Survey: Older Pilots See Discrimination from Insurers

Pilots older than 70 are being dropped or canceled from insurance agencies without losses.

Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 12:55 PM ET

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AOPA has reported that older pilots have more total hours, fly more frequently, and are more likely to stay proficient. [Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Aircraft insurance companies are unfairly penalizing pilots aged 70 and older with increased premiums or dropped coverage, despite their strong safety records.
An AOPA survey revealed that older pilots are often more experienced, fly more frequently, maintain higher proficiency (e.g., more instrument ratings), and are no more likely to be involved in accidents than younger pilots.
This discrimination occurs even as the general aviation industry reports its safest year, suggesting insurers' actions against older pilots lack strong safety justification.

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Older pilots who may be safe, current, and just as capable as younger pilots are being treated differently by aircraft insurance companies—sometimes facing premium hikes or losing coverage altogether—according to a new survey by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).

The survey of more than 30,000 pilots and aircraft owners across the country was triggered by reports that pilots over the age of 70 are being dropped or canceled from their insurers even if they haven’t had a loss.