"Drone liability insurance in Canada" do you have it?

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does anyone get this insurance? if so how much on average does it cost?

edit: would i even need it for flying my Phantom?

edit 2: this is for personal enjoyment only. no business or money making at all.
 
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I'm jealous. I'm pretty sure no insurance company here is going to touch insuring people unless the person is qualified in some way. It's one of the advantages to doing your certification and UOC etc here, that you would have a chance of finding insurance. I very much doubt a total amateur would get coverage with any company even for non-commercial use.
 
I'm jealous. I'm pretty sure no insurance company here is going to touch insuring people unless the person is qualified in some way. It's one of the advantages to doing your certification and UOC etc here, that you would have a chance of finding insurance. I very much doubt a total amateur would get coverage with any company even for non-commercial use.


I do not know about Canada, but here in the US liability and loss insurance is available as a benefit of membership in the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) at no extra cost or fees.

From their WEB page:
SERVICE
  • Liability Coverage for the Operation of Model Aircraft, Boats, Cars, and Rockets
  • $2,500,000 Comprehensive General Liability Protection for model activities for members, clubs, site owners, and sponsors
  • $25,000 Accident/Medical Coverage for members
  • $10,000 Maximum Accidental Death Coverage for members
  • $1,000 Fire, Theft, and Vandalism Coverage for members
http://www.modelaircraft.org/membership/membership/overview.aspx

Quad pilots are welcome as members. I joined last month.
 
Do you have to be flying only at the club?
My problem with insurance would be that most model clubs, well ALL of them that I know of, have specific aerodromes where they have to fly, and model aircraft aren't normally allowed to fly outside those areas.
For some reason, quads and multirotors seem to fall into a different category. I guess because they can hover, where keeping most other aircraft in the air requires far more space, as they mostly have to be kept moving to stay up. I've never seen a fixed wing flown anywhere else, but I've seen multirotors in use in parks in towns, quite a lot. But that makes the risk for an insurer massively higher, as a model aerodrome hasn't got much you can hit. A park in a town, has people, cars, houses, pets, and goodness knows what other damageable things.
But I'll definitely look into it. The club here allows multirotor members too.
 
Do you have to be flying only at the club?
My problem with insurance would be that most model clubs, well ALL of them that I know of, have specific aerodromes where they have to fly, and model aircraft aren't normally allowed to fly outside those areas.
For some reason, quads and multirotors seem to fall into a different category. I guess because they can hover, where keeping most other aircraft in the air requires far more space, as they mostly have to be kept moving to stay up. I've never seen a fixed wing flown anywhere else, but I've seen multirotors in use in parks in towns, quite a lot. But that makes the risk for an insurer massively higher, as a model aerodrome hasn't got much you can hit. A park in a town, has people, cars, houses, pets, and goodness knows what other damageable things.
But I'll definitely look into it. The club here allows multirotor members too.

No, there are no limitations that I am aware of for the insurance coverage.

Although there is a club sponsored location within 20 miles of where I live I may never use it. Fixed wing models are flown for the thrill of flight, the ability to hone skills and to compete against others, Quads like ours are generally flown as camera platforms. The quad flying location is very important and changes almost every flight.

By the way, on the AMA home page is a link to their blog that discusses quads and is giving away an Inspire with case on April 23rd.
 
It's not easy to track down in Canada and Transport Canada offers no assistance. Furthermore the insurer has to be within your own province or residence .... otherwise you'll need a broker to organize it. I'm not sure if you 'absolutely' need it for pleasure/recreational use ... but it's recommended. Also, and according to my most recent conversation with TC - if you post to youtube/vimeo et al - then they consider you a commercial not a recreational/pleasure user. Also, if you are student and use it for a project and/or research - then that too is considered using it for commercial endeavors. And that in turn means that you cannot operate the UAV closer than 9kms from any 'built-up area' .... which and according to their definition of the term is two or more buildings standing situated near each other. So, that means if you were out in the middle of the woods somewhere and unknowingly less than 9kms from a couple of rural houses situated on an adjacent back country road ... then you would be in violation. Craziness really given that you can discharge a high powered rifle within a few hundred meters of said dwellings. Don't know how in the world that they would ever enforce these stipulations .... but that's what they tell me and after talking to them for an hour & a half the other day.
 
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It's not easy to track down in Canada and Transport Canada offers no assistance. Furthermore the insurer has to be within your own province or residence .... otherwise you'll need a broker to organize it. I'm not sure if you 'absolutely' need it for pleasure/recreational use ... but it's recommended. Also, and according to my most recent conversation with TC - if you post to youtube/vimeo et al - then they consider you a commercial not a recreational/pleasure user. Also, if you are student and use it for a project and/or research - then that too is considered using it for commercial endeavors. And that in turn means that you cannot operate the UAV closer than 9kms from any 'built-up area' .... which and according to their definition of the term is two or more buildings standing situated near each other. So, that means if you were out in the middle of the woods somewhere and unknowingly less than 9kms from a couple of rural houses situated on an adjacent back country road ... then you would be in violation. Craziness really given that you can discharge a high powered rifle within a few hundred meters of said dwellings. Don't know how in the world that they would ever enforce these stipulations .... but that's what they tell me and after talking to them for an hour & a half the other day.

