Boeing also has some insurance which may or may not cover the costs of the grounding:
Boeing Co. has some insurance in case its aircraft are grounded, but it is far too soon to say whether the problems with the 787 Dreamliner will lead to significant claims, the head of the planemaker’s lead insurer said on Wednesday.
A pool of four insurers stands behind Global Aerospace, the London-based lead underwriter of Boeing’s insurance program. The program includes a variety of coverage, such as manufacturer’s product liability and grounding liability.
Warren Buffett’s conglomerate, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., has a 27.875 percent share of the pool, second only to German reinsurer Munich Re Group AG, which has 49.445 percent. Japanese insurers Tokio Marine and Mitsui Sumitomo contribute the remainder.
The question now is what the grounding of the 787, already two weeks along with no end in sight, will actually cost.
“I can confirm that, in the aviation insurance market, we do provide some cover for so-called grounding liability. It’s a complex cover with varying triggers,” Global Aerospace Chief Executive Nick Brown said in an interview. “Really, it’s far too early to say whether it’s going to result in a claim to us, or what kind of magnitude.”
Too Early to Know Cost of 787 Dreamliner Claims, Says Boeing's Insurer