FREE ESSAY ON THE FUTURE OF AVIATION INSURANCE

THE FUTURE OF AVIATION INSURANCE

Insurance and the Future of Aviation
AVM 401
Analysis of Issues in the Aviation Industry
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
September 26, 2000
Assignment #2 
Introduction
This report will discuss the future of the aviation industry and the effects of high
insurance cost. As the industry enters into the millennium, the insurance industry must
look at several problems that also face the aviation industry. Survival for the small
FBO's is getting harder each day; the threat of financial devastation is real when it
comes to lawsuits. General aviation may be forced to change its way of doing business and
become more like the military and commercial airlines. One can only hope that society
will change their attitude towards the aviation industry and the litigation that
surrounds the industry. We all hope for a positive future for the community.
Insurance and the Future of Aviation
The aviation industry, as it is known today, has grown into a set of definable
industries. Modern aircraft range from military to commercial airlines to the most
diverse group, general aviation. Aviation has come a long way the last 100 years. The
industry is still developing, with growth comes problems that must be solved before the
industry can go to the next level. As the industry enters into the millennium, the
insurance industry must look at several problems that face the aviation industry. 
Legal concerns, in many cases, they're influenced by our society. The court system plays
a big part by their decisions that are passed down. It's rare when an aviation case goes
to court, because insurance agencies know they'll lose when the jury hears the case. It's
just too easy to prove pilot negligence; most aviation accidents result from pilot error.
Also, when they do go to court, they very seldom mount a defense due to the unreasonable
verdicts, and ridiculous awards. 
These practices has forced aircraft owners to stay away from new policies and let their
insurance coverage lapse. Aircraft owners pay three to five times the amount for adequate
liability coverage than their counter parts else where in the world. 
Survival for the small business operators is getting harder each day due to the General
Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA); the threat of financial devastation is real when it
comes to lawsuits. The (GARA) defects lawsuits from manufacturers to aviation service
providers. FBOs' insurance rate are skyrocketing because of this, which contributes to
the cycle by causing higher repair cost. Many small business operators really don't want
to take the chance and can't afford the rising cost that's associated with liability
insurance. "As of February 2000 at least three aviation insurance under writers ceased
writing coverage for the small business operators, saying it's a major risk" (Chappell,
T. 2000, p.2). One of the main reasons is the cost to the underwriters. 
Aviation insurance companies have paid out a dollar and quarter for ever dollar they've
taking in, for each of the last several years. No wonder so many are closing down,
merging, or getting out of the historically riskier aviation activities (Chappell, T.
2000, P.2). 
General aviation may be forced to change its way of doing business and become more like
the military and commercial airlines. Maintenance problems may be identified by
computers, and then repaired by the manufacturers. The industry is coping with the
mounting cost associated with liability insurance. 
"Remove and replace maintenance" is the attitude the industry must lean towards. The
manufacturers would set up new factory service centers and repair facilities for the
general aviation customers. This system wouldn't help the rising cost of insurance, but
maintenance and ground liabilities would rest on the shoulders of the manufacture.
The market itself is shrinking, we've had a generation of pilots from WWII, Korea, and
Vietnam that was introduced to aviation and trained at the government's expense. Because
of modern technology, we'll never again have the numbers that we once had. The aging
fleet and pilots can't help the situation that the industry is facing; the average
aircraft age is 15 to 20 years, and the post Vietnam pilot is now 50 to 60 years of age.
The underwriters are very worried about the age of both the pilots and the aircraft.
During a telephone interview with Darrel Hyde of CS&A Insurance, he stated; "Aircraft
hull and liability insurance for the senior pilot has become such a concern that CS&A has
developed a special task force to help deal with this problem.
Darrel added that CS&A is looking into the future, as the baby boomers age, the pilot
force will follow and that's a concern".
The need to extend the insurable age of the senior pilots, and to introduce new blood in
to the cockpits will only help matters with the attempt to lower insurance cost for the
industry. 
Insurance cost for the industry remains high, with the shrinking fleet of aircraft, means
that the training cost will increase. The value of airplanes is soaring, the high cost of
new replacement aircraft for training isn't feasible. The FBOs' are facing insurance
that's inadequate and expensive, and it's forcing companies to reduce their operations or
even cut them all together. Owners of flight schools are having a hard time just staying
in business. The shortage of qualified instructors has slowed the flow of new pilots,
which in turn is putting a hardship on the industry.
The future of the industry could hold a brighter out-look. One can only hope that society
will change their attitude towards litigation, this would hopefully drive down cost of
liability coverage insurance. The industry hopes that with the use of simulators at all
levels of training will increase the number of better-trained pilots and hopefully lower
insurance cost at the same time. 
Insurance can be one of the most expensive elements in the fix cost of owning an
aircraft. To keep insurance cost under control in this difficult environment, aircraft
and aviation business owners are going to have to make some changes in the way they
purchase and think about insurance. There are ways to reduce your insurance cost,
remember buying cheap insurance isn't always the best way to go, and it's not heavily
regulated by our government. Companies can write policies pretty much the way they want
to, you must pick the right company for you and your aircraft. When shopping you can ask
your friends who they do business with and ask them their feelings on that company, and
are they treated well. Looking in one of the aviation trade magazines for information
dealing with aviation insurance companies is a great source, get a phone number or a web
address so you can make contact. 
Saving money is the key when shopping for insurance. Only buy the needed coverage; if you
don't fly passengers, why pay for the protection against them? You can always change your
coverage when the need arises. Most people pay for coverage in the winter even if they're
not flying. In the winter paying for in flight liability insurance can be a waist. Why
not store the aircraft in the winter, and change to storage coverage for that period of
time. In most places flying without heater would be very uncomfortable. Get extra
training from the FAA and other workshops, and prove to the insurance company that you're
safe and deserve a break on you insurance. 
Self-insure whenever possible. Choose the highest liability limits you can qualify for
and afford, to guard against the catastrophic loss, and only as much hull protection that
you can afford. Match your equipment to your needs. FBOs' must require their students and
rental cliental to self-insure. Never skimp on maintenance to keep your cost down.
Maximize your flying dollar. Combine trips whenever possible. Take along an instructor
and log a few approaches, stalls or hood time on the way to a business meeting. Share the
rental expense with a friend, you might log less flight time, but what you do log is
affordability. All these little tricks can help you save money on your aviation
insurance. 
Conclusion 
The aviation industry, as it is known today, has grown into a set of definable
industries. Modern aircraft range from military to commercial airlines to the most
diverse group, general aviation. The industry is still developing, with growth comes
problems that must be solved before the industry can go to the next level. As the
industry enters into the millennium, the insurance industry must look at several problems
that also face the aviation industry.
Legal concerns, in many cases, they're influenced by our society. The court system plays
a big part by their decisions that are passed down, and also by their unreasonable
verdicts, and ridiculous awards. This behavior has forced aircraft owners to stay away
from new policies and let their insurance coverage lapse. Survival for the small FBO's is
getting harder each day; the threat of financial devastation is real when it comes to
lawsuits.
General aviation may be forced to change its way of doing business and become more like
the military and commercial airlines. The manufacturers would set up new factory service
centers and repair facilities for the general aviation customers. This system wouldn't
help with increasing cost of insurance, but maintenance and ground liabilities would rest
on the shoulders of the manufacture.
Aviation has come a long way the last 100 years, and the future could hold a brighter
out-look for the industry. One can only hope that society will change their attitude
towards the aviation industry and the litigation that surrounds the industry. In the
future, this could drive cost down and make liability insurance affordable to the private
owners, and to the FBO's.
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