UK Insurance

[Eagleeye9]

Gents,

I'm moving back to the UK next year and I need to get my Phantom insured. Does anyone know any good insurance companies and the rough cost?

Cheers

EE

 

[phantomman]

What kind of insurance do you mean?

For third party liability insurance see FPV UK here: http://www.fpvuk.org/store/

Its £15.80 for a year, £11.85 for 9 months, etc.

I don't think you'll find a company prepared to cover your Phantom against loss or damage. At least not without a £300 excess...which kind of makes it pointless.

All the best

Simon

 

[chopperflyer]

one of the best insurance place to go is to join the B.M.F.A in this country. All the people that fly model aircraft and helicopters use this organisation. The organisation fights for the members in maintaining the hobby in the U.K, the help with any problems in getting airfields, radio freq and so forth. I will not go on about everything they do as you can go online at BMFA.org.uk and see what they do. I am a member and have been for about 25yrs, it costs about £23 a year and you are insured for 3rd party, as I said go on-line and read what you get. Good deal, you have to become a member to get this but the fee is also your membership.

 

[The Editor]

one of the best insurance place to go is to join the B.M.F.A in this country. All the people that fly model aircraft and helicopters use this organisation. The organisation fights for the members in maintaining the hobby in the U.K, the help with any problems in getting airfields, radio freq and so forth. I will not go on about everything they do as you can go online at BMFA.org.uk and see what they do. I am a member and have been for about 25yrs, it costs about £23 a year and you are insured for 3rd party, as I said go on-line and read what you get. Good deal, you have to become a member to get this but the fee is also your membership.

I maybe wrong but...... do you not have to be flying at a BMFA meet or airfield for the insurance to be in force and valid?

Just popping over the fields at the back of where you live and flying around with an ensuing accidents means no cover as it was not part of a 'club fly'.

There are many times when I go onto public access land or fly from a public footpath out in the country. In these circumstances if my Phantom had a fly away and veered 1 1/2 miles to the right at full speed and crashed into someone's Bentley on their drive I don't think I could claim under the BMFA cover.

 

[chopperflyer]

I wrote this to give the person some idea of what he can get for his insurance. I do not fly with a club at the moment but as you say I do not have to be a club member, I am what they class as a" country member" but still entitled to the full cover of the insurance, as I said I am in the BMFA because I did fly with a couple of clubs, as a country member I can fly with other clubs under their rules after asking at the club sec in that area. One of the advantages is that by telling the BMFA where you are flying them you have that field insured. On reading your reply you are also a BMFA member, all I was doing was giving the writer an idea of other insurance policy. One last thing is that if he was going on club site he would need the policy as not many let you fly with out insurance and not having a member with you. I hope you can understand what I was trying to help.

 

[The Editor]

I wrote this to give the person some idea of what he can get for his insurance. I do not fly with a club at the moment but as you say I do not have to be a club member, I am what they class as a" country member" but still entitled to the full cover of the insurance, as I said I am in the BMFA because I did fly with a couple of clubs, as a country member I can fly with other clubs under their rules after asking at the club sec in that area. One of the advantages is that by telling the BMFA where you are flying them you have that field insured. On reading your reply you are also a BMFA member, all I was doing was giving the writer an idea of other insurance policy. One last thing is that if he was going on club site he would need the policy as not many let you fly with out insurance and not having a member with you. I hope you can understand what I was trying to help.

No - That's fine. I wasn't having a pop... honest! I just wanted the OP to be clear.

I think the majority of Phantom flyers are recreational and park flyers etc and do not belong to any flying or R/C club. Flying in their back garden or over the local farmers field on a Sunday morning they would not be covered under the BMFA insurance.

However, I have been speaking to Simon over at FPV UK and their insurance DOES appear to cover the 'occasional' or 'hobby' flyer.
It's underwritten by Royal Sun Alliance and anybody who becomes a 'Member' of FPV UK is automatically an additional insured under the policy. It gives you £5m of third party liability cover and seems pretty good for £15.80 for 12 months or pro rata for less than a year.

 

[chopperflyer]

The BMFA is the same but they do a lot more for your money, to much to go into here, have to read the web site to find out i.e indoor flying at weekends for the smaller models.

