View Full Version : FI's and the Suing Culture
Craggenmore
20th Feb 2006, 16:32
Do you have personal liability insurance cover as Instructors in case you tried to get sued by your student/grieving family/others?
Of course its not your fault but these days people try it on?
p.s DB6, Im not getting sued :} and Craggs starts with a C!
You can find out their address from the club's records and go round and kneecap the feckers, it's much cheaper and you don't pay scumridden lawyers a penny :ok: . No I don't have insurance.
PS Grags, I meant that's what I'd do - I utterly despise the sort of person who will run to a lawyer at the drop of a hat. I wouldn't give them the reek off the dog**** on my shoe. Small, weak, useless people who probably watch Big Brother and care what happens on soap operas.
My own feeling as an instructor and examiner is that when you sign somebody off, for circuits, solo nav, skill test or whatever, you are assessing them at a point in time. Thereafter it is their responsibility to keep their skill levels current and if they fail to do that or disregard their instructor's advice then it is their own lookout. They are big boys and girls after all.
Say again s l o w l y
21st Feb 2006, 07:54
Absolutely agree with DB6. At the end of the day anyone with a PPL is a licenced pilot in their own right, it is up to them to ensure they are up to date. We cannot be held responsible for someone does when out of our hands.
Would you sue your driving instructor because you had a car crash?
breakscrew
21st Feb 2006, 15:02
Good luck then guys......
I got myself insured against students last year; I don't trust them to be as honest as we were and have any modicum of integrity any more. Just being taken to court would seriously stretch my finances, and if you got a perverse judge/ jury and were found against then you would be in serious trouble. It is a sad reflection of the country we live in I am afraid.
Say again s l o w l y
21st Feb 2006, 20:35
Then join BALPA or AOPA and get the legal cover provided by them.
A lot cheaper than paying an insurance company and more likely to clear your name rather than just pay out.
Say again s l o w l y
21st Feb 2006, 22:01
Ahem.......
In other words yes I do have legal cover, but not for the reason of worrying about being sued by ex-students!
airpilot
23rd Feb 2006, 07:45
Craggenmore, you wouldn't be looking to instruct at Cabair by anychance?
I went for a job at Elstree about two yrs ago and as a self employed instructor they wanted me to have liability insurance. I investigated this,it was going to cost a bit and quite honestly you don't need it. I 've been instructing 3yrs,just started to examine,self employed and no probs.
I agree with DB6, once you let them go they are captain you can't be held responsible cos you not in the ac.
spittingimage
23rd Feb 2006, 08:55
I no longer instruct and no, I did not have insurance when I did instruct. If you do take out insurance, are you going to keep it going until you snuff it ? I fear there are some malcontents around who would try it on 20+ years after getting their licence.
Not worried personally; I am happily a man of straw :) !
Craggenmore
23rd Feb 2006, 15:51
you wouldn't be looking to instruct at Cabair by any chanceMercifully I'm elsewhere! Thanks for the replies so far.