Most life insurance agents are not familiar with pilots and exactly how much added risk might be involved in the type of flying they do. And the “aviation form” you filled out from the carrier might also be out of date and not ask all the right questions. That could leave you paying more for your coverage; or worse, leave you open to a contested claim should the unthinkable happen while you’re flying. For example, many insurance policies that cover pilots exclude flying aircraft registered in the ‘Experimental’ category. So if your friend with the kitplane offers to bring you in as a partner, you could be left unprotected under the terms of your policy.
If the type of flying you do has changed, or if you have concerns over the coverage you have, check with your agent. And be sure he or she understands your level of training, schedule of recurrent training and precisely what your flying involves. There are insurance companies that specialize in catering to pilots and know all the correct questions to ask. Even if you stay with your existing coverage, having one of those agents review the terms of the policy could uncover a vulnerability that neither you nor your regular agent knew was there.
