What do you pay for insurance??

[PeteCaron]

After getting everyone's advice on "the best first helicopter." I'd like to say thank you! Now I'm trying to get an idea on what it will cost for insurance. I contacted my insurance company a few months ago and asked for a rate on liability and/or hull in a few possible helos(R22, Schweizer300, and bell 47) and a theoretical 100 hours total time and in type. They haven't got back to me at all. I think they don't want to shop my helicopter insurance around before I actually have one.

 

I'm hoping you guys can give me an idea of what to expect. The company I am training with has 3 R22's and they are paying $10,000USD each for insurance. I can get all the info on direct operating costs but insurance can be a huge expense on top of all that.

[Roton]

Pathfinder costs me $7100/yr for hull and liability ($5500 hull and $1600 liability) on a 2005 R22 valued at $185,000. I got the insurance in June when I had 110 hours total heli time; mostly in R22's. Pathfinder is unique in a few ways and not for everyone. One example of this is that, unlike normal insurance companies, they devaluate the helicopter by almost $50.00 a flight hour. Also, apparently, Pathfinder assesed my helicopter at $185,000 rather than the then replacement value of $205,000. Now that Robinson has increased the price of R22's again, a new replacement for my helicopter would work out to be over $220,000. I'll have to "talk" to pathfinder about this (you can only email, fax or snail-mail them; no phone). Most all of the other "regular" insurance brokers like Sutton James use the same few helicopter underwriters, so their prices will all be very similar. For me, the number was $18,000/yr on the same above helicopter and experience. My AOPA discount would have made it just over $17,000. All insurance companies that I've talked to, including Pathfinder, pretty much have a $100K/$1M payout maximum for liability with a fixed, 10% deductible. This means that for a $185,000 insured value, you'll have to come up with the first $18,500 on any claim. To put this all into a painful perspective: My buddy has a Cessna172SP with the full IFR package. It's replacement value is just shy of $200K. My buddy had just under 200 hrs. and a private/ non instrument rating when he got his insurance for $1600/yr. with zero deductible.

[yzchopper]

Ouch!!! What a price difference. Thanks for the info as I too was looking in to buying an R22.

Fly Safe

 

Steve

[svtcobra66]

I actually just got into aviation insurance through another broker, so if someone needs a quote I can run it through about 11 companies. The only requirement is that if you have a policy, your current policy is within 90 days of renewal/expiration (this is the insurance co's rule). My email is cfesposito@gmail.com . I have not had the opportunity to quote anyone yet (I deal primarily in auto and home insurance), so it may be a few days at the minimum.

Thanks

Chris

[lockedcj7]

I'm thinking seriously about buying a used R-44 astro or raven with less than 1000 hrs on it. I have seen several in the mid 200K range so I know they're out there. I would be using it for rides, tours, photo, training and personal use. What kind of insurance costs am I looking at? I'm not far enough in to this that I am comfortable calling insurers but I would like to get a ballpark idea.

 

Does the insurance cost more if you are using the helicopter for training? My assumption would be a big YES! but I don't have any confirmation of that. Any help would be appreciated.