Aircraft Insurance pole

[anthonydesmet]

Hello Folks,

Time to renew my quote again for another year.  However, this year I was more excited than my first two years of mooney ownership because now I have over 200 mooney hours and 800 PIC hours.....so I had thought...more later.  I am in the middle of inst. rating also.  I'd like to hear who is using which company for insurance and also interested in options other than AOPA. I have been loyal to AOPA the last couple years however a couple things have been frustrating me:

1.  This year and last year I had sent in my renewal application and I had to follow up with emails a week or so later asking if my quote has come back from the underwriters.  Both emails were answered with a reply for me to fill out another renewal application because they said they did not have one on file.  When I pressed both responses I did finally get an answer of "oh yeah, here it is".  Once I understand but two years in a row seems odd.

2. When binding last year I had to follow up twice with emails off an oil rig (close to the 11th hour of insurance expiring) to get a copy of the final insurance paperwork. One was answered again with, we don't see a renewal request from you after I had binded over the phone before going offshore for work.

3. I have a hangar both in Virginia and Florida and when I tried to change my Virginia airport and add my Florida airport last year it took multiple email and a couple phone messages to get a copy of the insurance riders to the airport managers.

It just seems like I have to pull teeth a little too hard to get anything from AOPA in regards to insurance and it worries me that if (knock on wood) I really had to use my insurance it would be a little too frustrating....and who wants that if you are in an unfortunate situation.  I really don't think it is associated with ineptness but more seems like they are understaffed.  Because when I do talk them, everyone I have talked too is pleasant, professional and knowledgeable...but its just a little too hard.

Ok, now the situation that prompted this post.  As I mentioned I am going into year 3 of mooney ownership, I have added 200 hours of complex time and I have 200+ hours of mooney time with around 800 PIC team in addition to my Navy special crew F-14 and F/A-18 time (which doesn't count for a lot).  However, the renewal quote i just received is $880 more than last year and $380 more than my first year of insurance with zero mooney hours.  I've had no FAA issues, accidents, driving issues and I am still under the same medical exam as last year with no medical issues.  I also just executed my BFR last month.  Instrument check coming at the end of July.

[gsengle]

I think you mean poll

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[anthonydesmet]

yep, sorry, typing from my iPad 

[Oldguy]

Have you talked with Falcon Insurance out of Kerrville? They did a good job on a quote for me this past year. And notice the headquarters location - Kerrville. They know Mooney.

[neilpilot]

Irrelevant, but just mentioning that I've been using the AOPA agency since before it was AOPA (since 1989).  To address a couple of your points:

"I had binded over the phone before going offshore for work." - maybe, but it's my experience that binding really needs to be in writing, email or snail mail.

"it worries me that if (knock on wood) I really had to use my insurance it would be a little too frustrating....and who wants that if you are in an unfortunate situation" - if you need to actually use your insurance, you will deal directly with the underwriter, not AOPA

[Robert C.]

+1 for Falcon; I have found them easy to deal with and prompt in answering my questions.

[Brian Scranton]

Grant Parsons at Southwest Aviation Insurance in Scottsdale AZ...480-483-7844 

He beat everyone else I looked at. By a longshot. 

[M20F]

Renewing now with Falcon/Cliff, not the cheapest but within $100 and they are easy/good to work with. 

[anthonydesmet]

Awesome, thanks guys.  

 

Nielpilot, understood and thank you for that.....hope you didn't have to learn first hand.

[KSMooniac]

I use a great agent local to me in Wichita, and they write policies all over the country.  PM if you want his contact info... there is no reason to use AOPA for insurance IMO.

[carusoam]

My memory is not that good.  Falcon gets my vote.  They call me back and send emails before I can forget....  They make sure my  insurance is continuous each year.

having an IR and multiple years of Mooney experience.  It doesn't get much better than that...

Best regards,

-a-

[Hank]

Falcon is good, they actually contacted me to initiate the renewal. Now I just need to add up the hours divvied up their way since last year and send it in. Cliff is great.

[geoffb]

I'm with Falcon out of AK.  Great service so far (12 yrs), but fortunately haven't had to make a claim so I can't comment on claims service.

[N601RX]

Airpower is great.  They work with all the major underwriters. They will contact your about a month before renewal and asked for updated information and any changes you make.  They will then foward you each underwriter quote as they receive them.  Just be sure your agent is shopping your policy with every available underwriter.  A couple of years I believe there were 7. 

[PMcClure]

My experience with all insurance is that the underwriters risk profile seems to change from year to year. That is why insurance costs may jump up with no other apparent reason. My strategy is to work with an independent agent (I use a good local one) that will shop all the underwriters. There are only a handful of underwriters so the key is to make sure you are shopping them all. I shop my insurance each year and am always amazed at the different rates from underwriter to underwriter. A good independent agent helps you through this process. 

[GeorgePerry]

Smut

Really sorry to hear about your issues.  Jim P. is a friend and runs AOPA's insurance division.  I will let him know about the issues your having and I'm sure he'll address immediately.

brain

[N5756v]

While I was redoing my insurance this year it did not go down and my Aopa representative said that their has been an uptick in high performance and complex accidents in the last year and she was really surprised it did not go up and just stayed the same .

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[Pritch]

Another plus for Falcon in Kerrville.  Quit flying and sold my 63C in 2002, decided to start flying again last Oct. and then bought an 84k in Feb, contacted Falcon and they still had my info.  Only needed 5 hrs dual and 5 solo and the cost wasn't that bad.

Pritch

 

[Bravoman]

 I have been very happy with Aviation Solutions out of Lees Summit Missouri. Have use them for many years now. My contact there is Carl Grimmett who is a pilot.He is extremely responsive when I need anything, including having declaration pages emailed  to airport managers as proof of insurance for my hangar, etc.  I also think that he really works hard to get the best rates for me out of the carriers. 

regards, Frank.

[N201MKTurbo]

When I had a partner in my plane, he was a NoDak and we ended using his guy up in Fargo ND. I don't have the partner any more but I still use the agent in Fargo. Give him a try, a great guy, fun to talk to on the phone and always gives top notch service!

Northstar Aviation Insurance

[ArtVandelay]

I never had a problem with AOPA, they send me a form 2-3 months before insurance runs out, and I fill it and send it in, then they call me about 3-4 weeks before. Was with AIG, they raised rates, so I was switched to Global, about a 40% reduction.

[DrBill]

i currently use Falcon,  Did use AOPA until they really raised the rate when I asked for higher coverage after I added ADS-B. When I cancelled them they offered lower and I simply replied "too late, should have not increased it so much when I renewed".

Bill

 

[anthonydesmet]

Gents, 

Thanks for all the responses. George took it up with Jim while Rachel did a little digging and I just heard back from Rachel from AOPA and the rate change was solved.  They credited me for my 3100 hours of special crew time in the F-14 and F/A-18 which has significantly reduced my rate.  Rachel has been very responsive. From reviewing the posts it sounds like everyone is comfortable with their insurance as long as the have 'their guy"when rates are pretty comparable.  I think that's the bottom line, knowing you got a name and a number of someone who will look out for you or at least answer your questions when you're unsure. Thanks George and fellow Mooney pilots.

[N601RX]

I received a letter directly from my underwritter US Speciality today. They are changing their policy guidelines and pricing structure. When my policy comes up for renewal in August the following changes will apply. 

 

Price increase

1M smooth coverage not available 

deductible increased to $2500

Ive been with this company 4 years and never had a claim.  

[KSMooniac]

Sounds like they want you to go elsewhere...