Getting close to decision to buy a 22. I have 450 hrs, IFR, and don’t anticipate trouble getting a $1M smooth (no $100K/person sublimit) policy. The idea of a friend and I doing a partnership just came up. He has about 100 hours, VFR, working on his IFR. I’m not sure if this would limit us to a sublimit policy.
Can anyone who has (or tried to get) a $1M smooth policy with relatively low time share their experience?
Please mention whether you have a 20 or 22. Thanks!!!
There have been literally hundreds of posts on this over the past year. Try the search function using insurance as the search word. If you think you will have no trouble getting a $1 mil smooth policy with 450 hours you’re in for a real shock.
Your friend has no chance of getting $1mm smooth with that time and no instrument rating. Most likely, he’ll have to have the rating to be covered at all, and then his coverage will have sub-limits and cost a lot. But, the 22 isn’t a bird for the faint of heart (or wallet). Contact JT Helms and he’ll be able to give you a clear picture. Also, tell your friend to shake a leg and get his instrument ticket. I took my instrument checkride the day before my delivery date, knowing I had to have the rating for the insurance. No pressure.
J. Kinsey N623SK
SR22 # 182
I got a reasonable quote on $1m smooth for an SR20 - I have almost 300 hrs, and IR. Reasonable meaning $3890
The Million combined single limit (smooth for slang) is likely to be available to you, but your friend would be turned down.
Generally, for any of the companies to offer the smooth limits your friend would need to be inst rated and have either 400+ hours, or maybe inst rated with 300 hours AND over 100 in an SR-22.
You can contact us at 877 475 5860. I, or any of my agents, can help you. Unfortunately, Maureen is out with a prolonged iillness and will likely return in the fall (October??). Those of you who know her, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers.
Thanks
John “JT” Helms
Branch Manager
NationAir Pleasure and Business Branch
Tim,
I have 560 hours of which 170+ is in my 22-6CD and my IFR.
With the help of other respondents in this format, my renewal of my 1mil smooth originally costing $4200 became $2880 with hull coverage = 330,000.
bob
Jerry: Thanks for the reply. I have read all the posts for the past year or so on insurance. I’ve had 1mm smooth coverage the past two years on my 182 prior to getting the instrument rating, which I just completed. That, plus the posts I’ve seen here on smooth coverage, is what leads me to think it’s doable for me. I’m hoping to hear actual Cirrus owner’s personal insurance experience on this issue to confirm my guess and get a handle on what my friend is up against.
Tim
Tim,
I have approx. 1000 hrs. and IFR ticket. Most of my time is in a Skylane and got 1 million smooth from Nation Air for about $3300. My representative was Maureen Agee. Best of luck. You will love your Cirrus.
Don Kusenberger
N41XP SR22
It may be nice for everyone to talk about insurance, but the rates can and do change all the time based on the internal decisions of the insurance companies.
The rates change based on so many variables and they vary greatly. Anything you read or heard from anyone else has very little bearing on what you will get for a rate today. Call your broker and THEN let us know what the trend seems to be. Last Nov there were no $1M smooth policies in the Cal. area for a 275 hour IFR rated pilot for a SR22. The policy for two people is usually more than the cost for the most expensive partner. I paid $7,200 for $1m/100k with a partner that had 750 hours and a commercial rating.
John:
Is it possible to have separate limits for each pilot, or alternately two separate policies on the same aircraft?
Thanks,
Tim
Bob, That’s a great price compared to what I’ve been able to find. I have roughly the same total time and time in type as you. Can you tell me who the underwriter is for your policy?
Dan
Dan
I just e-mailed some more information which I hope will help.
My SR22 serial number is 0037.
Bob
The insurance companies do not like (translation - will not) do seperate limits for different pilots on aircraft like Cirrus. It has been known to happen on jet aircraft on commercial policies (much higher premiums, not thru the light aircraft underwriters.) When they do that even, they usually write it such that “whenever Mr. smith is onboard the aircraft” the liability limit is reduced to XXX." Too many people were claiming that Mr. Smith wasn’t actually flying, merely sitting in the right seat.
So the answer to your first question is… no.
To your second question, yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it. First, it would likely be prohibitively expensive. It would have to be done thru 2 seperate insurance companies (one company will not insure it concurrently on two seperate policies), and each policy would pay out jointly. All light aircraft policies have wording that states that they are excess over any other coverage. When both policies have that wording, this generally means that they will each pay 50% of a claim.
It is not a good idea, though, to insure it on two seperate policies. The insurance companies, after paying a claim, and discovering that their was more than one policy involved (very messy legally for their claims adjusters) would likely not want to insure the individuals involved again. Especially in a market that is so specialized like aviation, you do not need to have companies eliminated from your options.
The insurance companies don’t like difficult claims. They know they are going to have claims, but when they know they can avoid potentially difficulties, they will.
My recommendation to you would be to partner with someone closer to you in experience level. This way you can get the type of coverage you wish with none of the potential pitfalls.
Hope that helps.
John “JT” Helms
Branch Manager
Pleasure and Business Branch
NationAir Insurance Agencies, Inc.