Professional Liability Insurance...

[Nixrsix]

I have found a lot of info about this subject but everything I have found is outdated.

I am a PADI DM looking for pro liability insurance. The Vicencia&Buckley is $320 annually, is that about average what I should expect to spend or should I look elsewhere? PADI speaks highly of them, but what I've found online, a lot of people talk about them just caring about profit.

Is there a better company? If it's worth the $320, I don't mind paying it? I don't want a cheap rate and be pretty much left on my own if something were to happen...I just want to make sure I'm not overpaying...

TIA

 

[mselenaous]

In addition to V&B, there are others including Willis wrsdi.com, and Witherspoon scubains.com. In Europe, DAN provides liability insurance as well.

 

[Nixrsix]

I would love to get DAN liability, but I'm in U.S., I was looking around at other companies but have never heard of them.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Witherspoon is usually less and much more responsive than V&B in my experience. I've been with them for over 5 years and would never go anywhere else.

And PADI is closely tied with V&B. Of course they speak highly of them.

 

[Nixrsix]

Witherspoon seems to be $340 a year instead of V&B for $320 a year. Is witherspoon worth paying more for? I want great insurance, not just ok to save a few bucks...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

It seems you are looking at the pro-rated rate. Picking up in the middle of the year will be a tad higher as opposed to a full year. if you look at 4th quarter only and take that times 4 it comes out to 392 and no way is that the rate. If I'm not mistaken their actual DM rate is 315.00. They are also occurrence based as opposed to claims, and I have made changes to my policy and had the updated copy in minutes. Not hours but minutes and they have even gone so far as to send copies to the additional insureds at the same time so I could teach at that quarry. The updates were waiting when I arrived. I had V&B when I first became a DM. I would never go back to them. They are too tied in to PADI for my tastes. I want a company that clearly has my back first. That seems hazy when it comes to V&B as to whose back they have first.

 

[Nixrsix]

Thanks Jim, I feel much better about straying from V&B now! Mahalo!

 

[mselenaous]

My personal experience is with Witherspoon and I agree with Jim. I've stayed with them for 6 years.

 

[boulderjohn]

I suggest you join the Instructor to Instructor forum, which is open to DMs. You will find more information there.

 

[Nixrsix]

Didn't see that, thanks boulder!