 

[fly-catchers]

However, I have been speaking to Simon over at FPV UK and their insurance DOES appear to cover the 'occasional' or 'hobby' flyer.
It's underwritten by Royal Sun Alliance and anybody who becomes a 'Member' of FPV UK is automatically an additional insured under the policy. It gives you £5m of third party liability cover and seems pretty good for £15.80 for 12 months or pro rata for less than a year.

Is that only to cover FPV or any line of sight flying? Whenever I fly I am more concerned about any damage/issues caused by a "flyway" malfunction, or pilot error rather than just losing the Phantom. I remember reading a while back about a guy who had a "flyaway" and his insurance covered the cost of the Phantom and GoPro. And would have covered damage as well. But he no longer seems to around on that forum. Would have been interested in what company that was with!

 

[phantomman]

one of the best insurance place to go is to join the B.M.F.A in this country. All the people that fly model aircraft and helicopters use this organisation. The organisation fights for the members in maintaining the hobby in the U.K,

FPV UK got the exemption to 166(3) of the ANO, inspite of the BMFA. It took 3 years of meetings with the CAA with no positive involvement from the BMFA.

Once FPV UK got the exemption, for its members only, the BMFA was put under pressure by its members who said "Hang on a minute, how come FPV UK have got themselves an exemption but you guys have done nothing but Kowtow to the CAA and have us all using impractical buddy leads?!".

At that point the BMFA wanted in and the following year the exemption was widened to include all UK pilots. FPV UK successfully pushed the max weight limit for multicopters up from 1.8kg to 2.5kg at the same time too.

According to the BMFA website membership is presently closed, so the price is not available - but I'm sure its double or three times the FPV UK fee. With BMFA you do get a monthly newsletter about freeflight models and petrol powered disasters though, so fair enough.

All the best

Simon

 

[phantomman]

However, I have been speaking to Simon over at FPV UK and their insurance DOES appear to cover the 'occasional' or 'hobby' flyer.
It's underwritten by Royal Sun Alliance and anybody who becomes a 'Member' of FPV UK is automatically an additional insured under the policy. It gives you £5m of third party liability cover and seems pretty good for £15.80 for 12 months or pro rata for less than a year.

Is that only to cover FPV or any line of sight flying? Whenever I fly I am more concerned about any damage/issues caused by a "flyway" malfunction, or pilot error rather than just losing the Phantom. I remember reading a while back about a guy who had a "flyaway" and his insurance covered the cost of the Phantom and GoPro. And would have covered damage as well. But he no longer seems to around on that forum. Would have been interested in what company that was with!

All flying is covered, not just FPV.

Perhaps a home insurance policy might cover loss of a model (but I think its unlikely). You'd probably have a £200-£500 insurance excess too which would make it pointless for a Phantom (bearing in mind the premium increase for next year if you claimed).

All the best

Simon

 

[Eagleeye9]

Thanks Gents,

All that advice is much appreciated. I'll be moving back to the UK next summer, i'm currently in the US and it's a bit different. Thanks once again.

 

[OI Photography]

Thanks Gents,

All that advice is much appreciated. I'll be moving back to the UK next summer, i'm currently in the US and it's a bit different. Thanks once again.

Have you found any services like those here in the US?

 

[djidan]

So am I right in thinking that the FPV UK insurance will cover for any third party claim, as long as I am flying from an approved location or club site, or will I be covered if flying from anywhere, as long as I am flying within the CAA regulations?

 

[The Editor]

So am I right in thinking that the FPV UK insurance will cover for any third party claim, as long as I am flying from an approved location or club site, or will I be covered if flying from anywhere, as long as I am flying within the CAA regulations?

