Insurance Claims

[Worker B Drones]

Hi Guys, Tony from Zim. Almost new to droning and the Forum.
Lets tackle a controversial topic - Insurance Claims. As an Insurance company, in the case of a drone claim, can they demand ( ask) to see your flight log, or can they insert a clause in their policy to the effect that before any claim will be entertained, the pilot should ( must ) surrender their flight log, to determine product failure or pilot error, in settling the claim. Assuming of course the insurance company can read, or has a tame pilot, who can read the flight log. Droning in Zim is in its infancy here, still setting up rules and regs, so the insurance companies are lagging behind at the moment, but what of the future. If the insurance company knows this facility exists, why not use it - and do we as pilots have the right to refuse - legally. no other faculty of insurance has a facility that can be called on to determine authenticity of the claim - either their is a hail strike and a crop is totalled - or it isn't - visually determined - no electric cars - yet - can determine cause of accident. Where do we or where are we going to stand on this issue.

 

[stuka75]

Zim? Where is that? In the US, no insurance company covers liability by history other than Academy Of Model Aeronautics, State Farm has been known to insure the drone itself, but not liability.

 

[Worker B Drones]

Hi Stuka, Thanks for your response. - Zim is Zimbabwe in Africa - Old Rhodesia. We have just had a coup, but with all that has been happening with you guys building walls on the Mexican border and losing a film star to the English Royal family, you might have missed it.!!
Okay, back to our thread. I understand your comment about not insuring liability by history, but is not ordinary vehicle insurance doing just that - determining cause and driver error by investigating the scene of the accident - sometimes forensically. I see no difference between this and determining the cause of an incident through the use of the flight log. I would have thought the insurance industry would be delighted with this facility handed to them on a plate. Okay, The sums of money involved are not huge when compared with their normal day to day operations, but I would think they would like to limit their payouts to a minimum - even the small amounts.

 

[stuka75]

From a forensic stand point, the flight logs would be good evidence in any investigation. However, in the States, the home owners insurance industry has long chosen to to not cover any incident related to "aircraft". Said aircraft to include most anything that flies. We often wondered if that included paper airplanes!
FYI, your written English is far better than mine. Congrats, hope your country troubles are resolving. I'm afraid ours are just begining.
Knew about the coup, but have have never heard Zimbabwe referred to a s Zim.

 

[MerlinL14]

Hi Tony, I am in the UK and a member of the BMFA (British Model Flying Association), this affords me liability insurance in the event of a liability claim. I have had to make a claim with them against another flyer who dented the door of my car with his quadcopter, he too was a BMFA member. We were not flying at a BMFA club field but out in the sticks, still covered, the Insurance company made no reference to wanting the flight log of the guy who hit my car. It was all pretty civil to be honest and other than 'normal' questions about the circumstances and where it happened it was resolved within weeks, repairs and all. That doesn't specifically address your question but is an example of how it may go.

 

[stuka75]

ember of the BMFA (British Model Flying Association)

In America, its the Academy of Model Aeronautics that gives hobbyist liability coverage. Been around since 1936 and has been instrumental over the years in securing frequencies and flying rights for RC pilots.

 

[Blade4]

State Farm Hull, Verifly App for liability.

 

[BigAl07]

In America, its the Academy of Model Aeronautics that gives hobbyist liability coverage. Been around since 1936 and has been instrumental over the years in securing frequencies and flying rights for RC pilots.

There are SEVERAL companies now giving Liability Coverage for sUAS. I've had a policy with one now for 4 years.