When to get renters insurance

T

Tony R

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Atrosa
Background:
I'm an 53 year old student pilot with only 2.8 hours, but I've arranged my schedule so I can start to fly 3x a week.

Question:
When should I buy renters insurance?
Before solo?
As soon as I started taking lessons?
 
My school policy was before solo. It protects you from the deductible of the primary insurer… I think… generally speaking.

Therefore, you needed only $5k coverage at my place, check your local listing!

And good for you! Have fun!!
 
We recommend getting it just prior to your first solo. When you are with the CFI, you are not the PIC and not likely to need insurance. Our school insures renters (including students) for liability, but the renter may be responsible for the deductible for physical damage and lost income while the airplane is unavailable for rent.
 
before you bend an airplane obvs :)

just prior to solo makes the most sense, you're at your least experienced, and with nobody in the right seat to pin responsibility onto.
 
Tools said:
My school policy was before solo. It protects you from the deductible of the primary insurer… I think… generally speaking.

Therefore, you needed only $5k coverage at my place, check your local listing!

And good for you! Have fun!!
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Just like renting a car, insurance is not included in your rental.
A flight schools insurance policy may not provide you any coverage. This means you could be sued for any injury or death and any property damage as a result of an accident. The school’s insurance company may subrogate against you (collect the amount they had to pay to repair or replace the plane + any other damages or injury claims they paid).

There are a lot of flight schools that require renters insurance that covers their deductible, but doesn’t mean the insurance can’t come back and collect from you for the remainder. Fortunately this doesn’t happen often.

The biggest benefit from renters insurance is having attorneys to defend you.
 
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It's not that expensive. I got mine before my solo, but I have had friends that got it when they first started lessons. If you get it too early nothing lost. If you get it too late and something happens well then you may be out a lot more than a premium.
 
It depends on your flight school and their insurance policy and their schools policy, I’m pretty sure that mine would not charge you unless you did something stupid on purpose but I also did not check the policy particulars, I do know that insurance is included though.

Some schools require it and it is in the school policy and terms, it’s best to ask and find out and actually see the insurance policy documents so that you know.
 
Before solo,even if the school has insurance, the renter could be responsible for the deductible in the policy.
 
mandm said:
It depends on your flight school and their insurance policy and their schools policy, I’m pretty sure that mine would not charge you unless you did something stupid on purpose but I also did not check the policy particulars, I do know that insurance is included though.

Some schools require it and it is in the school policy and terms, it’s best to ask and find out and actually see the insurance policy documents so that you know.
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What makes you pretty sure you flight school would not charge you? There is no common sense when you are a student pilot because you have very limited experience and only know what you have been told or read.
 
Clip4 said:
What makes you pretty sure you flight school would not charge you? There is no common sense when you are a student pilot because you have very limited experience and only know what you have been told or read.
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Remember, it is not the flight school that makes the decision, it is the insurance company.
 
Gilbert Buettner said:
Remember, it is not the flight school that makes the decision, it is the insurance company.
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Remember. It is not your insurance and you can’t require the school to make a claim. Also a charge to the renter for the deductible is the flight schools decision.

You may see stuff like



https://angelaviation.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AA-Rental-Agreement-Rev5-022620.pdf

 
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My 141 flight school stipulated I'm responsible for their deductible, $4000, so I only need insurance to cover that portion. Once I'm able to do solo training flights insurance is a must-buy. Schools and policies vary so read the fine print.
 
I wouldn't trust a flight school to tell me I'm only responsible for the deductible. After seeing more than one renter get caught up in subrogation from the insurance company for total hull value I would want to see the policy itself rather than some words from the school. Insurance will make the flight school whole but their policy determines whether the insurance company can subrogate. It's been a long time since I flew a rental but when I did I had renters insurance that covered the entire hull value, not just the deductible.
 
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