PADI Divemaster insurance costs?

[wmspdi]

I am getting ready to take the PADI Dive Master course, but someone made a remark to me about the high cost of liability insurance for instructors, and then made reference to Dive Masters. As I could not get an answer from my LDS about these costs I thought I might ask if DM's on the board could give me a heads up on the insurance situation.

Where I live the only chance I will get to use the DM rating will be helping the LDS instructors with students in the pool and with OW sessions. The LDS Dive Masters and Dive Master Candidates perform these DM duties as unpaid volunteers. If the liability insurance costs are too high I may skip the DM rating, finish up a few PADI specialties I started, and then go the tec diving route. I am not cheap, but I don't want to spend a small fortune on liability insurance (annually) to work as a DM for free.

 

[SDAnderson]

Here's the info: http://www.diveinsurance.com/downloads/PL-2005-06.pdf

A couple flavors: if you only need insurance while assisting insured instructors, the current cost is $205.00 per year from V&B. If you want the full coverage, it's $315.00 per year. V&B will prorate by quarters and there are provisions for coverage under the shops umbrella that may reduce the cost even further. V&B isn't the only company offering coverage but it's the one that PADI promotes.

 

[wmspdi]

That's the information I was looking for. Thank you. I think I may skip the "Pro" route and go in a different direction.

 

[Cacia]

You might want to consider the Masterdiver route. I think I had five specialties for that... you said you already have three. Nitrox counts.
anyway I got my Divemaster because at the time I was new here in Hawaii and I wanted to go on the boats for free. The insurance I might let go because I am not really using my divemaster and the liability on a boat is there although I don't think it as great as everyone (like V&B, PADI) would like for us to believe. Its odd to me that my DM insurance was more than my RN liability insurance for Trauma Transport. Personally, I think a lot of insurance is a big racket.

If you go on the PADI site they have an algorithm of the various pathways for certifications.

 

[diveman7683]

I dont know about you guys, but my LDS pays for my insurance because I don't get paid to help out when I'm there. If you're going to work for them, I would ask about that.

Troy

 

[wmspdi]

I am currently working on 2 or 3 more specialties for Master Scuba Diver. After that I think I may go the tec route.

Tonight I re-read the chapter in the Padi DM book about the "business of diving" and about supporting the sales end of the shop. I realized that since I recently moved toward a DIR type setup (DR BP/W with steel tanks) none of the dive gear I use (except my mask, fins and dry suit) is sold by the local dive shop I would be "working" for.

Even my regulators (Atomic M1 DIN regs) are not sold by this shop. I see where this could be a problem with the LDS who wants to promote the shop's product lines via their use by the staff. I think I would have enjoyed the course, but the recurring expense of insurance, and product use issue just seems like more of a problem than the DM rating is worth. I went through the insurance and liability headaches as an aircraft flight instructor a few years back and don't care to repeat it.

BTW- one of the instrctors said the LDS will not cover the insurance (that was what raised my initial question).

 

[Cacia]

Yes, PADI and the "support the local dive shop" is a little unethical in my opinion.

 

[divecon15]

makes me glad I am SSI... $140 a year whether your a DiveCon or an Instructor

 

[wmspdi]

Which brings me to my NEXT question. At this time I hold a PADI Rescue Diver C-Card but I am working on the specialties for Padi Master Scuba diver rating. Since I have already paid for the PADI course materials/videos, and have completed all of the written work in those books, I am going to follow through with them. After these specialties are completed, and I have the PADI Master Scuba Diver rating, I may want to switch from PADI (AKA- Put Another Dollar In) to SSI. What would I have to do to get an equivilent rating C-Card (then maybe move on to DiveCon)?

This move makes more sense to me as the LDS that I seem to be dealing with the most now is an SSI school.

 

[divecon15]

A SSI Master Diver requires 50 dives + Stress & Rescue + 4 other specialty classes. To become a DiveCon you must meet the above requirements puls 10 more dives (60 min) First Aid, CPR and compleet the Divecon Training. For anyone that does not know a DiveCon is short for Dive Control Specialist which is 2 ratings in one Dive Master + Assistant Instructor. The next step after Divecon is Associate Instructor, the Open Water Instructor.... Would be happy to answer any more questions you have

Brent AI15902
Associate Instructor (Soon to be AOWI)

PS The PADI=Put Another Dollar In cracked both me and my wife up