AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2017 - 112

NEWS & NOTES
ASK JIM

MEMBER SERVICES

Covering drones
Insurance policies are available
for commercial drone use
Q: I am pursuing a Part 107 operating
certificate and will be flying my drone commercially. Do you offer insurance for those
devices?
A: Welcome to the new and exciting world
of commercial drone operations. I've heard
that the drone industry, still relatively in its
infancy, can be compared to the internet in
the mid-1990s-only our imagination can
limit the potential uses for drones over the
next decade, and beyond.
With all these new changes and
demand for risk management, vast arrays
of insurance products are available to
insure against practically every type of
legal operation. At AOPA, we have several
insurance companies with many options,
including liability only, additional coverage for payloads (cameras, equipment, et
cetera), and options to cover the drone
itself. Liability is required; however, the
other two options can be added individually or together, and can insure up to any
reasonable amount of coverage.

BY JIM PINEGAR

AOPA Insurance Services

And there's more good news: Because
of the demand for these products, additional coverages can be included-for
free. Examples include items such as
nonowned coverage (if you have to rent
or borrow a drone in the event yours is
down for a covered claim) and medical
payments (no-fault coverage to quickly
pay for small injuries, and this applies
before your liability limits).
One brief warning: Do not rely on your
homeowners policy to cover your drone
operation, especially if used for commercial purposes. Any commercial operation
will be excluded, and many homeowners
policies are starting to exclude coverage
for recreational use.
Policies offered through AOPA do
apply for commercial and commercial/
recreational options.
JIM PINEGAR is vice president of the AOPA

Aviation Insurance Co. and owns and flies a

Purchasing an
airplane with a
partner makes
ownership more
affordable, but
the logistics of
financing with
multiple people can
get complicated.
AOPA Aviation
Finance President
Adam Meredith
shares more on
financing an
airplane in a
partnership
online.
www.aopa.
org/pilot/
partnership17

Cessna 172.

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Fax: 301-695-2375
www.aopa.org
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INFORMATION CENTER

800-USA-AOPA (872-2672)
www.aopa.org

800-955-9115
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www.aopafinance.com

800-622-AOPA (622-2672)
www.aopainsurance.org
800-USA-AOPA (872-2672)
www.aopa.org/pps
866-315-9155
www.aopa.org/cars

AOPA PILOT INFORMATION CENTER HOURS

Do you have questions or need information about an aviation topic? Access the team of aviation experts in our Pilot Information Center
during our convenient weekday hours. Call 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672) Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. Eastern time, with
your questions and our staff will be happy to assist you.
WEB Visit the website (www.aopa.org/aopapremier) to learn about upgrading to the AOPA Premier membership.

112 | AOPA PILOT April 2017

http://www.aopa.org/pilot/partnership17 http://www.aopa.org/pilot/partnership17 http://www.aopa.org/pilot/partnership17 http://www.aopafoundation.org http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org http://www.aopainsurance.org http://www.aopa.org http://www.aopa.org/creditcard http://www.aopa.org/pps http://www.aopa.org/cars http://www.aopafinance.com http://www.aopa.org http://www.aopa.org/aopapremier

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2017