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093 The Annual Professional Liability Insurance Episode: Which Policy Is Right For You?

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast you’ll learn about professional liability insurance for dive professionals and how to select the right policy for your needs.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to The Dive Locker Podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

Hey everyone welcome to the show it’s great to be with you today. Okay so it’s that time of the year again when we must make decisions on our professional liability insurance. Some of us are on group policies, some of us are individual. Some of us need additional coverage for technical diving, freediving or even mermaiding – ugh I can’t believe that’s a thing. But the bottom line is that if you’re a divemaster or higher you need professional liability insurance to be in active supervisory and or teaching status.

But, insurance is not the easiest thing to navigate. There are a lot of factors at play and they very much depend on your specific needs. For instance, you might be an independent instructor who owns a bunch of rental equipment for your students to use. Or you’re the technical instructor at a dive center. Or you’re a divemaster on a boat, but now you’re also going to teach Discover Scuba courses for a resort. Everyone one of these examples has factors that change your professional liability insurance needs. And because of that you need to know how to pick your insurance.

So in this annual insurance episode I’m not going to tell you what program to go with. Instead, I’m going to teach you how to pick the program that is right for you. We’ll look at the three insurance programs of 2021 they are : Vicencia & Buckley HUB International, First Dive Insurance Owl Underwriting Agency, and Divers Alert Networks Risk Retention Group. First of all, I want to thank the top executives with these programs who have once again provided me with outstanding information about their programs. They are Brian Jondle Vice President of Vicencia & Buckley HUB International, Peter Meyer with First Dive Insurance Owl Underwriting Agency, and Shelli Wright Manager of Professional Programs of Divers Alert Networks Risk Retention Group. Thank you all for your assistance with this episode.

Items In This Episode

  • Professional Liability Insurance Worksheet
  • Why Do We Need Professional Liability Insurance?
  • Agency Endorsements
  • Insurance Ratings
  • Premiums
  • Liability Limits
  • Annual Aggregate
  • Claims Made Policy
  • Prior Acts Coverage
  • Changing Policies/Gaps
  • Endorsements (Technical, Freediving, etc.)
  • Bundling Policies/General Liability/Boat/Auto
  • Exclusions
  • How To Select and Bind Coverage

Episode Sponsor

If you find this show adds value to you as a dive pro and you’d like to help support the show, please consider supporting it on Patreon. It’s only $4 per month – that’s only $1 per episode. When you become a supporter of The Dive Locker you’ll get a shout out from me on the next episode after you join. You will also be listed on the Patrons of Dive Locker Podcast webpage. And you will receive 10% off any ScubaGuru Academy course at the Patron level, and 20% off at the Rockstar level. And of course my undying appreciation for helping support the show.

https://www.patreon.com/thedivelocker

Thanks For Listening!

That’s it for today, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher, that way you’ll be notified of new episodes as soon as they go live and please leave a rating. Items talked about in this episode can be found on the show notes Page at scubaguru.com . There you can also click the microphone and leave us a comment. Thanks again. We’ll see you in the next episode. Safe diving and take good care of my friends.

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092 Negligence and The Diving Professional

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast we discuss negligence and how it applies to diving professionals.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to The Dive Locker Podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

As you know risk management is a huge part of being a dive professional. And at this time of year it’s on our minds. This is when most professional liability insurance policies that we carry renew on July 1st. Now speaking of professional liability insurance renewals, next weeks episode will be our annual professional liability insurance episode. It will help you decide on what policy and coverage you should get. It will be updated for this year’s offerings from the different brokers. But, if you can’t wait till next Wednesday’s episode on this, you can always listen to Episode 42 The Ultimate Professional Liability Insurance Episode: Which Policy Is Right For You? So if you need to make your decision this week then I encourage you to listen to that episode. However, if you listen to next week’s episode, you’ll still have two weeks to bind coverage for July 1st.

My Upcoming Course on Risk Management

Another thing to know about is that I’m producing a ScubaGuru Academy online course on Risk Management for Dive Professionals. Now you may be asking why produce an online course on risk management. My friends it’s simple, the scuba training agencies are not giving the appropriate amount of education on this topic. That’s my humble opinion as a former national training agency director and forensic diving accident investigator. I have worked with our defense attorney and insurance companies. I have dealt with ambulance chasing attorneys, and the greedy parties bringing lawsuits. Also, I have witnessed egregious standards violations and poor judgement that has left divers and their families with no other alternative then to bring forth a lawsuit to compensate for their losses and to help ensure an accident never happens like that to others.

Pro’s Receive Little Risk Management Education

For you PADI pro’s you may or may not know the most popular PADI seminar every year at DEMA is the Risk Management seminar. Pat Fousek, who has just recently retired which is sad cause she was a class act, Pat would put on this seminar multiple times, with great content, and case histories. And the room would be packed. But, this is not required to attend. Even some of the content would make it’s way to PADI member updates around the world. But again, no requirement to attend.

