Insurance Again - please help!

[bamboo]

I'm a student pilot.

If I had an accident whilst flying, would I be insured or not, (taking into consideration that I would not be PIC ?)

This is important to me, so if someone knows for definate, please let me know.

Thanks

[Genghis the Engineer]

Ask your instructor, he or she should have the paperwork to hand. However, the answer is almost certainly yes.

G

[AC-DC]

It depends.
If you are asking about your life insurance you need to check if there is an entry for flying in a non-commercial operation. The same apply for trvel insurance. If privet flights are not mentioned than you are not covered. Most operators have £1,000,000 3rd party cover for any one incident. That means that if you crash and the a/c causes damage to so many people and so much property there is only £1,000,000 to distribute between all of you, you want more, sue the operator but than you need to prove negligence etc.
I personally have £2,000,000 for 3rd party cover.

[kabz]

Checkout http://www.avemco.com/ for a US slant. You should be able to find the equivalent in the UK. I carry insurance for myself and third-party.

This is a standard reccomendation at the local flying school.

Clubs here seem to have their own insurance to cover club members operating club aircraft.

[bamboo]

Thanks for your replies. This issue of insurance is, for me, the thorn in the side of flying. For such an important issue for those of us with dependants at home, it's not made clear enough through any medium.
I have, (before your answers), rung up a few flying schools with this question, and again, the answer was as clear as mud!

[Keef]

It's important to know whether you're talking about your own life assurance etc, or the aircraft's and your liability in the case of accident.

For the life insurances etc on your name, there's no other way than to contact all the companies, tell them you've taken up flying light aircraft, and ask them to confirm that the policies are unaffected. In my case, all but one agreed "no change". The exception was my firm's accident policy, which wouldn't cover me for non-scheduled airline flight. I then pointed out that I fly regularly on the company plane, which is non-scheduled. Embarrassed pause, then confirmation that they, too, had me covered.

For liability while piloting, you need to check the policy on the aircraft you're flying. Ask to see a copy. If the club/school doesn't have one to hand, ask them to get a copy for you! Don't wait till you need the cover to find out.

You can never have enough insurance these days, against anything, but I'd say £1 million is the minimum acceptable in aviation, and £10 million probably isn't too much. Just look at the price of a Harrier, and imagine you banged into one by mistake...