On Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 9:58:41 PM UTC-6, wrote:
On Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 5:01:19 AM UTC-7, Bob Youngblood wrote:
Recent tragedies will certainly bring insurance rates and coverage into the spotlight once again. IMHO things will change not only in cost but coverage as well. Underwriters cannot continue to pay out high amounts for such a small population of their overall policies. I foresee changes coming to the glider community in terms the total value that certain ships can be covered for hull coverage and possibly the terms of use that will determine what to expect from a certain type event.
Major payouts continue that force the underwriter to raise coverage cost across the board, gliders and towplanes included. I can see coverage changing for the future that may include activity stipulations and certain limits being placed on glider types and values. Risk factors will certainly come into the equation, possibly geographical stipulations.
A considerable number of tragic accidents are being perpetrated within the high experience segment of glider and tow pilots alike. As for the clubs and commercial operations, it is a cost that continues to increase.

Our club is looking at our insurance premiums very carefully. Would like to hear from clubs who are 'self insuring' their gliders up to 30k value.

Most, if not all, require members to carry renter/non-owner insurance coverage which raises the cost of chapter membership by several hundred per year.. Some have had tiers (say $15,000) for pilots that are only flying the 2-33 and 1-26 and 1-34 and a second tier for pilots that will fly the glass two-seater and a glass single seater.

http://nevadasoaring.com/insurance/ is one example.

Some of the others have disappeared behind member walls, but you might contact Texas Soaring Association, where there are a mixed of insured and self-insured hulls and a rather high member deductible ($3,000 last time I checked). However, I believe that was also the total exposure for a member flying a chapter ship, so renter/non-owner coverage of that amount was up to the member.

Chicago Glider Council has a different liability plan and may possibly self insure their hulls. Their web site doesn't mention anything about insurance and the fees pages is woefully out of date, so hard to say. http://www.chicagogliderclub.org/ind...-02-13-24/fees

I spoke with the former owner of a commercial operation today and he sometimes carried hull insurance and sometimes self-insured, requiring renter/non-owners to carry coverage. Renter insurance is pretty much required by most.. SoaringNV had a $30,000 requirement at one point, but nothing on the web site since it changed ownership but their renter agreement is pretty clear who is responsible for damages.

Unless something's changed, private owners with the SSA Group Plan are insured for rentals up to the insured hull value of their gliders. No idea if that amount can be boosted with a nominal additional charge.

Frank Whiteley