Laser cut holes and Builder Insurance Claims

[mulde35d]

Sooooo, like many of you my potentially laser cut parts are buried in my completed parts and some are not possible to inspect. Anyone started thinking about how to make a builders insurance claim to cover the costs of rebuilding components which are obviously well beyond a simple "replacement" of laser cut parts as Van's has so graciously offered.

 

[Marc Bourget]

I suspect an insurance adjuster will reply that the time for inspection occurred at the time the parts were received, not after installation and deny coverage for any such claim.

 

[KatanaPilot]

Better question might be does Van's have E&O (Errors and Omissions) Insurance that could cover the cost of complete component replacement?

 

[RV8Bob]

How about the lost resale value of these completed aircraft. I wouldn’t purchase a plane built having kits from the dates in question.

 

[lr172]

Most property insurance protects against various "losses," most of which are outlined, such as theft or fire or other damage. Have never heard of insurance that will cover defective parts shipped by a supplier. It is the supplier that needs to address that. If the remove replace labor is in question, the underwriter is quite likely to say "not our issue, take it up with the supplier as that is a warranty issue, covered under the warranty laws."

 

[lr172]

Better question might be does Van's have E&O (Errors and Omissions) Insurance that could cover the cost of complete component replacement?

Have my doubts E&O would cover this. They selected a supplier with a new method of making holes (different than that all other testing was based on) and apparently no one did the engineering work to determine whether or not this would create complications to the structural integrity of the parts. IMHO, most underwriters would call this negligence and not error, as they should have known better. An error would be accidentally telling the supplier to use .020 sheet instead the intended .025 sheet. Not dumping on Vans just addressing the post. Negligence is generally covered under liability insurance, which I presume is prohibitively expensive for a company making airplane kits to be built by people that have never done so before. In my mind, I see an underwriter laughing and saying "You're kidding, right?" This is just speculation, as I have limited experience with E&O insurance, but negotiated a LOT of contracts around warranties and liability.

Larry