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  • Home insurance and homebuilts

    Hi folks

    Don't let the title fool you, this is actually aviation related. And second, this *may* only apply to us in Canada, but I'm sure regardless of where you are this may apply.

    We are just finishing building a hangar at our house and my wife called our insurance company (The Personal) to get the building added to the insurance. When they discovered that I am building an airplane at home, they promptly cancelled our insurance as of 16 November. They said we need commercial insurance.

    Bull.

    No amount of wheedling or cajoling would make them leave us with coverage.

    Have any of you run into this kind of thing before? Have you even told your insurance company that you are building an airplane at home (for those of you that are?)

    Thanks in advance

    Mark
    -------------------
    Mark

    Maule M5-235C C-GJFK
    Bearhawk 4A #1078 (Scratch building - C-GPFG reserved)
    RV-8 C-GURV (Sold)

  • #2
    That's utterly ridiculous. Is commercial insurance required if you're building a car? Don't think so...

    Perhaps the key would be to impress upon them that this is an amateur/hobby built aircraft not for resale?

    At least in the states homeowner's insurance doesn't usually cover anything with an engine, this apparently extends to things that will eventually get an engine too i.e. airplane builds. I've read many an account of builders needing to get separate build coverage for the value of their materials because it won't be covered by their homeowner's plan. This is the route I'm going to take when my QB gets here. Regardless they should not have cancelled your policy over this, that's surprising, they should have just said that anything being built won't be covered. Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise, if they're this willing to boot you over this how would they have handled any claims I wonder?
    Dave B.
    Plane Grips Co.
    www.planegrips.com

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    • #3
      Same as Archer39J. My home owners won't cover the plane or anyone that get hurt in association with construction of the plane. There is a EAA webinar that covers this pretty throughly but it's all info for the US.
      Scratch Built 4-place Bearhawk. Continental IO-360, 88" C203 McCauley prop.

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      • #4
        It's the same deal here in Canada. Home insurance doesn't cover stuff like that so I had builders insurance while building my RV-8, and I will be getting it for my Bearhawk soon. I think, in this case, the insurance guy was a complete idiot who would not listen to what we were telling him. He insisted that anything related to building an airplane was commercial and he was cancelling our policy. Period. No appeals.

        That being said, there is a governmental ombudsman for these kind of issues so we are going to look into that. But, as Archer39J says, if this is how they react to claims, WTH would I want them anyway?

        -------------------
        Mark

        Maule M5-235C C-GJFK
        Bearhawk 4A #1078 (Scratch building - C-GPFG reserved)
        RV-8 C-GURV (Sold)

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        • #5
          That's unfortunate your insurance agent or company reacted so drastically. A hanger on your property is just another building and should be covered that way. If it were me I wouldn't even say anything like the word hanger since they won't cover any engine driven property without a separate policy anyway. It looks like a barn with a big door to me.

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          • #6
            My agent is a pilot. He flies a Woody Pusher. His airstrip, uh, er, I mean his hay field is about 4 miles from my hay field. My barn is insured, but no coverage for the winged thing inside.

            Bill

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            • #7
              Wow, good to know. I'll avoid them when shopping home insurance. Wonder at what stage they consider you to be building an airplane? if I cut some rib shaped aluminum out is your home insurance now cancelled? Ridiculous.

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              • #8
                Good you learnt this about them now, no point sticking with a company with an attitude like that.

                Comment


                • #9
                  We have Farmers for our home and they will add the required Oregon state liability as an add on, ( our hanger is on state property and we lease the land), but they will not insure the hanger and we have to get that someplace else. As far as having built the planes at the house and in the barn, I know our guy knew about it and may have mentioned those things are not covered, but never even hinted at a cancelation because of it. I agree with Sebastion, don't mention the word hanger, use barn or just out building, and I wouldn't mention building anything and use another agent. Your agent is supposed to be working for you.
                  Last edited by Flygirl1; 10-18-2017, 09:57 PM.

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