Now look at all the other agencies. What are they producing annually to keep instructors up to speed on risk management and legal aspects of being a dive pro? They’re not. And no matter what agency you’re with the content in the Divemaster, Assistant Instructor and Instructor courses on risk management and legal issues – well, it could be, and I dare say it needs to be better.

For all those reasons I’m producing an online course that will not only help dive pro’s be more understanding of how to truly manage and mitigate risk, but also you’ll be a better instructor to teach Risk Management in your Divemaster and higher courses. Today’s episode on Negligence is a nice primer for both next week’s episode on professional liability insurance, and my upcoming online course on risk management. Hey and if you get a moment, reach out to me and let me know areas of that online course that you’re particularly interested in. I’ll be sure to add your requests to the course.

Items In This Episode

  • What is a negligence case?
  • Duty of Care
  • Breach of Duty
  • Damages
  • Proximate Cause

Episode Sponsor

If you find this show adds value to you as a dive pro and you’d like to help support the show, please consider supporting it on Patreon. It’s only $4 per month – that’s only $1 per episode. When you become a supporter of The Dive Locker you’ll get a shout out from me on the next episode after you join. You will also be listed on the Patrons of Dive Locker Podcast webpage. And you will receive 10% off any ScubaGuru Academy course at the Patron level, and 20% off at the Rockstar level. And of course my undying appreciation for helping support the show.

https://www.patreon.com/thedivelocker

Thanks For Listening!

That’s it for today, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher, that way you’ll be notified of new episodes as soon as they go live and please leave a rating. Items talked about in this episode can be found on the show notes Page at scubaguru.com . There you can also click the microphone and leave us a comment. Thanks again. We’ll see you in the next episode. Safe diving and take good care of my friends.

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091 Interpreting Coral Reef Ecology In A New Way With Dr. Alex Brylske

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast we discuss how dive professionals can interpret coral reef ecology in a new way with Dr. Alex Brylske.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to The Dive Locker Podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

We often say as dive professionals our office is the ocean and our inventory are the fishes and corals underwater. So, how good are you at managing your inventory? Which means how comfortable are you with sharing your knowledge of coral reef ecology?

Let me put it this way if you work a dive center, you need to have a very solid working knowledge of every piece of equipment your dive center sells right? If you don’t, well then you’re not going to help customers out at all with their needs for equipment. On the other hand, if you know the features and benefits and sizing of items then you can educate the customer to help them make a good purchasing decision, but you had to be the guide that interpreted their needs with what you have in inventory.

Carry that to interpreting the underwater world are you able to get your divers excited about what they’re seeing underwater? And I don’t just mean the big stuff like sharks, I’m talking everything unique, rare, unusual and awesome. Well the more you know, the more you’re able to interpret the underwater world to your divers. But that does not mean you need to go get a marine biology degree. Instead, it can be a simple program to learn by one of the best in the industry. Today I have Dr. Alex Brylske on to discuss his new program Coral Reef Ecology for Divers. And just wait till you hear his perspective on coral reef interpretation vs. education.

Dr. Alex Brylske is a mentor of mine. Most recently he was Professor of Marine Science & Technology at Florida Keys Community College. While teaching he was also Senior Editor of Dive Training Magazine a position he held for 24 years, where he wrote outstanding articles on all topics in diving. Before all that was his time at PADI headquarters where he was their Educational Program Development Manager.

Alex implemented the instructor training model currently in use today at PADI. He also was primary editor for both the PADI Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving and the PADI Divemaster Manual. In 2012 Alex won the prestigious DAN Rolex Diver of the Year Award, and in that same year he published one of my favorite books in the diving industry, The Complete Diver: The History, Science and Practice of Scuba Diving. Now Alex is heading up Ocean Education International where his programs specialize in teaching sustainable dive tourism. His courses for divers and pro’s are just fantastic.

Items In This Episode

Episode Sponsor

If you find this show adds value to you as a dive pro and you’d like to help support the show, please consider supporting it on Patreon. It’s only $4 per month – that’s only $1 per episode. When you become a supporter of The Dive Locker you’ll get a shout out from me on the next episode after you join. You will also be listed on the Patrons of Dive Locker Podcast webpage. And you will receive 10% off any ScubaGuru Academy course at the Patron level, and 20% off at the Rockstar level. And of course my undying appreciation for helping support the show.

https://www.patreon.com/thedivelocker

Thanks For Listening!

That’s it for today, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher, that way you’ll be notified of new episodes as soon as they go live and please leave a rating. Items talked about in this episode can be found on the show notes Page at scubaguru.com . There you can also click the microphone and leave us a comment. Thanks again. We’ll see you in the next episode. Safe diving and take good care of my friends.

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090 Everything Speaks About Your Brand

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast we discuss how even little details speak loudly about your brand.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to The Dive Locker Podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

In the world of business training and consultation, a huge area of development has been in customer service, especially in the verbal communications piece of customer service. Everything from greeting the customer, to closing the sale, is pored over with communication strategies. What we say and how we say, our speaking, really matters in business.

However, what’s not often realized is what we say to customers is just the tip of the iceberg in projecting who we are and what we are all about as a business or a brand brand. In fact, there are hundreds of non-verbal factors in your dive center that solidify your brand. It is vital to understand employees are not the only facets of your business that speaks to the customers – EVERYTHING SPEAKS!

