Diving Trip Travel Insurance Coverage
A diving trip, at its heart, is really the same as any other trip. You could have a trip cancellation: you, a close family member or a traveling companion could get hurt or sick before you leave (and your doctor advises you against traveling). Travel Insurance reimburses you the money you lose.
Or you could have a trip interruption - all the same reasons that would cause a trip cancellation, but they happen on your trip and you're forced to return home early. Travel insurance also covers Emergency Medical & Medical Evacuation, Travel Delay & Missed Connections, lost luggage and more. Remember, Medicare doesn't cover you outside the USA, either. You can click here to see what else is covered.
And, if you haven't read Vanessa Richardson's article Why You Need Trip Insurance Now in June 2009 Undercurrent, I suggest you take a look at it.
Common Questions
1. What happens with trip insurance if the small travel agency I use to book my dive trip goes out of business?
Travel Insurance doesn't cover a travel agency's financial default or ceasing operations. Supplier Financial Default does not cover you if the travel agency goes out of business. Ideally, the travel agency uses an escrow account to store its clients' funds while the money's in their possession. You are not covered for Financial Default for money the travel agency hadn't paid to the travel suppliers. Here's more about financial default.
2. What happens if my plane arrives late or is cancelled and the liveaboard boat has left?
We advise people to get to their destination at least a day early because trip insurance plans require a 24 hour shutdown of common carrier services to have a trip cancellation or interruption claim. It doesn't matter what causes the plane to be late.
3. What happens if bad weather stops me from getting there, makes me go home early, or wipes out all diving?
If bad weather stops the traveler from getting there and there was the 24 hour shutdown of common carrier services, our plans will cover that as a trip cancellation.
If you are forced to evacuate by the authorities five of our plans consider this a trip interruption. The other company says you won't have a covered claim because if you can be transported out, then the "complete cessation of services of Your Common Carrier" for the required 24 hours didn't occur.
If you can't get out and are forced to ride out the storm: You also won't have a covered claim because if you don't leave then your trip wasn't cut short.
One of our companies, Travel Safe can cover you if your Trip destination is under a Hurricane warning issued by the NOAA National Hurricane Center. Its policy says:
"A cancellation of the Insured's Trip within 24 hours of the Insured's Scheduled Departure Date and time if his or her Trip destination is under a Hurricane warning issued by the NOAA National Hurricane Center, provided the cancellation of the Insured's Trip occurs more than 15 days following the Insured's effective date of coverage for the Trip Cancellation Benefits." Here's more about bad weather.
4. My dive gear is worth $5,000ish. Wiil the trip insurance plans cover my dive gear?
Trip insurance policies have an overall limit, but they limit what they pay for a category. For example, $200 - $400 maximum for all items in the same category. You're better off having your scuba gear listed with a rider on your homeowners / renters insurance or get Excess Valuation when you fly.
5. What about lost days of diving in the middle of a live-aboard dive trip due to weather conditions?
Lost days of diving in the middle of a live-aboard dive trip due to weather conditions are not covered. I suggest you find out from the live-aboard dive boat owners if they will credit you any cost should there be bad weather.
All our companies, except Travelex, cover diving. Here's the Travelex wording that restricts diving to not deeper than 50 feet:
The Travelex Select (National plan) says this:
The following exclusions apply to Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption, Trip Delay, Missed Connection, Emergency Accident & Sickness Medical Expense, Emergency Evacuation & Repatriation of Remains,Accidental Death & Dismemberment and Optional Flight Accidental Death & Dismemberment. Loss caused by or resulting from:
8. Participation in underwater activities (does not include recreational swimming);
11. scuba diving (unless accompanied by a dive master and not deeper than 50 feet); Exclusion does not apply to Trip Cancellation.
You can add Travelex Select's Optional Upgrade Adventure Pak to remove the restriction of accompanied by a dive master and not deeper than 50 feet.
The Travelex Select (New York plan) says this:
The following exclusions apply to Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Trip Delay, Missed Connection, Emergency Evacuation and Repatriation of Remains. Loss caused by or resulting from:
8. Participation in underwater activities
11. scuba diving
You can add Travelex Select's Optional Upgrade Adventure Pak to remove the underwater activities exclusion.
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