Liability Insurance FAQs

Currently, DAN liability coverage is available through DAN RRG to residents of all 50 U.S. states and D.C. who hold credentials from an approved training agency. DAN liability coverage is also available in select Caribbean countries and U.S. territories through DAN World Insurance Group SP.

Yes. Our policies provide options for those who do not teach scuba but are qualified to teach freediving, mermaiding, swimming, skin diving, and snorkeling. Certification by a recognized training agency is required.

The DAN Risk Retention Group offers Professional Liability Insurance, Group Professional Liability Insurance, and Commercial General Liability Insurance. DAN also offers Dive Accident Insurance, Trip and Travel Insurance, and free Student Dive Accident Insurance for entry-level students. 

Yes. It is wise to have both types of insurance because each product provides different protection. Professional, group professional and general liability insurance protects you when a student or customer is injured and files a claim against you or your business. DAN dive accident insurance protects against hyperbaric chamber costs, physician and hospital fees, and ambulance charges incurred in the event of a diving injury. Liability insurance and dive accident insurance are not interchangeable, and the benefits do not overlap.

The Professional Liability policy is a claims-made policy, meaning that coverage is triggered when a claim is made against the insured and it is reported to the underwriter while the policy is in force. It is imperative that the coverage be active from the date of the incident that gave rise to the claim until the date the lawsuit is received. If a claim is made while the policy is not in force, there is no coverage for that claim. Under an occurrence-based policy, coverage is triggered on the date the bodily injury or property damage occurs. The claim may be made after the expiration of the policy term, provided the event occurred during the policy term.

The effective date is generally 12:01 a.m. on the day after you submit your application, however approval may take up to 48 hours. If you prefer a later effective date, you may choose the date you would like coverage to begin. To avoid a lapse in coverage, please submit your application prior to the expiration date. There is no grace period.

You can get an instant quote at DAN.org/Liability. Apply online, and once the application is approved and payment confirmed, confirmation is sent via email with a link that will take you to the policy documents. You will also be able to view the documents in your account on DAN.org.

 We do not offer short-term policies. Our policies are 12 months long.

DAN RRG liability insurance is recognized by all major training agencies in the industry. This includes PADI, NAUI, SDI, SSI, TDI, IANTD, PDIC, PFI, PSS, RAID, NASE, AIDA, SEI, and others. If your training agency is not listed here, contact a liability insurance specialist to learn about coverage. 

Yes. The DAN liability coverage meets the insurance requirements of all dive training agencies.

DAN RRG liability insurance does not protect you or your business for claims arising from or related to COVID-19. Infectious diseases are excluded from the policy; this is common with most liability insurance policies in the dive industry.

A specific pandemic exclusion is not included with DAN RRG professional, group professional or general liability insurance policies. However, all policies contain an exclusion for losses arising from a communicable disease, which would include a pandemic.

The Professional Liability policy offers worldwide coverage to U.S. residents, no matter where in the world you teach or supervise divers.

Yes, you may customize your plan to include the Rebreather and/or Technical Dive Training at no additional charge. Applicants must carry the appropriate certifications/ratings for the equipment used for coverage to be valid.

DAN RRG general liability insurance can be purchased only by entities that are legally established as businesses. A professional would be eligible to purchase general liability insurance if operating as an LLC or corporation. Documentation must be provided to DAN RRG to confirm eligibility. A physical address for the business is necessary, but there is no requirement that the business have a retail (brick and mortar) establishment for serving customers.

Non-diving courses such as gas blending, cylinder inspection, and other similar courses are covered by DAN RRG general liability insurance policies. In addition, DAN RRG professional liability insurance policies can be customized with an optional endorsement for cylinder inspection instruction.

DAN RRG professional and group professional liability insurance policies cover the insured for teaching public safety diving. However, the insured would not be covered while working as a public safety diver.

DAN RRG has a special split payment option available for new professional liability insurance customers through July 31, 2020. DAN RRG will honor the split payment plan (25% down payment / 75% balance due in 90 days) as long as the application is started before this date. Financing options are available on general and group professional liability insurance policies. 