It’s not just about dive centers, if you’re and independent instructor you have a brand too, if you’re a DSO or you run a dive program, that program has a brand that is an extension of you. So yes, you and your associated business have a brand, and everything speaks about your brand.

Items In This Episode

  • Lessons From The Mouse by Dennis Snow
  • Dive Center Business Magazine
  • Beyond The Standard YouTube Episode

Episode Sponsor

If you find this show adds value to you as a dive pro and you’d like to help support the show, please consider supporting it on Patreon. It’s only $4 per month – that’s only $1 per episode. When you become a supporter of The Dive Locker you’ll get a shout out from me on the next episode after you join. You will also be listed on the Patrons of Dive Locker Podcast webpage. And you will receive 10% off any ScubaGuru Academy course at the Patron level, and 20% off at the Rockstar level. And of course my undying appreciation for helping support the show.

https://www.patreon.com/thedivelocker

Thanks For Listening!

That’s it for today, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher, that way you’ll be notified of new episodes as soon as they go live and please leave a rating. Items talked about in this episode can be found on the show notes Page at scubaguru.com . There you can also click the microphone and leave us a comment. Thanks again. We’ll see you in the next episode. Safe diving and take good care of my friends.

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089 Why The Common Dive Flag Is Not Good Enough With Robert Carmichael

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In this episode of The Dive Locker Podcast we discuss why the common diver down flag is not good enough.

Welcome To The Show!

Welcome to The Dive Locker Podcast, the podcast for dive professionals where we bring you the latest in diving industry resources that make you excellent at teaching techniques, risk management and dive business.

The U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety Resource Center reports that from 2005 to 2013 boat-propeller strikes caused 636 injuries and 38 deaths of people engaged in water activities (boating, water skiing, swimming, snorkeling, diving, tubing, etc.); 442 of these injuries and 29 of these deaths were caused by a person being struck by a vessel.

Within the Asia-Pacific, DAN World has reports of 31 known scuba/snorkeling fatalities between 2009 and 2018 resulting from boat strike/propeller fatalities; however, this figure is likely to be significantly higher as not all cases are reported for incidents occurring within our region.

With divers this is significant and there are laws on the books for both divers and boaters requiring the use of a dive flag. Now there are all kinds of technical specifications about the colors pattern, rigidity, height, and dimensions. But here’s the problem – if a boat is traveling in the same direction as the wind – whether with it or against it, the flag is not visible. It’s just a stick on a float. And even if its not about the wind direction, other factors such as the sea state and glare of the sun reflecting off the water, or rain or fog, can all affect dive flag visibility.

The Need For 360 Degree Dive Flags/Buoys

For this reason there is a new push to create a three dimensional dive flag. Now in 2014 it was passed into law that 3 d flags and buoys would be allowed. But recently due to a tragic boat strike on a freediver on Thanksgiving Day of 2019 there has become a greater awareness of the need for a better diver down flag.

So, today I have invited Robert Carmichael CEO of Brownies Marine Group to have have a discussion on this topic since his company engineered the Brownies 3D Buoy. In it we talk about the false sense of security of the common dive flag and the need for improvement. But don’t think this is an infomercial for the Brownies 3D Buoy, Robert is quick to point out that if new legislation comes down the pike for a better dive flag all industry stakeholders must get together to design something for everyone.

You’ll see he’s not pushing his product, he’s pushing the need for a better dive flag and law. Now me on the other hand, I’m actually unashamedly pushing his product because Ive used it and am totally converted on it. And I will tell you all the reasons why.

Items In This Episode

Episode Sponsor

If you find this show adds value to you as a dive pro and you’d like to help support the show, please consider supporting it on Patreon. It’s only $4 per month – that’s only $1 per episode. When you become a supporter of The Dive Locker you’ll get a shout out from me on the next episode after you join. You will also be listed on the Patrons of Dive Locker Podcast webpage. And you will receive 10% off any ScubaGuru Academy course at the Patron level, and 20% off at the Rockstar level. And of course my undying appreciation for helping support the show.

https://www.patreon.com/thedivelocker

Thanks For Listening!

That’s it for today, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. Remember to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play or Stitcher, that way you’ll be notified of new episodes as soon as they go live and please leave a rating. Items talked about in this episode can be found on the show notes Page at scubaguru.com . There you can also click the microphone and leave us a comment. Thanks again. We’ll see you in the next episode. Safe diving and take good care of my friends.

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Welcome Dive Professionals

Welcome to ScubaGuru.com!  The ScubaGuru brand is dedicated to giving dive professionals tools and techniques to be GREAT LEADERS – leaders in the classroom, leaders underwater, and leaders in their diving businesses.  With unique leadership skill-sets, the dive professional can create:

  • Better divers
  • Loyal customers
  • A thriving dive center
  • A flourishing dive industry

See what we mean by Go Beyond the Standard and enjoy the rewards of being truly great at what you do!

Sincerely,

Tec Clark

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