Aircraft Insurance: What is Liability cover?

Aircraft owners and operators must legally have in place at least a minimum amount of aviation insurance against their potential liabilities for loss, damage or injury to third parties which might arise from the flying of their aircraft. If the aircraft can carry passengers then there is also a legal minimum cover requirement in respect of potential liabilities to such passengers. Further rules apply to owners and operators who are carrying passengers or cargo commercially.

The law only specifies minimum levels of cover that must be in place, and these vary based on factors such as the aircraft’s maximum take off weight, number of passenger seats and type of use. When you request a quote we will provide an estimate for the minimum legal requirement based on the information you have entered. However, you can check the minimum cover requirement by visiting the CAA Website where you simply enter your registration, click 'Search', scroll down and click 'Minimum Insurance Requirements'.

We also use a ‘Combined Single Limit’ (CSL) for liability cover which saves you having to worry about the different minimum limits for third party cover, passenger cover etc.

IMPORTANT – You should consider arranging more than just the legal minimum cover because if you are responsible for an accident which results in damages that are greater than the cover you hold, you will be liable to pay the difference. 

For example, imagine an owner who arranged an aircraft insurance policy with a CSL of £3 million as this was the legal minimum required for their circumstances. If they are subsequently responsible for an accident in which the courts award damages of £4 million, the policy will pay out £3 million but the owner would still be liable to pay the uninsured £1 million, possibly requiring the sale of other property to meet their liability.

The Policy Booklet contains full details about how this cover operates, including any exclusions or conditions. Existing policyholders can download copies of the applicable Booklet for their policy by following the guide described here.

Alternatively, to download the latest Policy Booklet, please select one of the following:

Aeroplane Booklet  Helicopter Booklet