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Dive insurance: what matters
"I am covered by my travel insurance" is frequently not true for diving - and you find out at the most expensive possible moment. Here is what a policy should deliver and what the centre needs from you.
Why travel insurance often does not apply
Many travel health policies either exclude diving altogether or cover it only to a certain depth - often shallower than people actually dive on holiday. Others pay for treatment but not for the expensive part: the chamber and the repatriation. The only way to check is the small print, under headings like diving, scuba or hazardous sports.
Chamber treatment over several sessions plus a repatriation from a remote dive destination can comfortably exceed the cost of a year’s holidays. That is why centres ask about insurance - not bureaucracy.
What to compare
- Recompression treatment - the core of any dive policy.
- Search and rescue and transport to the chamber, including by helicopter or boat.
- Medically escorted repatriation.
- Depth limit - does it match the diving you actually do?
- Technical diving, caves, wrecks - common exclusions.
- Geographic scope: worldwide or Europe only?
- Trip length, which matters for longer stays.
Which policy suits you depends on how often, how deep and where you dive - a decision nobody can make for you in general terms. Training agencies and specialist providers all have their own offers; compare at least two and read the exclusions rather than the advertising.
What the dive centre needs from you
Not whether you are "insured", but with whom and under which number. In an emergency somebody calls them, and a tick on a form helps nobody. Keep provider and policy number to hand - or store them once in your profile, so they are ready at every check-in. Diver ID also reminds you before your policy expires.
The most common mistake
Leaving the policy in your inbox. When you need it you will have either no signal or no time to search - and more often than not, it is not even you looking for it, but somebody calling on your behalf.
Frequently asked questions
Is my travel health insurance enough for diving?
Often not. Many policies exclude diving or cover it only to a shallow depth, and chamber treatment and repatriation are frequently missing. Check the exclusions before relying on it.
What should dive insurance cover?
Recompression treatment, search and rescue, transport to the chamber and a medically escorted repatriation - matched to the depth and type of diving you actually do.
Why does the centre ask for my policy number?
Because in an emergency somebody has to call. A tick saying "insured" helps nobody - what is needed is the provider and the number.
Set up your dive profile for free
Certifications, medical, insurance and emergency contact in one place - and your next check-in takes seconds. Free for divers, forever, with no app to download.