Airside liability insurance for vehicles
 

We're just renewing our insurance on a permit aircraft (Eurofox), and came across a rather neglected item in the small print - airside liability for one's vehicle.

Apparently, and I haven't ploughed through my car policy, normal vehicle insurance doesn't cover airside i.e. null and void, which can mean, at a strip, just proceeding past the gate of a large field. Airside is more obvious at a licensed airfield, but is not clearly defined (?) at a strip.

Anyway, proposed airside liability cover on our new policy is £250k. Might just cover clipping the wing tip of a Citation but not the operating crew....

Does that sound sufficient?

Depends on he airfields you intend to go airside on.


Not many people appreciate that general motor cover does not cover airside activity. My airfield has a big sign at the gate advising drivers to check with their insurer before going airside.


Even modest airfields could represent a big liability.


Clipping the tip of a Citation wing could cost more than £250k by the time you have added in all the costs other than inspection and repair such a consequential loss, aircraft substitution etc. If you are under insured then its a personal liability and it would take more than the disposal of the Eurofox to pay for it.


Insurance is one of the costs we hate having to pay as unless its called on it seems a waste of money.
The biggest waste of money though is being underinsured.


I would suggest two things, insure for about the same level as the aircraft is for third party damage usually in the £3m category if you are a frequent airfield driver or decide not to go onto airfields.


It can be a bit inconvenient lugging stuff to the aircraft in a couple of trips but it gives peace of mind.

FlyingGoat,

Public Liability insurance is generally quite cheap, so you should be able to get coverage of a few million for not too much more money...

I would also definitely say that £250k is a bit laughable for the reasons chrisbl pointed out... its not just the damaged parts themselves, but all the consequential costs too (e.g. legal, repair man-hours, inspections etc.).... and god help you if you manage to run someone over or kill them and you've only got £250k cover !

However, if its just a case of wanting to use your car an occasional few times a year for very short periods of time airside, then a friendly insurance broker might help get it worked into an existing car policy ?

Had a quick look at my own car policy - it specifically excludes (amongst other things):

Any accident, injury, loss or damage when your car is in an area where aircraft are usually to be found taking off, landing, manoeuvring or parked or in an area where airport ground equipment is parked or on service roads leading to it.

This appears to allow driving past the gate as long as areas containing aircraft are avoided. I suppose to be rigourous the definition of "area" would itself need to be specified...

On another note, I have £10m public liability cover whilst scuba diving covered via my BSAC membership (£65.50/yr). Apples and oranges (I would struggle to damage a Citation with a snorkel), but simply using this as an example that it should not be overly expensive to get sufficient cover.

Well, like you said, it's pretty hard to damage a Citation with a snorkel, and insurance companies know this. So getting public liability cover whilst scuba diving will be relatively cheap. But it's much easier to damage a Citation with a car, and insurance companies know this too. So getting coverage for you car will be a lot more expensive too.

I'm wondering about something else though. A lot of airfields require visiting aircraft to have liability cover to a certain amount. Should they not also requires something similar for private cars allowed airside? Or is this possibly, maybe, included in the airfields general insurance?

Edited: I checked my (Dutch) car insurance and there's no exclusion in there for airfields or anything else that's not a public road.

We've had agreement to get some work done inside our airport boundary which will require contractor vehicles on site. We've been required to get a huge level of liability cover to allow them through the gate (along with various other stipulations). It is costing us thousands for those 6 weeks or so.

NFU were happy to cover my car while on the gliding airfield, subject (if memory serves) to a £5M maximum liability and adherence to the airfield rules. The underwriters were consulted, but once they understood the difference between a gliding field (with powered aircraft) and Heathrow, they seemed happy. The glory of NFU is that they seem happy to consider cases beyond the standard script. I don't remember there being any increase in the premium.

Windrusher

Added: Cover is comprehensive.

The interesting thing is that your own car is not covered - jut 3rd party liability. The most expensive thing on my strip worth about £60k so not very concerned about my £1m cover.

Rod1

We were able to add airside liability for a substantial cover for minimal amount of £ to our existing aircraft cover. It may be worth checking different aircraft insurers to see what they offer.

PM if you want to know the company we used.

KUI

What do you expect from Public Liability insurance ? It does what it says on the tin ! :cool:

Riverrock, about 25 years ago a contractor's JCB struck the wing of a military aircraft at a base in the UK - I seem to recall that a new wing was required!

Reading the small print on my glider's insurance, it covers use of my car airside, but only on journeys when I was going to fly my own glider. If mine stayed tucked up in its trailer, then the car wouldn't be covered on the airfield for that day.