Dive Assure Travel Insurance Review: A Deep Dive
Written by Antonio Cala.
Table of Contents
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler, diver, or an enthusiastic adventurer, having the appropriate insurance is crucial. In this Dive Assure travel insurance review, we delve into its distinctive features, offering a comprehensive range of services and thorough coverage tailored specifically for scuba divers on their travels.
For an in-depth analysis of insurance choices tailored for adventure travelers, check out the Ultimate Guide to Adventure Travel Insurance. Let’s get started.
Dive Assure Travel Insurance Overview
Who Is Dive Assure For
Dive Assure Travel Insurance caters to international scuba divers on liveaboard trips, focusing on dive accident insurance as its core feature. You can increase your coverage by incorporating a conventional travel insurance policy, covering you against trip cancellations and baggage concerns.
What's Included
Similar to DAN, Dive assure three different types of coverage that can be confusing to understand the first time you see them. We will go into the details in the next section. For now, here is a summary of what they offer:
- Dive Assure membership, which covers emergency evacuation and travel assistance services.
- Dive accident insurance, which covers injuries sustained while diving.
- Travel Insurance, providing medical coverage, trip protection, and coverage for baggage.
You need to purchase the membership first to be able to buy the other two. When buying the travel insurance, the dive accident insurance is included with it, but not the other way around.
The following is the coverage you can get when combining all of them.
- Emergency Medical Expenses – Diving Related: Up to $1,000,000.
- Emergency Medical Evacuation – Diving Related: Up to $1,000,000.
- Emergency and Accidental Medical Treatment and Evacuation – Non-Diving Related: Up to $50,000.
- Cancellation and Interruption- Comprehensive Coverage: Up to $15,000.
- Lost Diving Days due to Weather: Up to $200/1000 (day/total).
- Travel Delay: Up to $1,000.
You can see the full coverage of the Dive Assure travel insurance here.
Limitations
Most benefits from Dive Assure are available to members from any country, while some are available only in certain regions. Please check the latest information at Dive Assure website as new benefits are added from time to time.
Dive Assure Insurance Plans
As mentioned in the previous section, Dive Assure offers three main products: membership, dive accident insurance, and travel insurance. Since you need to be a member to be able to purchase insurance, and travel insurance also includes the dive accident insurance, everything comes down to two options.
Membership + Diving Accident Insurance.
Membership + Travel Insurance (includes diving accident).
DiveAssure Membership
The Dive Assure membership provides access to an array of services and benefits including hotlines, information, webinars and travel assistance.
You need to purchase the membership first in order to purchase either the diving accident and/or travel insurance.
Dive Accident Insurance
Dive Assure offers both short term and annual dive accident insurance policies.
Their plans are primary, which means that the insured doesn’t have to wait for any other insurance company to pay first. It allows them to pay directly and in real-time to hyperbaric chambers around the world as they do not have to wait for another insurance company to get involved and you do not have to pay large amounts out of pocket.
Remember that you must first acquire the Dive Assure membership. Three different tiers are offered: Gold, Platinum & Diamond.
Example quote for a 40-year-old diver from Florida.
Travel Insurance
Dive Assure trip insurance includes coverage for diving and non-diving related evacuation and medical expenses, hyperbaric treatments, trip cancellation, trip interruption, missed connection, baggage loss and a few other things.
They have 3 different tiers:
Standard – Basic travel protection covering both diving and other adventure trips.
Deluxe – Enhanced trip protection with higher limits.
Elite – The top plan. Both dive travel and any other adventure or travel. Highest limits.
Example quote for a $2,000, 1-week trip for a 40-year-old diver from Florida.
Liveaboard Rider
The Liveaboard Rider is specifically designed to cover situations unique to liveaboard trips, filling gaps not addressed by other travel insurance plans.
When you add the Liveaboard Rider to Deluxe or Elite plans, you not only retain all the benefits provided by those plans but also gain additional coverage tailored to protect against unforeseen circumstances specific to liveaboard trips.
By including the Liveaboard Rider in Deluxe or Elite programs, you unlock exclusive benefits such as:
Trip Cancellations Due To:
- Coverage for trip cancellation resulting from a missed connection leading to missing the liveaboard or incurring additional costs to join it.
- Trip cancellation coverage for missing the liveaboard departure due to airline delays.
- Trip cancellation due to the sinking of the liveaboard boat.
