Insurance experts on here have said that private flying would be covered.
That would be me (yes, I have taught sea survival and sold life insurance, and plenty of other stuff too).
since I have no wish to propagate erroneous information, let me quickly clarify...then hopefully, discussion can return to operational flight safety matters, of which there seem to be plenty!
All other things being equal and normal (I obviously have no idea if this is the case)...
IF the pilot had normal life insurance taken out in the UK, he would have declared his regular flying activity and his premium would have been loaded accordingly.
IF the passenger had normal life insurance taken out in Europe or the UK, he would be covered for this accident, unless there was a clear stipulation in his policy that this type of flying (as an occasional passenger) was specifically excluded. All excluded activities, whatever they are, must be so stipulated in plain English, normal size font, in the policy document (these days an easy to read booklet) which together with the full document chain (quotes, statement of particulars, all questions and answers, Key Facts Illustration, Key Features, Demands and Needs Statement, et al) form the binding contract between Insurer and Insured and are subject to huge oversight and compliance.
Phew...lets move on...especially as none of us know the particulars of all the insurance policies that may or may not be in place and frankly there are somewhat more pertinent flight safety matter to discuss as articulated by several posters previously.
Perhaps, not surprisingly given our backgrounds, ArkRoyal has pretty much summed up where I am at right now. I'm also a Dad, so can only imagine the pain this chaps old man will be going through. It is heartbreaking.
But I have a sense (and this in not going to be popular here) that this event, coupled with a few others in progress just now, here and abroad, are going to a throw a much-needed spotlight into the world of GA.