Myth: Drones do not count as “Aircraft,” so my insurance policy covers any damage they might cause.
Fact: Insurance companies DO classify drones as “Aircraft” and almost all insurance policies exclude aircraft.
Frequently, we get calls from people asking to purchase drone insurance. These things are everywhere. You can buy them at technology stores, department stores, and I even saw some for sale at the grocery store. Nowadays, anyone can purchase a drone and attach a camera to it. So, how does that work with insurance? Maybe, you’ve checked your policy and noticed that there is an exclusion for “Aircraft.” Great! It isn’t like you are flying a plane or a helicopter or something crazy. It’s just a glorified toy, right? No, that is not the case!
The Truth About Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
The truth is that drones fall under the classification of UAV, which stands for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Any aerial vehicle is classified as an aircraft by an insurance company, regardless of how small and insignificant it might appear.
This means that if your drone falls out of the sky and breaks, it is excluded by your equipment policy. If it damages a building, runs into another aircraft, or injures somebody, you cannot make a claim under your General Liability policy. Many insurance companies include the terms “Drone” and “UAV” in their exclusions list to make it even more clear that they are NOT interested in covering your drones.
What You Need is Aircraft Liability Insurance
The coverage you need is called Aircraft Liability. Aircraft Liability Insurance covers any damage or injuries that your drone might accidentally cause to a third party. We can even write a policy to cover the drone itself, or any equipment that you might attach to it.
Maybe you aren’t interested in covering damage to your drone since most drones are so inexpensive. However, Aircraft Liability is a BIG deal if you fly a drone. When you provide your standard general liability coverage to a location or a city for a film permit, they expect you to have the proper coverages in place for your shoot. If your drone hurts someone and you don’t have the appropriate coverage, you are not only subject to paying for those damages out of pocket, but you might get a hefty fine from the city for not properly covering yourself.
Drone Insurance for Your Film Production
So what can you do?! Give us a call to talk about drone insurance. There are lots of insurance options out there to cover damage to your drone and any damage your drone might cause. We can write a low-cost policy for you within a few days, and you don’t even need to have your Part 107 or 333 Exemption from the FAA. If you have either of those, that will help, but they are not required.
Call or email me with any questions, and DON’T FLY UNINSURED!
Luke Gelineau
