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DAN® membership is about
more than just diving. Many
member benefits are products
and services that are just as
valuable to nondivers or for
nondiving activities. That’s why we
recommend DAN membership for anyone who travels
or spends time in or on the water. To help you get the
most out of your DAN membership, we’ve identified
some common misconceptions and clarified how
DAN can help you.
Misconception: DAN membership includes insurance
for medical evacuations.
A key benefit of DAN membership is automatic
enrollment in the TravelAssist® program at no
additional cost. TravelAssist is not insurance; it
is an emergency medical transportation service
DAN provides to members who need emergency
evacuation or medically necessary repatriation.
Transportation will be to the nearest appropriate
medical facility. Members must contact DAN at
+1-919-684-9111to access this service; DAN will
not reimburse evacuations arranged by anyone other
than DAN.
Misconception: DAN TravelAssist will repatriate me
home in any circumstance.
Given the availability of quality medical care around
the world, it is seldom necessary to effect an evacuation
to a member’s home. Once a member’s medical
condition is stabilized at the nearest medical facility, if
the member requires further care and is medically fit
to travel by commercial air or ground transportation,
TravelAssist will arrange to repatriate the member
to his or her place of residence or a different medical
facility for further care. Members who want the option
to be transported to their home country when they
suffer a medical emergency while on a diving vacation
should consider buying DAN’s Guardian dive accident
insurance plan.
Misconception: DAN’s emergency assistance is only for
dive emergencies.
You can call the DAN Emergency Hotline for help
with any type of medical emergency. We recognize
that accidents happen above water as well as below,
and DAN provides emergency assistance regardless of
the circumstances. The emergency need not be dive
related, nor does it need to occur during a dive trip.
Misconception: DAN membership includes medical
expense coverage.
DAN membership alone does not include coverage for
medical treatment costs. To be covered for medical
expenses, members must purchase one of the optional
DAN-sponsored insurance plans. For those seeking
greater protection against nondiving injuries, DAN
also offers various trip and travel programs that offer
nondiving medical expense coverage up to $100,000.
Misconception: DAN membership is good only for
emergency evacuations.
Emergency medical transportation may be the most
well-known benefit provided by DAN, but membership
provides divers not only with services to respond to
accidents but also with the information and education
needed to prevent them. All DAN members have access
to DAN’s expert medical information and unbiased, up-to-
date educational resources on issues of common concern
to the diving public. Membership includes a subscription
to Alert Diver magazine and a copy of the DAN Dive and
Travel Medical Guide. DAN provides both publications
to members at no cost to educate divers and promote the
DAN mission of dive safety through education.
We understand our responsibility to inform and educate
our members to the best of our ability. Our knowledgeable
team members are standing by to help, whether you
have a medical concern or a membership inquiry. For
nonemergencies, call+1-919-684-2948or +1-800-446-
2671, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.
For more information about DAN membership
benefits, visit . AD
10 | WINTER 2017
FROM THE
SAFETY STOP
PERSPECTIVES
By Bill Ziefle
DAN MEMBERSHIP AND
YOU : SOME COMMON
MISCONCEPTIONS