Professional Liability Insurance

[Pkishino]

Hmm, first of all, a few days ago you sent an email..perhaps try to be patient, they might be trying to source the information..why is everyone so impatient these days ..
second, why would you contact the benelux ssi? you are thinking of working in the Maldives..it would seem more appropriate to contact the region you will be working in no?
thirdly, why not try SSI HQ directly? they might then switch you over to regional etc..start at the top
Lastly, as recommended above..pick up the phone..if you want answers talk to people..emails work for follow ups but it's always better to TALK to people. Here in Sweden things work differently than the UK e.g. so I just called PADI EMEA when I had questions

 

[xmass-Eve]

Hmm, first of all, a few days ago you sent an email..perhaps try to be patient, they might be trying to source the information..why is everyone so impatient these days ..
second, why would you contact the benelux ssi? you are thinking of working in the Maldives..it would seem more appropriate to contact the region you will be working in no?
thirdly, why not try SSI HQ directly? they might then switch you over to regional etc..start at the top
Lastly, as recommended above..pick up the phone..if you want answers talk to people..emails work for follow ups but it's always better to TALK to people. Here in Sweden things work differently than the UK e.g. so I just called PADI EMEA when I had questions

3 reasons:
1) I still have my address in Europe
2) I guess European insurance companies are better than Maldivian ones
3) Imagine you work a season here, a season there. Will you always change companies? I guess not. So home is better, imo.

Again, I am not asking about if I need to be insured. I want to know insurance companies.

 

[Wookie]

The insurance companies who would insure an Instructor in America, Australia, or SE Asia are V&B, owned by PADI, DAN, or Owl Underwriting, sold through JKJ in Pennsylvania. They are the SDI plan. Witherspoon and First Flight are two others that I have no experience with.

I think you will find them do be more expensive than you are willing to pay.

 

[xmass-Eve]

The insurance companies who would insure an Instructor in America, Australia, or SE Asia are V&B, owned by PADI, DAN, or Owl Underwriting, sold through JKJ in Pennsylvania. They are the SDI plan. Witherspoon and First Flight are two others that I have no experience with.

I think you will find them do be more expensive than you are willing to pay.

Thank you very much. I checked them out. Out of this whole list, the only one I could use is DAN because they are worldwide and also not only for PADI. The other ones are only for people living in the US. Witherspoon has more countries but it still only for the Americas. Looks like the rest of the world doesn't need liability insurance The only European one I found was Indepths.org, out of the UK, but they don't want to deal with American suits and that is just where most of the suits come from...

 

[pconsidine]

Oh yes, you are always affiliated with a shop. So the shops have insurance but I don't know how far that goes. I also do think that when teaching in the US (and Queensland), you have to have a personal one. That's what I seem to remember from when I started teaching, years ago. I was just wondering if the shop meant I need to have one myself or not. And then... which one? There is not much to find about liability insurance companies on the internet.

you are right about that when coming to anything related to dive insurance there is very little info on internet since most insurance companies that offer dive insurance are usually blanket companies of Scuba Agencies. It was my understatanding that if you were affiliated with a shop -there blanket policy would cover their instructor's liability as long as they are teaching for said shop. That is why I went the Padi route since only Agency I know that allows independen instructors.As you know that as instructors we do not make a fortune, more like minimium wages so I like the flexibility to teach who and when I want..

 

[Wookie]

You didn't look at owl underwriting very hard then. They sell to Americans through jkj, but cover divers worldwide. They used to be Willis Canada and before that, Marsh Canada. I suspect you'll have to call them in Bancouver.

 

[xmass-Eve]

You didn't look at owl underwriting very hard then. They sell to Americans through jkj, but cover divers worldwide. They used to be Willis Canada and before that, Marsh Canada. I suspect you'll have to call them in Bancouver.

Oh, I saw that I prolly still coudn't use them because I am also not a Canadian. Unless I misunderstand and even if you don't live in USA/Canada, you can still be covered. I thought that 'covering divers worldwide' means that you, as US/Canadian citizen, are covered wherever you work in the world. Not that every world citizen can be covered by them...

 

[Wookie]

You misunderstood. I think. Call them.

 

[xmass-Eve]

You misunderstood. I think. Call them.

I asked them and it was like I understood. You have to be American or Canadian or at least live there... Then you are covered world wide. But it is not for worldwide citizens.

 

[European]

extract:
SSI General Training Standards - SSI Professional Status

SSI Dive Professionals must fulfill the following prerequisites to maintain active status:
...
‘Maintain professional liability insurance (if required legally in the country). The SSI Dive Professional must list SSI as an additional insured in the policy and must provide current proof-of-insurance to the SSI Service Center.’

SSI at the moment promotes DiveAssure
I have it with DAN