Insurance

[Sonex1517]

Hey

Just curious if anyone has tried to price first flight insurance lately - specifically in a taildragger, but I am interested in hearing what others are being told.

I am being told that at least one insurance provider refuses to insure Sonex's, and the requirements from others are a bit mystifying. Specifically, more dual than I thought that I would need an an hour solo. That last part is a really interesting requirement.

[mike.smith]

I needed 5 hours of dual, and another 15 hours in a tail dragger. Just over $1,600/year for $35K of hull + liability.

[fastj22]

Firstflight liability only insurance is $450 and didn't require any dual time or tail time. Once I had 20 hours Sonex tail wheel and 80 hours total tail, I got falcon hull coverage for $1200 with no dual.

[nwawingman]

I went through NationAir(Global Aerospace) and I am paying 1300.00 per year with 35000.00 Hull insurance.. When I got this insurance I only had 5 hrs in a Sonex, so before you spend 1700.00 check with them..

Mike

Mike,

Thanks for the tip!!!! I called them last week and I am starting coverage with 35k hull/1 million total insurance for $800 per year. Much better than the $1700 I was quoted by Falcon/EAA. Looks like I owe you $900 worth of hamburgers and free rides. :mrgreen:

I am going to get a quote from NationAir(Global Aerospace) next year to see if I can save like Mike did. I used USUA Firstflight liability only insurance for the first year while I flew off my 40 Hr and gained TW time. You must also be a US Ultralite association member to get Firstflight insurance at about $40 yr Magazine included.

http://www.firstflightinsurance.com/Site/375021952/airsports.asp

[caymancraig]

I'm about to make my first flight in my trigear Waiex. I got my quote based on the five hours of transition training with Sonex and $45,000 of hull coverage. I'm a 900 hour private pilot without a medical. I believe the first year premium was about $1350. I live in Florida but I work with a broker out of Arkansas that has always offered the best rates.

[Sonex1517]

A follow up to what has proved to be a mildly controversial subject. (I received a lot of off line "feedback") - at least one insurer declined due to the aircraft type.

I got insurance the day before my first flight. Annual premium is about $1460 for me, and this is with 15 hours total tailwheel time, and 5 hours in type of which 4.5 was transition training. I am instrument rated and have about 1000 hours total time.

It turns out that AIG was fine insuring me but had concerns about my low tailwheel time. They also insist I get an additional 2 hours of dual before carrying passengers. Since I am in phase one, this is not a big deal but I will revisit the subject next spring.

I am interested in hearing others experiences getting insurance - feel free to contact me off the board or reply here. It is an important subject and affects all of us.

[Sonerai13]

According to our conversations with representatives at Falcon Insurance Agency (the folks who handle the EAA aircraft insurance program), there is no industry-wide aversion to Sonex designs. There is always some variation from underwriter to underwriter as to what they are comfortable insuring (for example, one underwriter won't insure anything with a radial engine), but no major red flags as related directly to Sonex designs.

[LarryEWaiex121]

In 2011 when I was getting close to done with my Waiex, I inquired about insurance and was surprised to find the least restrictive quote I could find required 5 hrs in type. The fact I have over 1100 hrs in a mixed assortment of tailwheel aircraft was of no interest to them.
Upon showing my 5 hrs dual I was able to purchase $40K hull and liability for $1,000 the first two years, $1,050 last year and this year it dropped to $960.
Probably more important than total time would be time in the last 2 yrs. in a tail-wheel aircraft. Just guessing on that part?
It's not getting better for getting started the first time.

Larry
Waiex 121YX, 449hrs

[kmacht]

Total time seems to make a big difference. I was a 100 hour pilot with 20 hours of tailwheel, 5 hours of sonex time, and the best quote I got was around $3000 for liability and 30k hull for coverage starting with the first flight. Others didn't want to quote me until I had 10 hours flown off the plane and a few companies wouldn't cover me until I was out of phase 1. I was surprised that I was able to get coverage at all as I figured I would be a fairly high risk with low hours, a fresh tailwheel endorsement, and doing the first flight in an experimental airplane. I ended up just going with USUA and getting liability only for about $450 as I didn't want to spend the $3000 having only about $15,000 in the plane. Now that I have another 70 hours of sonex time I am about to go out and get re-quoted. The point is that you can find insurance on a Sonex no matter how little time you have.

Keith
#554