The loss of the airfair and resort stay for this trip doesn't come anywhere close to catastrophic. It would be sad to miss it :depressed:, for sure, but given all the fine print I've read... it wouldn't cover most real world scenarios, anyway.