Lost Diving Days Due To:
- Medical incapacity to dive.
- Unfavorable weather conditions preventing diving/sailing.
- A diving accident involving another passenger on the boat, leading to the cancellation of planned dives.
- Expenses not reimbursed by the tour operator for defaults/mechanical breakdowns in air supply.
- Financial default of the liveaboard operating company or tour operator.
Pricing
As it happens with almost any insurance provider, prices vary depending on where you live in the world.
Currently, the regular Dive Assure membership in the US costs $19 for an individual. They offer a 10% discount for families of 2 members or more that register together.
For a 40-year-old male from Florida, the dive accident insurance will cost from $64-$84 (depending on the tier) for a week-long trip and $89-$161 for an annual coverage.
For the same person, the travel insurance for a $2,000, 1-week trip will cost from $50-$192 (depending on the tier) and around $428 for an annual coverage.
For accurate pricing, please get a quote for your trip on the Dive Assure website.
What's Covered & Who's Eligible
Dive Assure doesn’t have a lot of limitations. Most people are eligible. Let’s look at the specifics.
Nationalities: Most nationalities are covered.
Pre-existing conditions: Pre-existing conditions are not covered.
Seniors Over 65: Includes coverage for divers age 74 and under.
Trip Duration: The maximum trip length for single-trip programs is 180 days, while the maximum trip length for multi-trip program is 42 consecutive days (per trip).
Groups: Both membership and insurances are available as individual and family plans.
User Reviews and Testimonials
Insurance companies often receive negative online reviews due to issues such as complicated policy language, claim denials, slow processing times, and perceived unfair practices.
Dive Assure gets very few negative reviews online. It’s one of the best rated companies online.
Dive Assure vs Competitors
The real competitor of Dive Assure for dive accident insurance is DAN. When it comes to travel insurance, then there are many other providers out there.
Conclusion
Dive Assure stands as one of the popular insurance choices for international travelers who are avid divers. Their membership, coupled with dive accident insurance, travel insurance, and the liveaboard rider, offers a comprehensive protection package for every diver.
It’s the best option for travelers wanting to insure their liveaboard trip.
While DAN boasts an appealing and competitive dive accident insurance, Dive Assure distinguishes itself by providing an all-encompassing trip protection package, including the liveaboard rider. This package ensures the safeguarding of your investment in nearly any situation, setting it apart from any other provider in the market.
Other Travel Insurance Reviews
If you would like to read more about other insurance companies for adventure travelers, you can check out our other reviews below:
If you would like to read more about insurance options for other type of adventure trips, you can check out our other reviews below:
- Skiing & Snowboarding
- Hiking Trips
- Mountaineering & High Altitude Trekking
- Mountain Biking, Bike-touring & Bike-packing
- Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing & Bouldering
- Kayaking, White Water Rafting & Paddle Boarding
- Fishing & Spearfishing
- Diving Liveaboards & Freediving
- Sailing, Kite Surfing & Surfing
- Adventure Cruises
- Adventure Motorcycling
Dive Assure Insurance Reviews Online
When doing your research, you might want to read what other publications have to say about the Dive Assure travel insurance plans. In my experience, the most honest and valuable reviews are found by real divers in forums like ScubaBoard or Reddit.
Here are some of the most popular threads I found interesting.
DAN vs. Dive Assure for dive and travel insurance? – Scuba Board Forums
DAN vs DiveAssure – Reddit
About the Author
Antonio was born and raised in Southern Spain, and quit his job in 2013 to travel the world full-time with his wife Amanda for 10 years straight. Their passion for adventure took them to visit 150+ countries.
They cycled 25,000km + from California to Patagonia, sailed over 10,000NM around the Caribbean & Sea of Cortez, rode their motorbikes 30,000 kms+ across West Africa (Spain to South Africa) and visited Antarctica, among many other adventure expeditions. Today, they’re still traveling, currently around the USA with an RV.
Traveling to so many places, remote destinations and by different means taught them a lot about travel insurance, which policies to hold depending on the area and the type of adventure they were doing. Antonio now publishes regular content to help other travelers choose the best travel insurance for adventure trips.
Together, they also run the travel community Summit, the RV site Hitched Up, the boutique accommodation blog Unique Places and the popular newsletter Adventure Fix, where they share their knowledge about the places they’ve visited and the ones still remaining on their list.
Antonio Cala
Co-Founder of Adventure Fix