Insurance - Canada

Just a heads up FYI. Insurance is coming due, so I got quotes from both EAA's C-PLAN (current insurer) and COPA's Gold program. C-PLAN quoted the same amount as last year. COPA came in 20% less, for essentially the same coverage. The only difference that I didn't like (though in practice has not been an issue) is that I could have anyone fly my plane (with defined total and time in type) on my discretion, whereas the COPA insurance requires me to have them added to the policy.

If you left the COPA sponsored insurance a few years back due to high costs when C-PLAN started being offered (as I did), you may want to check again.

YMMV.

geographic considerations?

....so, COPA must realize that there's very little risk of hitting anything taller than a haystack...and they're pretty soft eh?

( just don't fly west, your coverage may be void!)

"COPA insurance requires me to have them added to the policy"

Really? My COPA VIP Gold insurance for my Cherokee let's anyone fly without the need to do so ... you could inquire into that ... maybe it's something to do with it being an amateur built, and therefore "unique" ... ?

Many people rail against Magnes and COPA, but I've had nothing but great service and fair prices ...

I do not know about Canada but here in the states you must read your policy carefully. 'Open pilot clauses' (like "any pilot with 500 hours TT and 50 hours in type may pilot this aircraft") mean that if your friend Bob meets the requirements, borrows your plane and wreaks it, you will be covered. But, the policy also allows the insurance company to bring a lawsuit against Bob to get their money back, and you are obligated to help them! You should think carefully if you wish to place yourself in a position of possibly testifying against your friend.

kamikaze said:

My COPA VIP Gold insurance for my Cherokee let's anyone fly .....

Click to expand...

Interesting, I use the Silver Wings from COPA (liability only) and it is restrictive - I am the only one allowed to be PIC. However an advantage of that is when I had two airplanes the liability for the second one was at no charge - obviously I can only fly one at a time.

My COPA coverage two years ago had a line in it to the effect that "any COPA member with a pilot's license and my approval" could fly my airplane. I thought that was amazingly open. But the plan they offered for this year didn't offer the same leeway.

Don't forget to get quotes from Air 1 insurance, and Marsh. Marsh still offers essentially the same plans they did when they were COPA's named insurer, but at more attractive rates.

I get quotes from every insurer I can find each year. I've switched insurers three times in five years, to keep the rates low.