Aviation Insurance Policy Analysis

Read

Review the Sample Aircraft Insurance Policy (PDF) and at the cover page, assume that you purchased the following limits:

• Coverage A: $1 million per occurrence, $100,000 per passenger
• Coverage B: $200,000

And:
The pilot endorsement includes:

• You, by name, and any other pilot holding a currently valid FAA Commercial Pilot Certificate with
  Second Class Medical Certificate and having logged at least 500 hours as pilot in command in
  the same category and class as the non-owned aircraft.

You are operating a rented aircraft with one passenger on board, attempting to land in a strong and gusty
crosswind, when you lose control. The aircraft departs the runway, the nose wheel strikes a runway light,
and the aircraft flips over.

Answer

Based on the Sample Non-Owned Aircraft policy, will the insurance company pay, (and if so, how
much) for each of the following losses? Cite the policy paragraph(s) relied on for each answer.
(Treat each numbered question as a separate question, rather than a continuation of or follow-on to the
previous question(s).)

1. The aircraft is damaged beyond economical repair (it would cost $120,000 to repair the
   damages, but an identical replacement aircraft can be purchased for $105,000).
2. Your passenger, a friend who was along for this recreational flight, is injured, and incurs
   $20,000 in medical expenses as a result.
3. You are injured, and incur $18,000 in medical expenses as a result, and:
   a. this was a recreational flight.
   b. this was a flight made to visit a customer as a part of your employment.
4. Your passenger, a co-worker who was along on this business flight for your mutual
   employer, was injured and incurred $20,000 in medical expenses as a result
5. You and your passenger each had an $1,800 laptop computer in the baggage compartment, and each was destroyed in the crash.
6. Elk hunting season opens Monday and the purpose of the flight was to spot herds of elk
   from the air to help you select your hunting area. How would this affect the insurance
   company’s liability for:
   a. damage to the aircraft?
   b. passenger injuries?
7. Your intended destination was the border town of Douglas, Arizona, but the wind had kicked
   up a lot of blowing dust, causing you to mistake the close-by airport in Agua Prieta, Mexico
   for the Douglas Airport. You landed there, where the accident occurred. How will this affect
   the insurance company’s liability for:
   a. damage to the aircraft?
   b. passenger injuries?
8. At the time of the accident, your FAA Medical Certificate had expired. How would this affect
   the insurance company’s liability for:
   a. damage to the aircraft?
   b. passenger injuries?