Peter first started Scuba Diving at the age of 14 and has never stopped. He became a certified Instructor in 1975 and became an Instructor Trainer / Course Director shortly after that. He owned and operated 2 full service retail Dive Facilities for many years and is currently certified as a sustaining status Instructor through SDI (#2673) and NAUI (#4264L). Peter also holds a current Passenger Vessel Master's License and owned and operated a Live aboard Dive Vessel for 12 years. After selling his diving businesses, Peter fell into the insurance industry by accident and has focused on the Dive Industry and it's unique needs and exposures ever since. He assisted NAUI in obtaining their first stand alone insurance program in 1988 and eventually developed programs for SDI, TDI, ERDI, ACUC, NASE, FADO, PDIC, YMCA, SEI, RAID and others. He continued developing insurance products for the dive industry and ran successful dive programs for Dale & Company, Jardine Lloyd Thompson, Marsh and Willis until his semi-retirement from Willis in 2014. Peter has also been a presenter at various IQ's, DEMA shows and Risk Management Seminars and has had several diving and Risk Management articles published in Dive Industry Magazines. He is pleased to be back in business with OWL / FIRST DIVE and looks forward to providing exceptional service to retail insurance brokers and their Dive Industry clients on a worldwide basis.
It's debatable whether Ryan was born on a boat or born in an insurance office. From the day he arrived, his father, Peter, operated a dive charter vessel, the Sea Venturer, while his mother worked as a commercial insurance broker for family owned Duggan West Insurance. Since he could crawl, he was either on the water or in the office. In August of 2000, Ryan was certified as an Open Water Scuba Diver through SDI (625123). After attending the University of British Columbia, Ryan followed into the family insurance business (in spite of his parents insistence he should be a writer and musician). While enjoying successful tenures with Northbridge Insurance, Zurich Insurance, Chutter Underwriting Services and South Western Group as Branch Manager, it became apparent First Dive and Owl Underwriting was a logical choice in his career path and he's proud to have the opportunity to show you what Owl can do. The ocean has always been family to Ryan who is often seen, between phone calls and emails, Declarations design or wordings discussions, gazing between the skyscrapers to the nearby harbour.
Samera McGourty’s lauded attention to detail was formed all the way back in Dublin, Ireland, where she honed her insurance chops working for RSA. As a platinum award nominee for the company in 2009, it was clear to all that she was destined for great things and after a tenured career at illustrious shops such as Willis and Axis Insurance Managers, the folks at Owl are happy to confirm the award nomination was no fluke. As advertised, Samera’s attention to detail is unparalleled, her sense of humor unmatched and her breadth of knowledge in the insurance industry an undisputable contribution to the company. In a short span of time, she’s become the backbone of Owl and an absolutely integral part of the team. Whether it’s manning the phones or grasping a business development role, Samera’s disposition outshines even her strongest recommendations. And when she’s not outshining company expectations, she can be found outshining coworkers in office karaoke, where her rendition of Robbie William’s “Rock DJ” is truly the stuff of legends.
A disturbing trend in travel today, often called the 'Tourism of Doom' or 'Doom Tourism', refers to an increasing number of people taking vacations to exotic places and environments that, seemingly, are doomed to destruction.
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Are there murderers in our ranks? In two unsolved underwater deaths this question remains. Murder is alleged in both cases, and charged in one, but years later doubt still weighs heavily over teh diving deaths of two women and the guilt or innocence of their husbands.
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The short answer is YES, but I know most readers will be a tough sell so I'm going to take some time to explain in deatil the reasons behind my answer. SO, do diving accidents happen regularly?
Yes, unfortunately, they do.
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It may surprise you to see that the dive computers story in this issue was written by an insurance expert, not a scientist, but take note of Peter Meyer's observations: they make a lot sense!
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A Los Angeles attorney called recently to ask if I'd heard about the 'latest' diver to be left behind in open water by a charter boat crew. I hadn't and quickly started asking questions.
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As diving gear becomes ever more sophisticated, allowing, indeed, encouraging us to descend deeper, to go farther, to stay longer, what's needed to stem the 'coincidental' spate of modern dive incidents and deaths?
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My girlfriend was still lounging in bed, watching an episode of The Office. She’s just embarked on a career in insurance herself and likes to compare Steve Carell’s managerial style to that of her current boss. The show is a great example of what not to do.
Socrates once said, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” That line hung in my mind as the guy in front of me gripped the mouth of his beer bottle, turned back towards me on his swivel chair and asked if I had anything else to say. He was old, but he had more than a few pounds on me — enough to intimidate.