Insurance.

[SuperOwl]

Sorry to ask what may seem a really dumb question but I genuinely have been wondering about this.

When you insure a car you are able to name individuals who are to be insured to drive and you may even let somebody else who has their own comprehensive insurance drive your car, albeit the cover may only be third party.

How does it work with an aircraft in respect of who is insured to fly it? Do they just have to be current on type and permitted to fly in the conditions present at the time, ie IMC? We are assuming that the person/persons flying have permission from the owner or are indeed themself the owner .

I only want to know in respect of non-commercial flying.

Cheers,

SuperOwl

[FlyingForFun]

In aviation, there is no legal requirement to have insurance. So anyone with the appropriate ratings for the type on their license could fly the aircraft, albeit uninsured. Whether you, as the owner, would be happy with that is your call.

I'm not aware of any insurance policies which cover you for any aircraft as many car insurance policies do. I suspect that if you wanted to be insured, short-term, on an aircraft, you'd need to be added to the policy as a named pilot. Depending on the type and the pilot's experience, the insurance company might insist on some dual before they'll do this.

That's my experience, anyway, but I've never dealt directly with aircraft insurance, only through my group's financial coordinator, so I may be wrong.

FFF
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[FNG]

As an example of a group policy, my group's aircraft is covered if flown by (a) any pilot with 1000 hours [this covers the other two owners and the other instructors/CPLS who sometimes fly the aircraft] and (b) me as a named pilot. There is no real analogy with car insurance and, as FFF, rightly says, insurance is not (yet) compulsory for aircraft.

[Stampe]

My policy allows any pilot to fly my aircraft as long as approved by me !!unbeatable really!!.

[BEagle]

Not my favourite people, insurance companies. For some reason they've just given me 4 working days' notice of a rise in rates of 5 times the current retail price index!!.

How do these so-and-sos manage to keep screwing more and more money out of everyone in such a blatant manner??

[stiknruda]

Stampe - some form of dealer's policy, methinks?

SuperOwl - most brokers will not need to discuss terms with the underwriters if the pilot who you wish to add to the policy of your aeroplane can show suitable times on similar types. However - if they do not have sufficient or any experience then the broker refers to the u/writer who will generally stipulate a higher premium for the new boy or will increase the excess for that particular pilot.

I seem to alternate between the same two brokers year about for both aircraft that I am responsible for arranging insurance.

Light a/c generally have the premium made up from two key components - hull value (ie - a/c value) and third party liability.

Hope this helps,

Stik