V

vasrv7a

Well Known Member
I will soon pay my renewal RV-7A insurance premium to Falcon insurance. I would like to ask for recommendations by others who can offer suggestions to either stay with Falcon or request quotes from other companies. My quote for full coverage this next year is about 2K...

About 1400 total time
About 300 in type
New instrument rating.

Any help and/or suggestions will be very much appreciated.

Thanx.

Victor
 
I just signed up with...

Jeff Rhodes. He is on VAF, and I found him to be very responsive and helpful. He got me a range of quotes that gave me numerous options. I'd give him a call and talk to him about what he has to offer. Emily in his office is very helpful, too.

Here is his info:

Jeff Rhodes
Vice President - Atlanta Division Manager
CS&A Insurance
114 Town Park Dr., Suite 310; Kennesaw, GA 30144 ph: 770-794-7500 Fax: 770-794-7519 Tollfree: 800-761-2557
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: http://www.aviationinsurance.com

Hope this helps.

Chris
 
I can second both Jeff Rhodes/Barbara Doss at CS&A as well as Shanna /Jenny at NationAir.

I just received quotes back each and they were within $100 of each other for the same package. My quotes were a little less than your stated premium but then again, the value of my plane probably is not up there with yours.

BTW - I got both of those recommendations through others here on VAF !
 
Thanks for the referal, but...

Victor,

While I would appreciate your business, I do want to point out that we probably won't bring substantially different news than Falcon delivered.

Falcon is a broker - as we are - not your insurer. They (should) shop your renewal with the insurers that write US based experimental aircraft:
Global Aerospace
Chartis (AIG)
Starr
US Specialty
Britt Paulk (maybe, usually not very competitive)
Aerospace (maybe, ditto)

Your coverage will be placed and renewed with one of those companies, regardless of which broker you choose. Given the same information (ie. aircraft values, pilot times, hangared or not, AOPA / EAA memberships credit, etc.) the quote for any of these insurers should be the same to any broker you choose. You may already have been presented all the quotes available.

Don't switch brokers for a better price, but because you need one that is more knowledgable, more responsive, and willing to show you quotes from all the insurers. If your broker gives you all the quotes, then you don't have to wonder if there is a better price out there.

Like I said, I'd love to work with you - but my advise is the same even if you stay with Falcon.
 
I little off subject but.... It would be interesting to hear insurance claim experiences as a result of the S-N-F damage. I am certain there is much to learn about aircraft insurance from the unfortunate experience.
 
...and I'll do a 3rd for Jeff Rhodes.
Great to work with, what he says above is correct and, he's one of us. ;)
There are other good brokers out there. Find one of them & they'll likely work with you.
 
Your quote sounds high to me.

From Falcon (which I have used almost exclusively since 1992), my 7A EAA plan is under $1800 for $120K hull and 0/0 deductable. My flight experience is about the same as yours except (possibly) my complex / retract time. I have about 1600 hours in Turbo Mooneys, 1700 total. Not that they are nearly as much fun as the RV, but that experience may account for some of the difference. My plane is hangared at KHND. On the ramp would probably add to the insurance cost, and frequent hail areas could be an issue too.

Don't know...:confused:
 
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Jeff............

your being much to modest. As a retired insurance broker(helped build one of the top five commercial agencies in Houston, TX) which I owned, I know the difference in dealing with a "run of the mill broker" and someone who goes the extra mile in service. Though I deal with Barbara Doss in your agency, I think your agency goes the extra mile in service and also "shoots very straight".

Keep up the good work.......
 
Jeff, you sound very honorable but in addition a little story of my experience. I had an RV7A I built, flew, and insured through Falcon. I found them not very helpful or responsive, shuffling me from person to person and no follow up. When I sold the 7 and bought my 4 I still was in the process of getting my tail wheel endorsement. Falcon could not find me insurance that required less then 50 hrs of tail wheel dual and 50 T/O & ldgs! I called Jenny at NationAir and she found me less expensive insurance by $500 and only required 10 hrs of tail wheel dual and 25 T/O & ldgs because of my 300+ hrs of RV7A time. Upon renewal last year and my tail wheel time exceeding 250hrs my rates dropped as expected and I agreed to it. A couple of days before the renewal Jenny called me back to say she found another insurance that offered exactly the same coverage for $200 less. Wow, now that is service. I had already agreed to the initial renewal and she was still looking to help me.

So my advice is to stay away from those big guys and go with people like Jeff or Jenny who will be looking out for you on the back end.
 
The broker is the key

I recently negotiated for a group policy for Team RV. I shopped a few brokers and settled on Jenny Estes at NationAir. She found us great coverage at a reasonable premium with US Specialty Insurance Company. Jenny and her boss, Dave McCoy invited Team RV to a breakfast on Thursday morning at Deli Delicacies in Lakeland. The underwriters from US Specialty were there, too. It was interesting to hear the underwriters sing Jenny's praises and tell us that she is so knowledgeable of the RV aircraft and pilots that they listen to her when she recommends a course of training or dual flight time that a new policy holder should have. She specializes in RV's and it shows.

Just three hours after this breakfast Team RV and others were hit by the Sun-N-Fun storm which totaled two of the Team's aircraft and damaged several others. Needless to say, we have been treated royally by our agent and underwriter and recommend them both without reservation. Yes, any broker can get you hooked up with an underwriter. A great broker will negotiate reasonable terms, keep you informed at all times and be responsive to you when a claim is filed.
 
Thanx for all of the great feedback everyone... As usual, your information will be most helpful.

I really appreciate the honest comments that the VAF website encourages.

Regards to all.

Victor
 
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