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Insurance for Occasional Pond Hops (Atlantic crossings)

I’m looking at buying a twin piston, to be based in the UK, where part of the mission profile is occasional trips across to the US or Canada (annual summer trips, meeting family there, Oshkosh, etc) – all well within the range and capabilities of this aircraft. Having flown this route previously for a negligible additional insurance premium, I was very surprised to learn that the current “hardened” insurance market seems not to be offering cover for such trips or only offering cover at truly prohibitive rates.

There is always the option of relying on my UK/European policy which gets me as far as Iceland and then obtaining a local US policy to start in Canada but the portion of the flight from Iceland, with a fuel stop in Greenland and onto Canada, seems to be where the difficulty lies.

It was even suggested to me that the turbine crowd (TBMs, PC12s etc) are in the same difficult position at the moment.

Does anyone know of any reasonable or creative solutions? A worldwide policy would be ideal but so would a policy that would permit occasional extensions of geographical limits (even with lower liability limits in places like the US and Canada).

Thanks in advance!

EGLD, EGSX, United Kingdom

In recent years I have twice asked my insurance broker (Heinz Grummer) for a quote to cover me flying to the US. In each case they provided what I thought was a pretty reasonable price for a one month trip (about a E 1,000 supplement) – covering all the way, around the US, and back. But the last time I asked it was 2019, so perhaps things have changed.

Upper Harford private strip UK, near EGBJ, United Kingdom

AXA insurance covers Worldwide excl US & Canada, and works for Greenland, I guess with a local US & Canada policy that sould be enough to cover the whole trip?

PS: not looking for regular trips in the Mooney Ovation?

Last Edited by Ibra at 13 Mar 13:45
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

@G-SLOT I think the problem is the high third party and passenger limits available in Europe.

I think @lbra is right, it probably is a worldwide policy combined with a North American policy. @lbra which broker supplied the Axa cover?

Oxford (EGTK), United Kingdom

My current Mooney fleet insurance is worldwide excl USA/Canada and the broker has always suggested that extensions for occasional trips into the US/Canada would certainly be possible though subject to the lower/typical North American liability limits (i.e. $1mm liability), which is fine, meaning that insurers are not potentially on the hook for the higher UK/European liability levels.

The issue with cover that stops in Greenland and separate cover that begins in Canada is the leg between Greenland and Canada. A mere 487nm (or perhaps even 418nm if one departs from Sisimuit rather than Sondestrom).

EGLD, EGSX, United Kingdom

RoberL18C cover is directly with AXA Versicherung AG (+49)022114824985

I was not aware that ropes don’t tie out between Greenland & Canada but good to know…

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Ibra wrote:

RoberL18C cover is directly with AXA Versicherung AG (+49)022114824985

I was not aware that ropes don’t tie out between Greenland & Canada but good to know…

This is just my assumption based on the typical wording in policies that cover applies within the geographical limits of the policy and for flights between those territories; i.e. if the UK and Iceland are covered, the ocean crossing from Wick to Reykjavik is covered (which, by the way, is the longest over-water leg of crossing the pond). Following that logic, if one policy stops in Greenland and another doesn’t start until Canada, there’s likely nothing covering you between Greenland and Canada unless one of those policies grants an extension.

EGLD, EGSX, United Kingdom

G-SLOT wrote:

The issue with cover that stops in Greenland and separate cover that begins in Canada is the leg between Greenland and Canada.

How is the boundary between these two defined for insurance purposes? Is it the maritime border, the FIR border or from coasting out to landfall? If it’s the FIR boundary then insurance that covers you in Greenland combined with a Canada / US policy should be just fine.

172driver wrote:

G-SLOT wrote:
The issue with cover that stops in Greenland and separate cover that begins in Canada is the leg between Greenland and Canada.
How is the boundary between these two defined for insurance purposes? Is it the maritime border, the FIR border or from coasting out to landfall? If it’s the FIR boundary then insurance that covers you in Greenland combined with a Canada / US policy should be just fine.

That’s an excellent point and one I shall investigate.

EGLD, EGSX, United Kingdom

One UK+EEA policy had lattitudes & longitudes boxes while it did not cover Morocco specifically, the insurance included “up to Canaries Islands”, I emailed the insurer of it’s covered or require an extra and got confirmation it’s OK

I doubt maritimes water or tertitorial limits apply to aircrafts but who knows? that would make going to Jersey tricky without going via L2K & Cherbourg, I think FIR boundary would be more appropriate….maybe I should ask those in Florida who organise “bermudan triagle overfly experience”, if they have more than US & Bahamas insurance? that would more risky

Last Edited by Ibra at 13 Mar 15:12
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom
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