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Insuring a COZY


mlefebvre

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Any guidance on insuring a cozy? What companies are you guys using? What kind of rates are you seeing? As an aside, if one were to "buy" a Cozy instead of building one, is financing possible if the craft is insurable?

 

Marc

Tis far easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you are a member of EAA or AOPA, you can check with them. I have used AOPAs insurance service in the past for Commander 112 and Commanche 250 but never for homebuilt.

The criteria they use for rates are:

Recent time in class and type.

Instrument rated.

Total hours.

Total hours in type.

Model of plane, engine size, number of engines.

Value of the plane.

Retractable/complex.

Claim within the last 7 years.

 

I know that there are some aircraft that they will not insure or will run from (Twin Commanche) but most aircraft they will insure if you have an instrument rating and lots of recent time in type. Of course you will need deep pockets (full of money) and be willing to jump through a bunch of hoops (finding an instructor with over 200 hours in your type of aircraft and requiring at least 20 hours dual...)

Experimental aircraft are another whole ball of wax...especially if you plan to carry passengers.

It can be a rather touchy subject. If you crash into some people, survivors and relatives can take you to the cleaners, if you survive, your plane may not be in too bad of shape to fix it yourself and not file a ( one shot ) claim. As tough as these planes are, if you can't fix it after a crash, it's because it hit too hard (to survive). So hull insurance is not going to be a good investment in my opinion, and overall, the premiums could just about buy you a new Cozy every 7 or 8 years.

Many pilots I know who have planes worth under $150,000. value, self insure because of the cost of premiums. Many homebuilt planes got insurance a few years ago when you could get it and get it pretty cheap. Obviously they aren't going to cancel such insurance unless there is non-payment of premium or a claim.

I am going to put away money in an escrow and try to get liability insurance through AOPA and extra life insurance (so my wife can afford a decent husband if I croak) As you probably know, almost all "family" insurance companies will not insure pilots, or they make you sign a waiver that if you die while flying, they won't pay.

I would join EAA and/or AOPA and talk to one of their insurance specialists if I were you. Since 911 GA has been under the gun and some capricious experimentalists have filed claims that have made insurance companies re-examine their cost/profit ratios and homebuilt aircraft have taken it on the chin. The situation changes almost daily.

So check with them for current info:

 

EAA http://www.eaa.org/chapters/admin/insurance.asp

 

AOPA

http://www.aopaia.com/

 

I hope this helps.

 

Kevin

Back to building... #618 Cozy MK IV

 

My Cozy web pages, courtesy: Rick Maddy... :cool: WN9G :rolleyes:

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my partner and i have decided to not buy hull insurance, it just costs toooooooooooo much.

 

If we break it, we will fix it, if one or both of us die in it, we won't.

 

enjoy the build

 

Mike

maker wood dust and shavings - foam and fiberglass dust and one day a cozy will pop out, enjoying the build

 

i can be reached at

 

http://www.canardcommunity.com/

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