Flight Instructing in a private owners aircraft

[California]

Looking into AOPA's CFI insurance and non-owner insurance.

Any tips or an easier way to cover yourself? What about borrowing a friends airplane, do you just get on their insurance?

Thanks!

 

[Green Banana]

I ended up with a Non-Owner AVEMCO policy. Better rates than AOPA.

 

[svcta]

Most policies have a blanket qualification. As in a pilot with XXX amount of experience will qualify on the airplane's insurance as an unnamed pilot. Instructing may be another coverage to add to the airplane, I know that most of our policies have had a "no dual" clause excepting owners. But they are all warbirds with conventional gear for the most part, which strangens up the insurance picture a bit right off the bat.

Ask the owners of the airplanes what their policies cover. It should be easy to find out.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I ended up with a Non-Owner AVEMCO policy. Better rates than AOPA.

Look at your AVEMCO policy. Based on the last time I looked (this past Spring)

• If it's not a CFI policy, it doesn't cover you when giving instruction.
• If it is a CFI policy, it only covers you when in the airplane (no "malpractice" coverage if the student balls up the airplane when applying your lesson)

There may be a reason the AOPA policy costs a bit more.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Looking into AOPA's CFI insurance and non-owner insurance.

Any tips or an easier way to cover yourself? What about borrowing a friends airplane, do you just get on their insurance?

Thanks!

Understand how the owner's policy typically works. It covers the owner and the owner's airplane. Not some guy borrowing it.

IOW, in the "borrowing" if, say, you meet the owner's "open pilot warranty" and damage the airplane, the insurance will cover the repairs, but will still be entitled to go after you to pay for them (aka "subrogation"). You may be able to get by this if you are specially listed as an insured and the insurance company is willing to give up it's subrogation rights.


The CFI situation is different. Even if you are an insured on the owner's policy, most policies will not cover the CFI when giving flight instruction for hire in the airplane. Again, there can be exceptions to this, but that's the way it works in general.

If you care about being covered, your best bet is always your own coverage, especially for giving instruction.