RAA Insurance

[markendee]

Can anybody please tell me just what is covered insurance wise by our RAA registration?

 

I have heard many different stories and would like to hear what is the fact of the matter.

 

I heard one person say it covers our passenger and any property damage but has never been tried.

 

Please pass on any examples of this cover being used.

 

I cannot see $160.00 odd dollars covering a great deal. If it does then it is indeed a great deal.

 

Mark

 

 

[Guest brentc]

The RA-Aus insurance covers Third Parties but in no way your own aircraft, your passenger or yourself. It has a $5m limit and is portable with you when you fly an any registered RA-Aus aircraft for which you are endorsed and or qualified to fly.

 

You can check this link for further details:

 

http://www.auf.asn.au/docs/admin/insurance.pdf

 

You are not actually paying $160 for this insurance, it is less than that as the $160 is for RA-Aus membership, licence, technical and ops manual and magazine subscription, etc.

 

I am aware of a case where a Thruster was hit by a gust of wind when parked at a gathering and damaged the aircraft next to it and an amount was paid out.

 

I was also made aware of an incident where an aircraft crashed into powerlines and rather than pay out on the claim, the insurer only protected the aircraft owner/pilot from expenses. (I hope that bit makes sense)

 

It's so 'cheap' because of the bulk of the purchase.

 

 

[markendee]

Thanks Brent,

 

Have read the rules and I now know why it is so cheap.

 

 

[Guest Rocko]

It's third party insurance. No different than that you pay through your rego for your motor vehicle, or a professional association pays for public liability insurance. The more people are part of the group, the cheaper it becomes.

 

Reality is, if you had to go out and find third party insurance for $5 mill, you'd be paying a ****load more than $160, regardless what the RAA offers as part of the package.

 

Basically, it's there to cover other people from you, and not you. It's the old RACQ marine insurance "Charter boat? What charter boat??" thing (if you've seen that ad ;) It's a fact of life that indemnity insurance of any sort, sourced privately, is bloody expensive nowadays. Horse riding is an example...3rd party insurance for riding a horse is a lot more than we pay for ours!! Same for my Jet ski...I pay near $250 alone for $5 million in third party, on top of the comprehensive I pay. Really, I consider myself lucky the RAA can get it so cheap, cause if they didn't, a lot of people flying today couldn't afford the insurance, and probably wouldn't be flying. Certainly, without it, if you wipe out someone elses aircraft, or house, or property, or anything, losing your own house and property in compensation wouldn't be "fun".

 

So, think positive about it. RAA membership is ludicrously cheap, in perspective to many other sports association memberships with 3rd party insurance included. It sure beats having someone sue you for everything you own, if you crash your aircraft into their house!

 

CHeers,

 

Scotty

 

 

[Guest Ginger]

So how do you cover yourself

 

What if you were to become a paraplegic or needed treatment for burns etc:question:

 

 

[Yenn]

To cover yourself you will have to have self funded insurance. Accident, life, income etc. and it will cost more than the RAAus insurance. I used to have insurance, taken out when I joined the army (1953) and it covered flying without any extra, but I doubt you would get that now, and the company was taken over years ago.

 

 

[facthunter]

Insurance cover.

 

Ginger, you might have hit upon ONE of the few disadvantages of flying RAAus type aircraft. I wish you good luck. Let us know how you go if you ring around. Nev...

 

 

[Yenn]

How is not having accident cover for self a disadvantage of RAAus insurance. Please tell me where else you can get it. I am pretty sure it isn.t covered in any GA flying, but maybe AOPA do it in which case it would be available to RAAus pilots, by joining AOPA.

 

 

[facthunter]

Category of aircraft.

 

The point I am trying to make Ian is that most insurers are Not interested in cover for our type of aircraft. the name change from AUF to Rec. Av Aust. notwithstanding. If I am wrong I would be very happy to be corrected. My statement is in no way meant to criticise or infer such, on RAAus. Nev..

