Diving insurance: Safety under the sea

Diving as an activity, sport or as part of a profession is very common throughout the world. It is an adventurous recreation for travelers as well as a highly rewarding job for professionals involved in deep sea mining or research work. The environment below the surface of the sea is not only beautiful but full of risks and hazards as well. The best way to go scuba diving safely on your next vacation is to get yourself covered with diving insurance. Why is diving insurance important? Diving is risky business. The entire underwater world is full of potential threats. It can range from serious medical and health conditions to critical equipment malfunction. Severe medical conditions like decompression sickness and gas embolism are very common among divers and treatment is expensive. Equipment failure like a jammed breathing regulator can contribute to deadly underwater accidents. Moreover, most insurance companies do not provide diving coverage under their standard travel insurance policies. There are a number of risks associated with recreational diving business. Businesses conducting guided underwater tours or renting diving equipment to vacationers risk facing law suits from customers for various reasons. Liabilities can range from equipment failure, liability of operating a compressor or failure to provide proper advice and guidance. It is necessary for such businesses to be covered by specific diving trade liability insurance. What are the benefits of diving insurance? Travelers and vacationers can opt for diving insurance if they plan on going scuba diving or snorkeling on their vacation. It covers a myriad of risks and hazards.

• Equipment coverage – This includes coverage for aqualungs, regulators, air tanks and underwater photography equipment. It also includes coverage for diving scooters and diver propulsion vehicles. Underwater photographic equipment can be specifically covered with a rider. The equipment is covered is covered in storage, transit and while its being used.

• Emergency coverage – It covers the cost of emergency medical assistance, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, air lift, medical repatriation and search and rescue services. Additional transport and accommodation cost can also be covered depending on the policy limit. Policies are designed to cover the cost of consulting doctors specializing in dive medicine.

• Disability and death coverage – Diving accidents are not uncommon. A good diving insurance policy would cover the loss of one or more limbs and eyesight. Death benefits and permanent total disability coverage is also a part of the package.

• Diver liability coverage – It covers traders and individuals against civil liabilities. The policy covers legal expenses in case a member of the public decides to file a law suit against a dive shop or a venue provider for negligence or bodily injury.

• Special coverage – Under this heading you are likely to find coverage for cancellation or curtailment of the dive due to adverse weather conditions, delayed or missed departures, hijack and piracy, loss of traveling documents (like passport, tickets) and piste closure.

What are the exclusions? Most insurance policies contain their own set of standard exclusions. Diving insurance, like any other traveling insurance has its own unique set of exclusions.

• Losses due to diving endurance races and other strenuous underwater activities are excluded. Accidents which occur during an organized sporting event are also excluded.

• Accidents and injuries caused while the diver was intoxicated.

• Breaking the depth limit also forms grounds for exclusion. The diving depth limit depends on how much experience and training the diver has had. Diver’s certification needs to be submitted so that the underwriters can assert the amount of experience you have and the registered depth limit.

• Deliberately causing underwater accidents or injuries and intentionally breaching the depth limit will also form grounds for exclusion under the policy.

• Under some policies, extremely expensive alternative therapies (like hyperbaric oxygen therapy) and decompression therapy are excluded.

It’s a good idea to purchase insurance for any risky activity you might be engaging in, be it a deep sea dive or a cross country drive. Underwater hazards are not covered by your standard health or life insurance policies. Diving insurance is especially important for you in case you are interested in scuba diving, marine wild life and photography and reef diving. Be safe, dive insured.