I would be interested in the AMA insurance. I doubt it would cover any Fly-Aways or crashes but it would be nice if it covers the liabilities. I don't know if any of my current insurances would cover any damage i do to property or (God Forbid) people. I tried to call them but they are closed now.

Anyone who has more info on this, your input would be appreciated.
 
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It's not easy to track down in Canada and Transport Canada offers no assistance. Furthermore the insurer has to be within your own province or residence .... otherwise you'll need a broker to organize it. I'm not sure if you 'absolutely' need it for pleasure/recreational use ... but it's recommended. Also, and according to my most recent conversation with TC - if you post to youtube/vimeo et al - then they consider you a commercial not a recreational/pleasure user. Also, if you are student and use it for a project and/or research - then that too is considered using it for commercial endeavors. And that in turn means that you cannot operate the UAV closer than 9kms from any 'built-up area' .... which and according to their definition of the term is two or more buildings standing situated near each other. So, that means if you were out in the middle of the woods somewhere and unknowingly less than 9kms from a couple of rural houses situated on an adjacent back country road ... then you would be in violation. Craziness really given that you can discharge a high powered rifle within a few hundred meters of said dwellings. Don't know how in the world that they would ever enforce these stipulations .... but that's what they tell me and after talking to them for an hour & a half the other day.
Try Shawsabey in Vancover, Phone: 604-689-2441
Toll Free: 1-800-684-1911
 
does anyone get this insurance? if so how much on average does it cost?

edit: would i even need it for flying my Phantom?

edit 2: this is for personal enjoyment only. no business or money making at all.
even with a phantom 3 you should have liability insurance. If you crash into someone or something your home insurance liability will not cover you. Try Shawsabey, Phone: 604-689-2441
Toll Free: 1-800-684-1911
 
Yes, you must have liability insurance at the minimum of 100K per TC. No one I found in Ontario has that low of a policy. I have the 2 Million liability.

What I found is the following whether I was told correctly or not by the Brokers is another subject. I assume they know what they speak off.

If you have commercial "drone" liability it won't cover personal use specifically.
If you have personal, it won't cover any commercial use.

Most agencies couldn't help and even mentioned it took over a year for them to sort out the Uber insurance coverage after it became a new insurance "need."

In a way, Transport Canada placed an insurance demand on us with very little chance of getting any insurance due to almost no availability.

I was fortunate that my home insurance covered my drone and they emailed me a letter stating that for my proof on insurance as there was no "card" as such, more of a "rider" on my home. YMMV and I'd be very careful to be sure you and agent are on the same page and get proof to carry on your body.
 
Yes, you must have liability insurance at the minimum of 100K per TC. No one I found in Ontario has that low of a policy. I have the 2 Million liability.

What I found is the following whether I was told correctly or not by the Brokers is another subject. I assume they know what they speak off.

If you have commercial "drone" liability it won't cover personal use specifically.
If you have personal, it won't cover any commercial use.

Most agencies couldn't help and even mentioned it took over a year for them to sort out the Uber insurance coverage after it became a new insurance "need."

In a way, Transport Canada placed an insurance demand on us with very little chance of getting any insurance due to almost no availability.

I was fortunate that my home insurance covered my drone and they emailed me a letter stating that for my proof on insurance as there was no "card" as such, more of a "rider" on my home. YMMV and I'd be very careful to be sure you and agent are on the same page and get proof to carry on your body.
Who do you use for you insurance would like to contact them
 
Who do you use for you insurance would like to contact them

I use Mac Vanderhout Insurance Brokers Limited.....905-336-5001
Ask for Michelle Wingfield, ext 15 (she helped me personally) tell her I referred you.(Air Ontario)
 
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Yes, you must have liability insurance at the minimum of 100K per TC. No one I found in Ontario has that low of a policy. I have the 2 Million liability.

What I found is the following whether I was told correctly or not by the Brokers is another subject. I assume they know what they speak off.

If you have commercial "drone" liability it won't cover personal use specifically.
If you have personal, it won't cover any commercial use.

Most agencies couldn't help and even mentioned it took over a year for them to sort out the Uber insurance coverage after it became a new insurance "need."

In a way, Transport Canada placed an insurance demand on us with very little chance of getting any insurance due to almost no availability.

I was fortunate that my home insurance covered my drone and they emailed me a letter stating that for my proof on insurance as there was no "card" as such, more of a "rider" on my home. YMMV and I'd be very careful to be sure you and agent are on the same page and get proof to carry on your body.

So does the rider you received from your insurer cover you for commercial use?
 
So does the rider you received from your insurer cover you for commercial use?
No. It excludes comm. and the commercil drone policy available excludes all private use.
They are struggling with drone coverage for indiv. recreational use. Agent said it was a year before insurance could catch up to the Uber craze.
 
I'm jealous. I'm pretty sure no insurance company here is going to touch insuring people unless the person is qualified in some way. It's one of the advantages to doing your certification and UOC etc here, that you would have a chance of finding insurance. I very much doubt a total amateur would get coverage with any company even for non-commercial use.

These guys will provide drone insurance to even zero experience pilots, there is a discount for more experience, but it is still available. http://www.shawsabey.com/products-services/drone-insurance/
 

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