In most cases, DAN RRG professional, group professional and general liability insurance covers the insured when training in a national park. However, some parks, such as Lake Mead National Recreation Area, will not accept the DAN RRG coverage. If you plan to operate within a national park, please contact a liability insurance specialist beforehand to confirm coverage.

DAN RRG liability insurance is available only to residents of the United States. However, the coverage protects insureds no matter where in the world they are conducting training. 

DAN offers coverage to dive professionals in select U.S. territories and Caribbean countries through DAN World Insurance Group SP.

DAN RRG professional, group professional and general liability insurance covers the insured when conducting mermaid instruction. However, these policies do not provide coverage while working as a mermaid performer.

DAN has partnered with Reed Goodbred at FNIC to offer commercial property insurance to help protect the owned or rented equipment, building, and personal property at your company.

All qualified dive professionals are eligible for coverage under the DAN RRG policy provided they meet any age requirements of their training agency. DAN RRG does not place limitations on the training standards developed by the training agencies and closely follows the recommended guidelines established by these agencies. 

Unless a dive club is operating as a business, they are not eligible to purchase a DAN RRG general liability policy. If the club/association is looking for a directors and officers liability policy, DAN RRG does not offer such coverage. 

Most liability insurance offered in the diving industry provides essentially the same coverage. While there may be minor variations in policy language and available optional coverages, each provides protection against the losses most dive professionals encounter. 

When you trust DAN RRG to protect you or your business, you get more than just a policy. You are backed by the knowledge and experience of an organization that has helped divers in need for nearly 40 years. Plus, you’re joining forces with a team that has reinvested more than $100 million in dive safety.

Yes, you can add any endorsement later and pay the prorated amount for the remainder of your policy term. To do so, contact the liability team at .

You may customize your plan to include the Excess Liability Endorsement, which will increase your policy limits from $1 million per claim/$2 million aggregate to $2 million per claim/$3 million aggregate. There is an additional premium for the higher limits.

There is no additional cost to add additional insureds. There are no additional fees for upgrades, but some changes require the payment of additional premium.

Yes, you can purchase the Equipment Liability endorsement, which will provide you with coverage for claims alleging defective or malfunctioning equipment that you own which is being used by students or other customers while they are in your own class under your supervision.

Additional insureds are third parties who can be added to the policy at no additional cost. The listed additional insureds are then protected under your policy and have coverage against claims that result from professional services you (the named insured) provide as a dive leader, instructor or business owner.

Instructors or divemasters may not be added as additional insureds; they must have their own professional liability coverage or be listed as insured staff members under a group policy.

If you want continuous coverage, you need to renew no later than the day before your existing policy expires. Renewal notices will be sent to remind you. You can renew as early as 60 days before your policy expires or as late as the day before your policy is due to expire to keep your coverage without lapsing. There is no grace period.

You may renew your liability insurance policy by logging in to your account at DAN.org or going to DAN.org/Liability.

Since the insurance you are purchasing is a claims-made policy, it requires you to have coverage at the time the claim is made. If a claim is made and your coverage has lapsed, you will not be covered. In addition, you must have continuous (uninterrupted) coverage from the time of the incident that led to the claim until the time the lawsuit is filed.

Yes. DAN RRG will notify all designated training agencies about your liability insurance coverage and send them proof of coverage automatically; no action is required by you. However, additional insureds will only be notified at your request.

DAN RRG does not offer automatic renewal on professional, group professional, or general liability insurance policies. Each policy must be renewed manually each year. To renew, visit DAN.org/Liability. You will receive a renewal notice in advance of the renewal date.

If you are no longer actively teaching or supervising divers, the risk of a claim against you drops considerably. However, claims can arise from teaching or supervision you did in prior years and you need insurance coverage at the time the claim is made.

For these situations, DAN RRG offers “tail coverage” to protect you against claims that are made after you have retired. After a few years (the length of time depends on the state), the ability of an injured diver to bring a claim expires and tail coverage is no longer needed.

