Liability for rental aircraft that's stolen

[almostthere[_1_]]

I have AOPA's renter's insurance. Limits are to $60K for damage. The
policy doesn't appear to cover theft, and certainly if it did, the theft of
the rental aircraft that I fly would cause the owner a greater loss. He's
covered, I'm sure, by his own policy but can his insurance carrier come
after me for reimbursement for more than my $60K limit?

[BTIZ]

IIRC, Renters insurance only covers the pilots liability to the aircraft
(not counting passenger or other property) in instances where the damage was
caused by "pilot error".

Forget to put the gear down.. pilot error
Forget to put in fuel and run dry tanks.. pilot error
Can't keep it on the runway in a cross wind.. pilot error

Engine seizes or other mechanical beyond the pilots control.. no coverage,
for the hull anyway.. it may cover you for damage to others on the ground
and their property.

Talk with your agent..
BT

"almostthere" > wrote in message
t...
>I have AOPA's renter's insurance. Limits are to $60K for damage. The
> policy doesn't appear to cover theft, and certainly if it did, the theft
> of
> the rental aircraft that I fly would cause the owner a greater loss. He's
> covered, I'm sure, by his own policy but can his insurance carrier come
> after me for reimbursement for more than my $60K limit?
>
>

[Crash Lander[_1_]]

Do many planes actually get stolen?
Crash Lander

--
I'm not always right,
But I'm never wrong!
"almostthere" > wrote in message
t...
>I have AOPA's renter's insurance. Limits are to $60K for damage. The
> policy doesn't appear to cover theft, and certainly if it did, the theft
> of
> the rental aircraft that I fly would cause the owner a greater loss. He's
> covered, I'm sure, by his own policy but can his insurance carrier come
> after me for reimbursement for more than my $60K limit?
>
>

[Newps]

You are not liable for theft unless you do something so grossly
negligent that everybody says, what was he thinking?

almostthere wrote:

> I have AOPA's renter's insurance. Limits are to $60K for damage. The
> policy doesn't appear to cover theft, and certainly if it did, the theft of
> the rental aircraft that I fly would cause the owner a greater loss. He's
> covered, I'm sure, by his own policy but can his insurance carrier come
> after me for reimbursement for more than my $60K limit?
>
>

[Jim Macklin]

yes
"Crash Lander" > wrote in message
...
| Do many planes actually get stolen?
| Crash Lander
|
| --
| I'm not always right,
| But I'm never wrong!
| "almostthere" > wrote in message
| t...
| >I have AOPA's renter's insurance. Limits are to $60K for
damage. The
| > policy doesn't appear to cover theft, and certainly if
it did, the theft
| > of
| > the rental aircraft that I fly would cause the owner a
greater loss. He's
| > covered, I'm sure, by his own policy but can his
insurance carrier come
| > after me for reimbursement for more than my $60K limit?
| >
| >
|
|

[Jim Macklin]

The FBI, FAA, and AOPA, as well as insurance companies
record stolen airplanes. There are also a lot of avionics
stolen.
I have heard of line boys at airports on the night shift
taking airplanes out for a joy ride. They bring them back
after an hour or so, sometimes with no visible damage, but
line boys don't know about hot starts in turbine engines.

I am one person and I caught a line boy who had a PP ASEL
who flew a MEL trainer. Rumor was that he had been taxiing
King Airs around the airport. He got brave one night and
took a light twin up. I had flown that airplane late in the
evening with a student and had the same student at 7 AM the
next morning. Everything in the cockpit was different, the
radio tuning, the trim and the air vents. The Hobbs showed
the same time, but the fuel logs showed it had been flown
1.5 hours. The lineboy, who was the only person there that
night, admitted he had flown it. The company fired him, but
did not file criminal charges because they did not want
customers suing for possible damage to their aircraft. Can
you say bad decision and poor ethics.


"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
|
| "Jim Macklin" > wrote
|
| > yes
|
| Define "many."
|
| Cite reasons or sources for your answer.
|
| I can just as easily say "no," and be just as accurate and
correct.
|
| Aircraft that are stolen are of little use, unless parted
out, and even
| then, there are serial numbers on pretty much everything
of high value, and
| will make use of said items difficult, since logs are kept
of repairs and
| annuals, leaving a very good chance of being caught with
stolen goods.
|
| Some small number of aircraft are stolen, but mostly in
the Southern states,
| where they can be taken to Mexico easily.
| --
| Jim in NC
|

[Morgans[_3_]]

"Jim Macklin" > wrote

> yes

Define "many."

Cite reasons or sources for your answer.

I can just as easily say "no," and be just as accurate and correct.

Aircraft that are stolen are of little use, unless parted out, and even
then, there are serial numbers on pretty much everything of high value, and
will make use of said items difficult, since logs are kept of repairs and
annuals, leaving a very good chance of being caught with stolen goods.

Some small number of aircraft are stolen, but mostly in the Southern states,
where they can be taken to Mexico easily.
--
Jim in NC

[Jose[_1_]]

> The Hobbs showed
> the same time, but the fuel logs showed it had been flown
> 1.5 hours.

How'd he pull that one off?

Jose
--
The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

[Robert M. Gary]

Renter's insurance only covers loss as a result of pilot error. This
leaves a HUGE gap in coverage if the owner does not also have owner's
insurance for rental.

-Robert


almostthere wrote:
> I have AOPA's renter's insurance. Limits are to $60K for damage. The
> policy doesn't appear to cover theft, and certainly if it did, the theft of
> the rental aircraft that I fly would cause the owner a greater loss. He's
> covered, I'm sure, by his own policy but can his insurance carrier come
> after me for reimbursement for more than my $60K limit?

[Newps]

Robert M. Gary wrote:
> Renter's insurance only covers loss as a result of pilot error. This
> leaves a HUGE gap in coverage if the owner does not also have owner's
> insurance for rental.

A huge gap in coverage for the owner, not the renter. In order to
collect from the renter the owner, or his insurance company, will have
to bring an action against the renter.

[Robert M. Gary]

Newps wrote:
> Robert M. Gary wrote:
> > Renter's insurance only covers loss as a result of pilot error. This
> > leaves a HUGE gap in coverage if the owner does not also have owner's
> > insurance for rental.
>
> A huge gap in coverage for the owner, not the renter. In order to
> collect from the renter the owner, or his insurance company, will have
> to bring an action against the renter.

Yes, its the owner that needs to ensure he has proper coverage. Going
after a renter would be difficult and not as efficient as having your
own coverage.

This is also one of the reasons why getting renter's insurance to
borrow a plane is not a good idea vs. paying to be added to the owner's
policy as named. Being an non-authorized pilot in the owner's plane
with renters insurance means that any damage to the aircraft that is
not the result of poor piloting would result in no coverage.

-Robert

[Newps]

Robert M. Gary wrote:

> This is also one of the reasons why getting renter's insurance to
> borrow a plane is not a good idea vs. paying to be added to the owner's
> policy as named. Being an non-authorized pilot in the owner's plane
> with renters insurance means that any damage to the aircraft that is
> not the result of poor piloting would result in no coverage.

I would be authorized because the owner let me fly it. I'm not sure how
the plane is going to get damaged without me screwing up somehow but if
it does then I am not liable.