Claims process
Thanks for taking time to read the article See my responses below
(Quote) (I spoke a few years ago to my aviation broker, and asked him straight out...." what kind of claim am I most likely to have?" and perhaps I added, "why are the rates so steep, if I only fly on sunny sundays!?
Now this may vary geographically, demographically etc... but his response was something like, if I have a retractable undercarriage, I'm gonna land gear-up, or have a prop-strike or broken glass if I fly back country, and a few others I can't recall. Q1......Your comments? )
It's true that some aircraft of course have worse loss history then others and that will give all that aircraft type a high rate regardless of the pilot. So you could fly a Cessna 210 and be the best pilot and only fly on sunny days but due to loss history your rate will still be higher than a Cessna 182 RG. Underwriters will rate retractable gear higher due to the possibility of gear up landings but they will also require higher time pilots to even qualify for the insurance as well. You will not get surcharged to fly your RV on grass strips but they may surcharge certain aircraft that are known to do back county flying like cubs, or sportsman type aircraft.
(Quote - Q2....if I bend my plane a little, say hit a taxi light, requiring a wing inspection and re-skin, what is the smart way to do this? Even if I'm a builder, is it better to have a trusted shop do it? If I fix it, am I cheating myself from some value? )
You will work closely with the adjuster to decide who would repair the aircraft but as the builder if you are comfortable doing the repair then by all means do it. The insurance company will pay you a similar amount that they would pay a repair shop. They will look at the going rate that local shops are charging and base the amount paid to you this way.
(Quote - Q3....after an incident, the guide says to ensure no-one is injured. It's pretty common that aches, pains, and even concussion don't reveal themselves until later. How do you ensure your passenger stays on the radar, and isn't left out in the cold should issues arise? It seems insurers are very sensitive to fraudulent claims, and make it h*ll for people to legitimately get the attention they deserve.)
Just make sure the passenger notifies you right away if they have any medical bills arise and turn them into the insurance company right away as well. They will be good on paying them. They will do everything they can to make sure the claim process is smooth and painless for you. Claims service is a big selling point when comparing aviation polices they will not want to tarnish their good service.
Please feel free to email me at
[email protected] if you have any other questions.
Jenny Estes