The way I read the policy - you will be covered from anywhere provided you are flying within CAA regulations

 

[chopperflyer]

With regard's to having a fly away I am not to sure about. The best thing is to give the BMFA a ring with your problem and ask them, they are very helpful in all matter's regarding flying and can send any CAA ruling that you need. I do not want to go to far in saying about the BMFA or people will start thinking I am trying to get new member's for them, as you can see a message was put on this page for help with insurance and I just re-plied with what bit I know and use. All I can say is as a member the news letter that is sent to us about 4 times a year has all the updates with ruling from the CAA, all this is also on line. I know that FPV do insurance as well because I was using it to start with until the BMFA included in my insurance with them. I have heard that people that did get fly away, managed to claim on the insurance, but please do not quote me as this is what goes around at club meet's, the best answer is to ring them, the number is on line at their web site plus any info you want before hand. I can look and see what they have about flying UAV's.

 

[Eagleeye9]

OI Photography.

With Regards to US insurance I haven't found anything that is like the UK situation. I am trying another place today- I think insurance companies are confused with regulations and the whole drone debate. If I find anything that looks good I'll post back on here later.


EE

 

[phantomman]

With regard's to having a fly away I am not to sure about. The best thing is to give the BMFA a ring with your problem and ask them, they are very helpful in all matter's regarding flying and can send any CAA ruling that you need. I do not want to go to far in saying about the BMFA or people will start thinking I am trying to get new member's for them, as you can see a message was put on this page for help with insurance and I just re-plied with what bit I know and use. All I can say is as a member the news letter that is sent to us about 4 times a year has all the updates with ruling from the CAA, all this is also on line. I know that FPV do insurance as well because I was using it to start with until the BMFA included in my insurance with them. I have heard that people that did get fly away, managed to claim on the insurance, but please do not quote me as this is what goes around at club meet's, the best answer is to ring them, the number is on line at their web site plus any info you want before hand. I can look and see what they have about flying UAV's.

On the other hand you have the chairman of FPV UK in this thread telling you the information first hand

I will be attending the annual CAA meeting 26/11 in London and standing up for FPV and Multirotor pilots. Something BMFA know almost nothing about...

 

[phantomman]

With regard's to having a fly away I am not to sure about. The best thing is to give the BMFA a ring with your problem and ask them, they are very helpful in all matter's regarding flying and can send any CAA ruling that you need. I do not want to go to far in saying about the BMFA or people will start thinking I am trying to get new member's for them, as you can see a message was put on this page for help with insurance and I just re-plied with what bit I know and use. All I can say is as a member the news letter that is sent to us about 4 times a year has all the updates with ruling from the CAA, all this is also on line. I know that FPV do insurance as well because I was using it to start with until the BMFA included in my insurance with them. I have heard that people that did get fly away, managed to claim on the insurance, but please do not quote me as this is what goes around at club meet's, the best answer is to ring them, the number is on line at their web site plus any info you want before hand. I can look and see what they have about flying UAV's.

You have the chairman of FPV UK in this thread telling you the information first hand

With FPV; the BMFA had zero knowledge of the subject matter. The CAA suggested anyone flying FPV should use a buddy lead. BMFA just agreed. Didn't put up a fight, didn't propose any other alternative suggestions, just agreed and told their members that's how it was. Clearly buddy leads for every FPV flight is totally impractical and nobody would really have complied.

FPV UK came along, kicked up a fuss (19 MPs complained to the Minister for Transport), worked with the CAA for 3 years, got an exemption issued for its members - no buddy leads when flying FPV. Then the BMFA management were put under pressure by their members and wanted in on the exemption.

If you want to be part of an organisation focused on freeflight and control line models who know next to nothing about FPV (at last year's meeting both their Technical Manager and Chairman admitted they'd never tried FPV) and I'm sure the same is true of multirotors - then go with the BMFA. (You get a magazine about freeflight/ control lines 4 times a year).

If you want a forward thinking association that's a third or a half of the price and actually gets the CAA to change things for the better - go with FPV UK

I will be attending the annual CAA meeting 26/11 in London and standing up for FPV and Multirotor pilots. Something BMFA know almost nothing about...

 

[phantomman]

So am I right in thinking that the FPV UK insurance will cover for any third party claim, as long as I am flying from an approved location or club site, or will I be covered if flying from anywhere, as long as I am flying within the CAA regulations?

Any location in the UK and Europe. So long as you are flying legally.

 

[chopperflyer]

have you tried AMA as you are in the State's ? ,they may be able to help you.