Scuba Diving Travel Insurance
Swimming with the fishes? Find the best travel insurance for scuba diving with Savvy.
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Savvy Editorial TeamFact checked
Are you taking the plunge into the deep blue sea on your next getaway? Getting the right travel insurance to protect you while underwater is essential if you want to do a spot of scuba diving on your holiday. Luckily, Savvy can help make your decision easier.
When you undergo the travel insurance comparison process with us, you can take the guesswork out of finding the best policy for your needs and make an educated decision after weighing up all the essential factors. Before you pack your snorkel and goggles, compare your insurance options with Savvy today.
How can I get travel insurance with scuba diving cover?
Most travel insurance companies can offer you scuba diving coverage, but you’ll likely pay a higher premium and take out extra cover. Scuba diving is usually automatically included in what travel insurers refer to as ‘adventure packages’, which generally include protection for adventure sports such as rock climbing and abseiling. Insurers deem underwater pursuits, such as scuba diving, as ‘high-risk’ activities with a higher potential for injury. As a result, they won’t offer this coverage as part of standard policies.
You’ll usually be required to be under the watchful eye of an experienced instructor or carry an open water certification. Obtaining an open water certificate isn’t difficult and usually requires completing a three-day scuba diving course. Most policies will cover you as long as you dive at depths between 10 and 30 metres below the surface level and are at least 10 nautical miles from the shore. You may be able to get insurance for diving at 50 metres below sea level, but this depends on your skill level and the provider you choose.
What does travel insurance for scuba diving cover?
Providers who offer scuba diving as an added extra on your travel insurance policy tend to offer a range of benefits. If you’re trying to find the perfect policy for your holiday, it can pay to compare your options with Savvy so you can find one that suits you the most.
Some of the benefits included in your scuba diving cover will usually include:
- Overseas medical treatment: anything can happen when you’re exploring under the deep blue sea. If you suffer decompression or pulmonary embolism and require medical assistance, your travel insurance can cover your costs without limit. You’ll also be covered if you need to be evacuated from your country due to an accident while scuba diving, including repatriation via helicopter.
- Cancellation: if you become too ill to travel and need to call off or postpone your scuba diving holiday, your insurer will pay for any costs associated with cancelling your trip. They can also organise reimbursements on a stack of pre-paid bookings, such as airline tickets, hotels and diving tours.
- Personal liability: your travel insurance covers any legal fees related to you damaging property or causing injury to another person while you’re diving.
- Lost or damaged belongings: owning scuba diving equipment can be expensive, so losing it or having it damaged can be a pain. Most comprehensive travel insurance policies will cover the cost personal items being repaired or replaced, including your luggage, up to a pre-set limit.
While there are many areas where you will be covered, there are also incidents where you won’t be, which are important to be aware of. These typically include:
- Being a professional diver
- Partaking in search and recovery diving
- Damage to your hired diving equipment
- Any damage to your equipment while in use
- If you’re diving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Types of travel insurance
International travel insurance can offer cover for a range of events, including medical expenses, lost luggage or items, cancellation fees and more when you're overseas and a long way from home.
If you're journeying within Australia, domestic policies are designed to offer many of the same protections as international travel insurance (with the exception of medical expenses).
The most standard and common type of travel insurance, this policy can cover you for one trip starting and ending in Australia (and is available for both international and domestic travel).
As the name suggests, this type of travel insurance covers multiple trips over a 12-month period. Depending on your insurer, you may be able to take an unlimited number of trips up to 90 days each.
You don't have to have a return ticket booked to take out cover while you're overseas. One-way travel insurance enables you to access cover without a set end date, such as if you're moving temporarily.
You may need to take out specialist coverage if you're setting sail on a cruise. Fortunately, cruise insurance can cover emergency evacuation, cabin confinement and more.
Just because you're older doesn't mean travel insurance isn't still important. If you qualify for cover, seniors' travel insurance can offer greater peace of mind for included events while you're travelling.
Adding winter sports or ski cover to your policy can add protection against damage to your equipment, piste closure due to bad weather and activities such as back-country skiing, heliskiing and more.
Looking to enjoy some adventure sports on holiday? An adventure sports pack can grant you cover for a range of activities, such as hiking, scuba diving and motorcycle or scooter riding.
Jetsetting with the whole clan in tow? Some insurers offer family travel insurance, which enables you to include yourself, your partner and your dependent children under one policy to help you save.
If you're travelling interstate or overseas with your partner (or simply another friend or family member), you may be able to access a discount by taking out a joint or duo travel insurance policy.
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Top tips for comparing scuba diving travel insurance
Read the fine print
Every travel insurance provider has a different set of terms and conditions, particularly when it comes to scuba diving. For example, some allow you to dive at levels under 30 metres, while others will only cover you for diving at 10 metres under the sea, so making a quick comparison can save you time and hassle.
Consider your needs
If you're comparing policies to try to find the perfect mix of benefits, it's important to compare basic and top-level cover to see which is better for your travel plans. For example, if you're going to a significant expense to take a trip to Hawaii, it may be worth considering comprehensive insurance. If so, it's worth weighing up these insurance policies to find the best one for you.
Look at the excesses
Whether you suffer a diving accident or damage your equipment and need to make a claim, most travel insurers will require you to pay an excess. The value of these ranges from $100 to $250, depending on who you purchase through. When comparing how much your travel insurance costs, it's essential to find one that’s most suitable for you.
Do your homework with Savvy
Comparing with Savvy allows you to compare side-by-side the policies which appeal to you as a traveller and prospective scuba diver. It can help you look at the pros and cons of each, weighing up factors such as inclusions, exclusions and claim limits so you can find a perfect mix for what you want to spend.
Frequently asked scuba diving travel insurance questions
Most travel insurance companies will let you take out scuba diving cover if you’re over 65. However, premiums start to rise once you reach your 60s, so you can expect to pay a little more to take out extra coverage. Age limits range between 80 and 100, depending on the provider you choose.
If you drown or suffer a lack of oxygen while you’re underwater scuba diving, your travel insurance company can cover any costs of returning your remains home. This usually includes any expenses related to your funeral, up to your claim limit which is usually about $25,000.
Yes – the medical coverage on travel insurance covers you for any injuries caused by sea creatures. For example, if you’re bitten by a shark or stung by a jellyfish while on holiday in the Maldives, your insurance company can cover the cost of your treatment.
When taking out scuba diving travel insurance with a pre-existing condition, most insurers will assess this on a case-by-case basis. It’s essential to disclose any diagnosed illness when you are purchasing your policy, as suffering from health issues related to your condition while scuba diving risks voiding your coverage.
Certain travel insurance companies can offer you coverage for decompression injuries that require hyperbaric treatment or oxygen therapy. However, this won’t always be the case, so it’s crucial to check the PDS of different policies to find out what you’re covered for.
Helpful travel insurance guides
Disclaimer:
We do not compare all travel insurance brands currently operating in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and does not consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy.
Savvy earns a commission from our partners each time a customer buys a travel insurance policy via our website. We don’t arrange for products to be purchased from these brands directly, as all purchases are conducted via their websites.
Before purchasing your policy, we recommend you refer to the provider’s PDS for any further information on the terms, inclusions and exclusions.