Understanding dive insurance for pros

So you've passed your IE, got that shiny new instructor card, and you're ready to start teaching. Awesome! But before you rush off to demonstrate your first mask clear to paying students, let's talk about something way less exciting but infinitely more important: insurance.

I know, I know. Insurance is about as thrilling as reading dive tables at 2am. But trust me, this is one of those "boring adult things" that can save your entire career (and financial future) if something goes wrong. Let's break it down.

The types of insurance you actually need

Professional liability insurance

This is mandatory in a lot of countries, but also not in plenty (like Indonesia). Professional liability insurance (also called professional indemnity or errors and omissions insurance) protects you if a student or customer gets hurt and decides to sue you.

And here's the thing – even if you did everything right, even if you followed every PADI standard to the letter, you can still get sued. A diver panics during their open water course and claims you didn't prepare them properly? Lawsuit. It doesn't matter if you're innocent – defending yourself in court costs serious money.

Professional liability insurance covers:

• Legal defense costs (which can be astronomical)

• Settlement or judgment costs if you lose

• Claims of negligence or failure to meet professional standards

• Injuries that occur during training or guided dives

Most dive centers require you to have this before they'll let you teach under their insurance. But some of them will also have it for the dive center and might cover you...it is a tricky one, but definitely a good idea to have!

This is what professional liability insurance typically does NOT cover:

• Intentional misconduct or gross negligence

• Teaching while intoxicated or impaired

• Violating PADI (or other) standards (this is huge – if you break the rules, your insurance might not protect you)

• Criminal acts

• Damage to property (that's what general liability is for)

• Your own medical expenses (that's DAN and personal insurance)

Your own medical dive insurance

Whether you go with Divers Alert Network (DAN) or with another partner, you cannot skip this one! Here's what most people don't realize: regular health insurance often doesn't cover diving-related injuries, especially hyperbaric treatment for decompression sickness.

A single chamber ride can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000+ depending on where you are and how many treatments you need. Without DAN or similar coverage, you're paying that out of pocket. As a professional who's in the water almost daily, your risk is higher than recreational divers.

A lot of pros use DAN because in most countries they have the best network and they are the dive experts. They will help you find the right doctor, the chamber, or even organise your evacuation.

DAN membership typically includes:

• Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation

• Hyperbaric chamber treatment coverage

• 24/7 emergency hotline with diving medical specialists

• Medical information line for dive-related health questions

• Sometimes equipment coverage and trip cancellation protection

Pro tip: get the highest level of DAN coverage you can afford. The difference in cost between basic and premium coverage is minimal compared to what you're protecting against.

Personal accident insurance

This one's optional but worth considering, especially if you're freelancing or working in remote locations. Personal accident insurance pays out if you're injured while diving – whether that's a boat accident, equipment failure, or just bad luck.

Think of it as income protection. If you break your leg on a dive boat and can't work for three months, how will you pay rent? Personal accident insurance can provide a lump sum or ongoing payments while you recover.

General liability insurance

This covers non-diving specific accidents. Like if someone trips over your dive bag and breaks their wrist, or if you accidentally damage a boat while loading gear. Some dive centers include this in their facility insurance, but if you're independent or doing anything outside a dive center (like pool sessions at a local facility), you might need your own.

The "working under a dive center" myth

A lot of new instructors think they're covered by the dive center's insurance. Sometimes you are, sometimes you aren't, and sometimes it's complicated. Here's what you need to know:

If you're an employee: you're usually covered under the dive center's commercial insurance policy. But "usually" isn't the same as "definitely" – get it in writing. And that is if you are a fully legal employee...and plenty of dive centers might "find ways" around that, especially with work permits.

If you're a freelancer/contractor: you almost certainly need your own insurance. Most dive centers won't take responsibility for independent contractors.

If you're teaching on the side: even if you have one main job with insurance coverage, any teaching you do elsewhere probably isn't covered. You need your own policy.

Never, ever assume you're covered. Ask directly, get documentation, and when in doubt, get your own insurance.

How much does it actually cost?

This varies wildly depending on where you are and what level you're teaching at, but ballpark figures:

• Professional liability insurance: $200-$800 per year

• DAN membership: $100-$250 per year depending on coverage level

• Personal accident insurance: $100-$500 per year

So you're looking at roughly $350-$1,500 annually for comprehensive coverage. Yes, that's a chunk of change when you're a broke new instructor. But compare that to a single lawsuit defense (easily $50,000+) or one chamber treatment without coverage (potentially $30,000+).

Think of it as the cost of doing business. Like maintaining your gear or renewing your instructor status.

Where to get it

For professional liability:

• Vicencia & Buckley (V&B) - the big name in dive professional insurance

• Willis Dive (another major provider)

• Your local diving federation or association

• Look at some local options, like Dive Assist in some countries or Divemaster Insurance in others

  
  

For DAN:

• DAN (obviously) - but check if there's a regional DAN for your area

• Some countries have their own diving medical organizations with similar coverage

Pro tip: Some providers offer package deals that bundle professional liability with other coverage. Shop around and compare what's actually included, not just the price.

The paperwork nobody tells you about

Getting insurance isn't just paying money and forgetting about it. You need to:

• Keep your policy documents accessible (some dive centers want copies)

• Know your policy number and coverage limits

• Understand your deductible (how much you pay before insurance kicks in)

• Keep your certification current (most policies require active instructor status)

• Report any incidents immediately, even minor ones

• Renew on time (gaps in coverage can be problematic)

  
  

Can you really not afford to skip this?

Let me put it this way: I would rather waste money on insurance for years, than having to pay thousands of dollars for chamber treatment and worry about covering that instead of worrying about my DCS.

The bottom line

Insurance is boring, expensive, and feels like money thrown away... until the moment you need it. Then it's literally career-saving.

As a dive professional, you're accepting responsibility for people's lives. That comes with real liability. Protect yourself, protect your career, and sleep better at night knowing that if the worst happens, you're covered.

Get the insurance. Follow the standards. Keep your paperwork in order. It's not glamorous, but neither is bankruptcy.

Now go forth and teach safely! 🤿