Individual Professional Liability policies must be paid up front for the coverage to be in effect. All premiums are fully earned, and there are no refunds. Financing is available for General Liability and Group Professional Liability coverage.

Yes. As a DAN member, you are eligible to receive a discount on each of the policies sold by DAN Risk Retention Group. If you need to renew your DAN membership or sign up, you can do so at DAN.org/Join.

Once your policy has been issued, you can log in to your account at DAN.org/Liability to view or print your documents (declaration page, certificate of insurance, insurance card, etc.) at any time.

If you have questions, contact our liability insurance team by phone at +1-919-684-2948 or by email at .

The DAN Risk Retention Group offers Professional Liability (both individual and group) and Commercial General Liability Insurance. DAN also offers Dive Accident Insurance, Trip and Travel Insurance and subsidized Student Medical Expense Coverage for entry-level open water students. DAN offers a variety of risk mitigation programs, including the following:

1. Brochures and other materials on diving safety, available in print and digital

2. Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment 

(HIRA) — 3 levels (2 are self-assessments)

3. Prepared Diver Course (e-learning program which reminds divers of the causes of diving accidents)

4. Student Medical Expense coverage (to offset the cost of an injury to your student)

5. DIDS Boards (to count divers on the boat)

6. Oxygen and first aid kits, and training, to respond to injuries

The Individual Professional Liability and Group Professional Liability policies are claims-made policies, meaning that coverage is triggered when a claim is made against the insured verbally or in writing, or reported in writing to the underwriters, during the policy period. The claim must be made during the policy period or any extended reporting period, and must occur after the designated retroactive date. To be covered under a claims-made policy, you must have continuous (uninterrupted) coverage from the time of the incident that led to the claim to the time the claim is filed.

The Commercial General Liability policy is an occurrence-based policy, meaning that coverage is triggered on the date the bodily injury or property damage occurs. The claim may be made after the expiration of the policy term, provided the event occurred during the policy term.

DAN RRG liability coverage is available to residents of the 50 U.S. states and D.C. who hold credentials from an approved training agency. Coverage is also available in select U.S. territories and Caribbean countries through DAN World Insurance Group SP.

You can get an instant quote at DAN.org/Liability.

Yes. DAN liability coverage meets all dive training agency standards.

The Professional Liability policy offers worldwide coverage, no matter where in the world you teach or act in a dive-professional capacity.

Yes. Our group policies provide options for those who do not teach scuba but are qualified to teach freediving, mermaiding, swimming, skin diving, and snorkeling.

Yes. Changes can be made at any time. You can add or purchase endorsements or riders, add or remove staff, and add or remove additional named insureds. Log in to your account at DAN.org to make these changes, or contact us for assistance.

Additional insureds are third parties who can be added to the policy at no additional cost. The listed additional insureds are then protected under your policy and have coverage against claims that result from professional services you (the named insured) provide as a dive leader, instructor or business owner. 

There is no additional cost to add additional insureds or staff. For an upgrade, there may be an additional premium depending on what’s added to the policy.

You must complete the application found on the DAN Risk Retention Group website. 

Upon payment of your premium, your liability documents will be available to view in your account at DAN.org. You will be provided with a Declarations Page, which describes the coverage you have purchased. If you have listed additional insureds, they will be provided with a separate certificate of insurance.

For questions, contact a member of our liability insurance team at +1 (919) 490-2934 or email at .

The DAN Risk Retention Group offers Professional Liability (both individual and group) and Commercial General Liability Insurance. DAN also offers Dive Accident Insurance and Trip/Travel Insurance. 

Yes. Both Group Professional and General Liability can be purchased separately. 

Yes. This is why we offer Tour and Travel Agent Liability as an endorsement option for the Commercial General Liability policy. Tour & Travel Agent Liability extends coverage to services provided in the role of tour or travel agent or when otherwise arranging activities for customers with airlines, hotels, resorts, dive operators, concessionaires, vendors, or subcontractors.

