Do I need separate diving insurance as a diver living in Germany?
In short
If you dive abroad, usually yes. One published diving policy costs EUR 60 a year, EUR 130 for a family. It pays for the hyperbaric chamber, transport to it and rescue. Basic travel health insurance (Auslandskrankenversicherung) from EUR 8 a year is not built for that, so you need to check its terms.
Published premiums of one diving policy and of travel health insurance.
Example
Typical range
Diving insurance, single person, with travel health and diver's liability
about EUR 60 a year
Diving insurance, family
about EUR 130 a year
Diving insurance for instructors with professional liability
about EUR 160 a year
Travel health insurance, single person
from about EUR 8 a year
Travel health insurance, family
about EUR 30 a year
Diving premiums from one provider's benefits overview dated 03/2024,
travel health from a comparison dated July 2026.
Other providers price differently, and benefits and sums vary between policies.
Worked example
Couple, two weeks diving in the Red Sea
How a year of cover with one dive trip adds up.
Travel health insurance for both
about EUR 16 to 30
Diving insurance, family policy
about EUR 130
For about EUR 150 to 160 a year both are covered for illness abroad and for dive accidents.
What gets expensive after a dive accident
A dive accident usually means three bills: hyperbaric chamber treatment, fast transport to the nearest chamber by boat or helicopter, and repatriation. An air ambulance home can cost well over EUR 100,000.
Chamber therapy abroad is mostly outpatient, so you stay in a hotel between sessions. Ordinary travel health insurance usually does not pay those hotel costs.
Cost
German public health insurance
Travel health insurance
Diving insurance
Treatment in another EU country
at local rates, often with a co payment
yes
yes
Hyperbaric chamber
only within statutory benefits
depends on terms
often unlimited
Transport to the chamber, rescue
only where the local system provides it
depends on terms, often capped
yes, up to a sum
Repatriation
no, section 60(4) SGB V
yes, if medically sensible
yes
Hotel during chamber therapy
no
usually no
some policies yes
What diving insurance covers
Some diving policies pay hyperbaric treatment worldwide without a limit, in Germany too. Search, rescue and recovery are often capped at a fixed sum such as EUR 10,000.
Many diving policies include diver's liability and a small accident benefit for disability or death. That benefit is low and does not replace personal accident insurance.
When you may not need it
If you dive only now and then in German lakes and have good travel health insurance for trips, separate diving insurance is not essential. Check whether your accident and personal liability policies exclude diving.
For a try dive in a hotel pool normal travel cover is usually enough. Before sea dives a dive centre may ask for proof that chamber costs are covered.
Rules that can cost you cover
Diving policy terms exclude dives that ignore the guidelines of recognised training agencies. Do not dive deeper than your certification allows.
Technical diving, cave diving and diving for work need their own policies.
Step by step
Read your travel health terms on dive accidents, chamber and rescue.
Check accident and liability policies for a diving exclusion.
Choose diving insurance with chamber and transport.
Match depth limits to your certification.
Save the insurer's emergency number in your phone.
Checklist
Hyperbaric chamber covered
Rescue and transport with a sufficient sum
Repatriation included
Diver's liability included
Type of diving matches the policy
Common mistakes
Thinking German public health insurance pays for repatriation
Relying on cheap travel health cover without checking diving terms
Diving deeper than your certification and policy allow
Questions and answers
Frequently asked
What does diving insurance cost?
One published policy costs EUR 60 a year for one person,
EUR 130 for a family and EUR 160 for instructors.
Other providers price differently.
Does German public health insurance pay for the chamber?
In other EU countries it pays at local rates, often with a co payment.
It does not pay for repatriation to Germany (section 60(4) SGB V).
Do I need to buy chamber cover at the dive centre?
Not if you already have diving insurance.
A dive centre may ask for cover, but it should not dictate which policy.
Is diving insurance available for one week?
The policy shown is annual at EUR 60 and covers every trip that year.
For a single week compare whether a short policy is really cheaper.
Who arranges the policy?
Norman Nammert arranges cover as an insurance broker (Versicherungsmakler).
The insurer pays the commission, so the service is free for you.