 

 

[Guest Ginger]

Just called Glen Turner and asked if personal accident insurance was availabe for pilots.

 

He said that there is no personal accident insurance for anyone over 55 years of age. Across the board, not offerred by anyone.

 

I said I could even wear an large excess, $10,000 say, because it was the disaster injury that I was worried about. Glen said no - across the board, over 55, personal accident insurance is just not available.

 

That's it guys, it looks like we oldies have to be very, very, very careful and build our skills to the highest level possible.

 

 

[Guest Macnoz]

You may also need to be aware that any ordinary life insurance or income protection insurance you have may be useless in the event of an accident RAA or GA.

 

Many proposal forms have the question about high risk activities such as flying and you are obliged to tell them if circumstances that materially affect yourcontract with them change eg you take up flying.

 

One of my family members discovered to their cost and insurance forfeit that even a holiday jet charter flight was excluded as all they were covered for in an aircraft accident was scheduled passenger carrying flight.

 

Certainly the accidental death double payment in life insurance policies does not apply to RAA / GA

 

 

[lazerin]

Rather than start another thread, I figured I'd jump on and add to this one.

 

I was also a little perplexed as to what the RAA insurance covered. This thread has helped my understanding a bit but I still have some questions regarding hiring and flying.

 

If I hire from the flight school that I train with, and something happens like a bad landing where the aircraft suffers some damage, am I out of pocket or are the damages covered by the RAA insurance? Or should it be covered by the FTF?

 

 

[facthunter]

Insurance.

 

Make sure you get a good answer from your FTF, otherwise you might end up out of pocket, if something happens. A/C insurance is the main reason you don't see too many Thrusters/Drifters on line anymore. nev..

 

 

[djpacro]

Its interesting that few ask about insurance when hiring an aeroplane, whether its GA or RAA. After I got my RAA certificate I was told that that I'd have to sign a waiver/agreement with the owner as the aircraft was not insured. Stopped my RAA flying. The recent change to RAA's insurance wrt passengers has fixed my main concern. Now to look at the text of that waiver and consider my exposure beyond the "excess" the owner stated.

 

 

[Guest DBT]

Prompted by this thread, I just called my life insurance company to ask about RA cover.

 

I have previously been granted GA cover, with a restriction of no more than 100 hours flying per year.

 

They have asked me to submit the request in writing re RA, and indicated a response within 5 working days.

 

We shall see.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Being one of the over 55 gang I don't carry personal accident insurance. I do have the aircraft insured though, and got a real good deal through one of the better known aviation insurers, who have been insuring RAA aircraft since day one. They are not actually baseing the premium on the aircraft, by on you and you'r flying hours and experience, asuming of course you'r the only one flying it. Example: it's going to be higher if you only have 150 hrs vs 1500 hrs.

 

After my first year of coverage with no claim, the premium dropped $400, and will drop more next year, if there is no claim. I took $200 of that and increased the sum insured by another $20'000. Still $200 ahead I think. ( if you can be ahead with insurance)

 

 

[HEON]

On the last regarding aircraft insurance. A nice feature on some/most?? is that 10% of the hull insured value can be used on recovery costs. For instance if you have that forced landing in some of those lovely spots viewed from the air (since they are otherwise isolated). Can be very useful.

 

 

[RetiredRacer]

I've been involved in motor racing for a lot of years and the only personal accident insurance that covered you twenty four seven that included motor racing was Combined Insurance and have been around for years, years ago they used to be called Combined American Insurance and 65 yrs is the cut off age for them.

 

If they will cover you for motor racing there is a good chance they will cover you for flying.

 

Bob

 

 

[DKM1]

Hi to all

 

I also have an old insurance policy's with combined insurance which I'm covered for everything. But there new policy's no longer cover engagement in aviation only as fare paying passenger on a commercial airline.thumb_down

 

Daniel

 

 

[shags_j]

Thought I would let you knwo that my Group Life insurance through my superfund (via work) covers me. That is because it is a group life policy and not an individual policy.