Diving is a popular pastime but can be potentially hazardous, even fatal. By asking the right questions at the outset the underwriters can ensure the correct price is charged for the risk, writes Jeff Barker
One of the most common recreational pursuits that an underwriter will encounter is underwater diving. This falls into three general categories: snorkelling (using a mask and snorkel), accompanied recreational non technical diving (using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus – SCUBA – to a depth of <30m) and technical SCUBA diving (descending >30m with specialised skills such as wreck, cave, ice, pit/quarry, and solo diving).
Additionally, free diving is an extreme and currently rare form where competitors descend to great depths while holding their breath without the use of any breathing apparatus.
Diving is not medically or centrally regulated but in the UK is under the control of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) and the National Snorkelling Club (NSC). BSAC offers five levels: ocean, sports, leader, advanced and first class and has over 50,000 members. There is a direct correlation with a lower accident/health risk the higher the qualification.
Internationally PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) operates the largest SCUBA diving training system with 55% of all divers worldwide certified by PADI. Such organisations promote safe diving through guidelines and qualifications. This is supported by statistics that indicate a 50% increase in diving incidents in non-certified divers.
Is diving safe?
Two main areas of concern are accident risk and health hazards. Between 1998 and 2005 the BSAC recorded 3,198 diving incidents, including 40 solo dives, 19 of which (48%) involved a fatality, suggesting the fatality rate is more than 10 times higher in solo diving.
Diving depth is a major consideration with increased premium rates generally aligned to dives up to depths of 30 metres, between 30-50 metres and greater than 50 metres, where the pressure and risk factors increase.
Immersion and exposure in cold water causes increased pressure on the heart and its blood vessels. With rising incidents of high blood pressure in the population, the underwriter will be alert to the possibility of diving causing an exacerbation of the symptoms.
Certain cardiovascular disorders such as heart attack and angina may preclude diving whereas a minor irregular heart beat may not be as much of a concern.
The most familiar health risk associated with diving is decompression sickness, known as ‘the bends’. This is linked to depth and duration of the dive, repetitive exposure and speed of ascent. Non-neurological bends causes mild symptoms such as joint pain and skin irritation whereas the more serious neurological bends can cause blindness, spinal cord lesions resulting in complete or partial paralysis, and breathlessness. For disability benefits the long-term effects of osteonecrosis (temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to bones resulting in joint degeneration) is considered.
Approximately 25% of the population have the minor heart defect patent foramen ovale (PFO). It is recommended that those with known PFO should not undertake deep dives requiring decompression stops. Those suffering more serious heart defects are advised not to dive, as are those with serious lung disorders such as severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema.
Nitrogen narcosis which causes confusion, panic and paranoia, is more likely at depths greater than 30 metres. Proper training and acclimatisation may reduce the occurrence of this condition and is another factor for not diving solo. The Sport Diving Medical Committee advises that sufferers of epilepsy should be seizure free and off medication for five years.
important questions
Qualifications and experience? Number of dives per annum? Average and maximum depths? Solo or accompanied? Area of dives i.e. sea, rivers, pits, quarrys or caves? If any internal exploration of wrecks?
Cave, quarry and pit diving in unauthorised sites are particularly hazardous due to often very poor visibility, extremely cold temperatures and the remoteness of the locations. Likewise internal wreck exploration carries the additional risk of entrapment. Taking these into account the underwriter faces the different challenges of assessing the diving risk for life cover, critical illness cover and disability benefits.
Clearly the risk for life cover is death through accident or health incident either by exacerbating a pre-existing condition such as lung or heart disease, or a condition caused by diving such as decompression sickness or nitrogen narcosis. Risks for critical illness cover and disability benefits are different as consideration will be given to the possibility of coma, paralysis etc and physical injury due to decompression sickness, osteonecrosis or baro-trauma (physical injury caused by difference in air pressure that affects the ears, eyes and lungs).
For snorkelling and non technical recreational diving with minimal involvement i.e. holiday diving, standard rates can be offered for all benefit types.
Divers who are trained and accompanied and with no technical element to the dive can generally be offered standard terms for all cover types if diving is up to 30 metres in depth.
For dives between 30m and 50m with no technical element a rating in the region of 2 per mille (£ per thousand sum assured) will be appropriate for life cover and dives over 50m will warrant a rating of 5 per mille; an exclusion is generally required for both critical illness cover and disability benefits.
For technical diving, special care is required and depending on depth and type of diving, ratings for life cover will range from 1 per mille (<30m), 3 per mille (30-50m) and 6 per mille (>50m). Again, an exclusion will be applied for critical illness cover and disability benefits.
Special consideration will be given to divers with no formal training or who dive alone, free dive and those who may be involved in record attempts.
Jeff Barker is senior underwriter at Zurich UK Life