No. Since you own the quarry (also applies to a lake), coverage requires the purchase of a separate rider and payment of an additional premium. If you do not own the lake or quarry, but just use it for training, you do not need to add this rider.

Additional locations are covered at no additional cost provided they are part of the original legal structure and are listed with their physical addresses on the application.

Most applications are processed the day they are received. However, underwriting may require 24 to 48 business hours. 

Yes. DAN RRG can refer you to a third-party finance company to provide premium financing. This requires a separate application. If approved, there is a 25% deposit and the balance is paid in 9 installments. The interest rate is set by the finance company and does not benefit DAN.

Yes. Claims made for negligent equipment service and repair, including rebreathers, are covered.

No. All DAN RRG policies are for one-year (12-month) terms. We do not offer short-term policies.

Yes. You may customize your policy to include rebreather and/or technical dive training at no additional charge. Applicants must carry the appropriate certifications/ratings for coverage to be valid.

Yes, this is a claims-made policy and covers all claims made during the policy term, provided the incident/loss occurred subsequent to the earliest date from which you have had continuous professional liability insurance coverage. That coverage could have been with another insurance carrier, but it must have been continuous.

Complete an incident report to gather the relevant information. The incident report form can be found within your account at DAN.org. Once this is done, call +1-919-684-2948 to speak with a member of the DAN liability insurance team, or email the report to . If the incident involves a fatality or serious bodily injury, please contact DAN ASAP so that we can take steps to protect your interests.

This extends coverage to services provided in the role of tour or travel agent, or when otherwise arranging activities for customers with airlines, hotels, resorts, dive operators, concessionaires, vendors or subcontractors. It does not cover other factors affecting travel.

Currently there is no limit to the number of staff members that can be covered under your group policy. But remember, all staff members share the single policy limit.

Yes. A discount is available for DAN members. To receive the DAN member discount rate, all dive professionals under a Group Professional Liability policy must have an active individual/family DAN membership.

No. There is no additional charge for additional locations as long as they are part of the same legal entity. 

Yes. Please call +1-919-684-2948 to speak with a member of the DAN liability insurance team or email us at .

Coverage is the same as under an individual policy, but note the following:

1. All staff listed under a group policy share a single limit of liability ($1 million / $2 million aggregate) and that limit is reduced each time a claim is made. 

2. Coverage only applies to professional services provided by your staff to the store’s customers. If a dive professional teaches or leads a dive with someone who is not a customer of the dive shop, the dive professional would not have coverage in that case.

For General Liability and Group Professional Liability you may purchase limits of $1 million per claim and $2 million aggregate. You may increase the limits on the Group Professional Liability to $2 million per claim and $3 million aggregate by purchasing the Excess Liability endorsement.

Each case will be fact dependent, but understand that a plaintiff can file suit against you regardless, and place the burden of proof upon you to defend.

Yes. The Group Professional Liability policy is designed to cover a professional for services provided under the guidelines of any of the approved training agencies. However, with a group policy the professional services must be provided to customers of the dive business. Professional services you provide outside the scope of your responsibilities as an employee or independent contractor of the dive business are not covered under a group policy.

Defense costs are included in the aggregate policy limit of the professional liability, group professional liability, and general liability policies. 

A retroactive date defines how far back in time a loss can occur for your policy to cover your claim. If a claim happens prior to your retroactive date, your policy won’t provide benefits. This is a feature of claims-made professional liability insurance or errors and omissions insurance.

It is possible you have not yet created an account or did not enter a password when doing so. DAN uses email addresses as unique identifiers, so any given email address can be associated with only one account on DAN.org.

DAN’s professional liability insurance policies are claims-made policies, which are different from most other insurance policies you might buy. Prior acts can be covered as long as you have had continuous insurance (whether from your current carrier or another carrier) from the date of the incident that gave rise to a claim until the time that claim is received by the insurance company. Any lapse in protection during this time will preclude coverage.