Insurance for flying

[The Nr Fairy]

I'm off to the US for three weeks to do some ( 50 hours worth ) of helicopter flying.

My standard travel insurance won't cover me, and I'm after ideas for some value-for-money insurance which will cover me for medical expenses if I have an accident while out there.

I don't mind if it's UK or US based ( which I'd need to arrange before I went ), but it must provide medical expenses cover for flying and while airside.

Any ideas most appreciated.

[Whirlybird]

Nr Fairy,

Try Traffords, phone 0870.9000.331. I'm doing the same as you, leaving in April, and I checked three places and these were the cheapest. They've been recommended before on PPRuNe too, I believe. It's costing me £120 for the year; I decided annual insurance made sense, as I may well do something similar in the autumn too. But they do one-trip insurance too. If you check other places, make sure you mention it's helicopter flying; costs more than f/w for insurance. <img src="frown.gif" border="0">

Where are you going and who are you flying with and what are the rates? Mine's not organisd yet, though I'm hoping to sort it all out in the next couple of days, so any info would be appreciated.

[poetpilot]

There's an insurance broker called Sovereign who I have my life insurance with. Run by a pilot & seems to be in tune with pilot needs.

Must admit though that I've never taken out accident/medical cover for flying when abroad.....gulp, you've certainly made me think (specially with US medical costs).

Anyway, I'll check the sovereign link when i can find it (may be linked from <a href="http://www.flyer.co.uk" target="_blank">www.flyer.co.uk</a> site - they advertise in Flyer).

[Ian_Wannabe]

Hey guys,

I'm off to the USA in 6 months too so I'm doing the same thing, would you mind giving me a contact for something like ICQ or MSN messenger - if you have it ofcourse, we could help eachother out??

My MSN is [email protected]

My ICQ is 71756370

Just ignore the strange names!

Cheers

[fernytickles]

I'm living out here, but as a 'visitor', so have travel insurance to cover me. Its with Worldwide Travels Insurance Services Ltd, Kent (01892 833 338). They have just quoted me 31 pounds a month for medical etc cover, plus 21 pounds a month for the flying cover (no competitions - racing or aerobatic).

I just phoned the Trafford company mentioned by someone else to see if they can quote me a better price and am waiting to hear back from them.

I had researched US insurance and found it to be just the same price for medical cover with nothing offered for flying, so would have been more expensive in the long run. Plus the actual amount you are covered for is far less, and there's no re-patriation deal.

Although many things are much cheaper over here, the one thing we have found is that insurance costs the same if not more than at home. Could that be something to do with the way Americans throw litigation around like confetti???

Happy flying!

[The Nr Fairy]

I got a recommendation of a broker called Ashwood Law. Ring 01530 817775 and ask for Tim Walker.

I arranged cover for the 3 weeks for £61, including £2 million personal liability and £10 million medical expenses. Had I thought about it earlier ( read that as "actually got off my arse and done something earlier" ) then I might have got a similar offer from elsewhere.

Now, as long as I don't have to use it . . .

[fernytickles]

Incase anyone is still interested, I just heard back from the guy at Trafford. . .Expensive tho' my insurance is with Worldwide, its still cheaper than the deal Trafford can offer me, which makes it the cheapest I have found so far. . .The amount I'm covered for should make me very wealthy if I break a finger nail and chip my nail polish..............

Tara for now