Dive Insurance

If you’ve ever asked whether dive insurance is worth it, the short answer is yes. Scuba diving is statistically safe, but the costs of a rare emergency can be catastrophic. A good dive insurance policy isn’t just about chamber time. It’s about having access to fast, professional support when things go wrong and not bankrupting yourself to get it.

What Dive Insurance Covers (and What It Doesn’t)

• Hyperbaric chamber treatment
• Emergency evacuation and air transport
• Hospital bills related to a diving accident
• Some coverage for dive gear loss or damage
• 24/7 medical assistance hotlines

What they often don’t cover:

• Non-diving medical emergencies (unless bundled with travel coverage)
• Pre-existing conditions
• Cancellations or missed trip segments
• Gear breakage from baggage handling

Your Regular Health Insurance Probably Doesn’t Cover Diving Accidents

Many divers assume their regular health insurance will step in if something goes wrong underwater. It usually won’t.

Most standard health insurance plans explicitly exclude injuries related to high-risk activities, and scuba diving is often listed among them. Even when they don’t exclude diving outright, they may deny hyperbaric treatment unless it is prescribed for something like wound healing, not decompression sickness.

Some examples of costs that might not be covered by your normal insurance:

• Evacuation from a remote dive site by boat or air
• Recompression therapy for DCS
• Emergency room visits that stem from a diving incident
• Follow-up care from dive-related trauma

You could be left with tens of thousands in out-of-pocket costs if you don’t have dive-specific coverage. That’s where a dedicated dive insurance policy comes in.

Why We Recommend DAN

• They’ve been doing this for decades. DAN is a nonprofit with a long track record of supporting divers and conducting medical research.
• They fund emergency medical response worldwide. In some cases, DAN has coordinated air evacuation and chamber access in regions where the nearest option is hours or continents away.
• Their policies are straightforward. You know what you’re getting. Coverage levels are clear, and limits are easy to understand.

What I Personally Use (and Why)

I carry the DAN Guardian dive accident plan, and my family is enrolled under the Enhanced Family Membership. This combination gives me:

• High coverage limits for chamber, evac, and hospitalization
• Access to DAN’s emergency coordination anywhere in the world
• Peace of mind that my non-diving spouse is also supported if something happens to me on a trip

I chose this setup for a few reasons:

• I’ve dived in remote locations. When I went to Beqa Lagoon in Fiji, it was clear how far we were from major medical infrastructure.
• My wife doesn't dive. If something happens, I want her covered for logistics, lodging, and communication support.
• I’m over 50. I don’t take chances on medical access or delay.
• It’s simple. I want to focus on the diving, not second-guess my coverage if something goes wrong.

You don’t need the top-tier plan to be responsible, but after researching what a single chamber treatment and air evac can cost, this was an easy decision.

Like Costco, But for Divers

1. First, you buy a DAN membership. This gives you access to their hotline, emergency coordination, and research reports.
2. Then, you purchase dive insurance separately, choosing from several tiers based on how much coverage you want.
3. Optionally, you can also purchase travel insurance from DAN, which covers things like trip cancellation, delays, baggage issues, and non-diving medical emergencies.

This is a bit like Costco. You can’t just walk in and buy a 5-pound tub of peanut butter. You pay for a membership first, and then you shop. DAN’s model is the same. Your membership opens the door, and insurance is one of the things inside.

Other Options

Some divers prefer DiveAssure for their travel-heavy plans or single-trip flexibility. We don’t have direct experience with their packages, but they may be worth exploring if DAN doesn't fit your needs.

Is It Required?

Dive insurance is not required by most training agencies, but many liveaboards, resorts, and international destinations do require it, especially in areas far from hospitals. Even if they don’t, many divers consider it part of their standard safety toolkit.

What About Local Dives?

Some divers skip insurance thinking it's only needed for remote or international trips. But accidents can happen anywhere, even at a local quarry or shore dive ten minutes from home.

DAN’s dive accident insurance covers you no matter how close you are to home. You do not need to be a certain distance away for your dive-related medical expenses to be covered.

However, DAN’s TravelAssist benefits, such as evacuation and repatriation for non-diving medical emergencies, only apply when you are more than 50 miles (80 km) from your home. This distinction matters if you’re combining local diving with general travel protection.

If you're diving in your own region, hyperbaric treatment may still be hours away. The cost of ground or air transport can be significant. Dive insurance is not just about travel. It’s about being protected whenever you dive.

Common Misconceptions About Dive Insurance

• “My regular health insurance will cover a dive emergency.” Most plans exclude diving or deny recompression treatment claims.
• “It’s only needed for deep or technical dives.” DCS can happen even on shallow dives.
• “I dive conservatively, so I won’t need it.” Accidents aren't always caused by profiles. Gear failure and buddy issues matter too.
• “The resort or liveaboard will take care of everything.” They may help coordinate, but you still pay the bills.
• “My travel insurance already covers that.” Most general travel policies exclude hyperbaric treatment and dive-specific evacuation.

What Does Dive Insurance Cost?

DAN Annual Pricing (for Illinois residents age 50+, as of 2025)

These insurance premiums apply to adult residents of Illinois age 50 or older. Rates may vary by age and location. To purchase one, you must also be a DAN member.

DAN Membership Options

Note: Enhanced Membership increases your benefits in non-diving emergencies, especially when traveling. It adds support for repatriation, search and rescue coordination, and medically necessary transport to your home country after hospitalization.

Important: Dive accident insurance covers only the named individual. Family members must have their own policies even with an Enhanced Family Membership.

Regional differences: DAN plans are managed by regional offices. These figures reflect DAN America.

The Cost of a Single Incident

A basic case of decompression sickness requiring transport and recompression therapy can easily cost $20,000 to $30,000, even in countries with lower medical costs. In the United States or on a remote island, that number can rise much higher and is rarely covered by standard health insurance.

Bottom Line

You’re paying about $7 to $11 per month for full dive accident protection plus DAN membership. That’s about the same as the coffee you grabbed before the dive. It’s a small investment to avoid a five-figure bill when something goes wrong and to make sure someone answers the phone who actually knows what to do next.