Starting a Drone Business or adding a drone to your existing business requires you to have a number of insurances. Some are specific to the world of aviation and are a requirement by the CAA.
There are providers out there who specialise in this kind of insurance and who have ready to go packages so you don't have to shop around.
Let's take a look through the various insurance you may or may not need.
Public Liability - Required
As a professional commercial pilot, you'll need public liability so that if your drone or UAS collides with, for example, the luxury Manor you are filming or the Solar Panels you are inspecting; you don't have to pay for the damage.
Aviation Liability - Required
Commercial drone insurance in the UK is only legal if it is compliant with (EC) 785/2004, including cover for acts of war, terrorism, hijacking, acts of sabotage, unlawful seizure of aircraft and civil commotion.
Don't assume that your current company public liability covers this, check with your current provider to make sure that your public liability is compliant with EC 785/2004.
Product Insurance / Material Damage - Recommended
Product insurance will cover the replacement or repair of your drone should it become damaged from your flight operations.
You've just spent a small fortune, make sure you're covered for any unexpected accidents!
Hired in equipment - Optional
Do you regularly hire equipment? Maybe you need to hire a spare drone in case your primary one malfunctions.
Make sure you are covered for hired in equipment and that it is enough for what you are hiring.
Professional Indemnity - Recommended
If you are alleged to have not captured the right data for your client or provided what could be deemed an unsatisfactory service, professional indemnity provides cover for the legal costs and expenses in defending the claim, as well as compensation payable to your client to rectify the mistake.
Reinstatement of data - Optional
Reinstatement of data includes costs incurred in order to reinstate/recompile data that has been lost, damaged or corrupted.
So if your drone drops out of the sky into the sea and you lost that vital shot, you may be covered to cover all (or some) of the costs involved in re-capturing the data.
Employers Liability Insurance - Case specific
If you are set up as a sole trader and therefore don't have any employees, then you won't be required to have Employers Liability Insurance.
Employers’ liability insurance is a compulsory cover if you are an Employer in the UK and this policy must cover employees for at least £5 million.
When do I buy insurance for drone flying?
You need to have commercial drone insurance in place when either applying for your Operational Authorisation, or, if you do any commercial work in the Open Category.
Each insurer provides different levels of cover and packages that can include a number of items not listed here.
Coverdrone and Moonrock Insurance provide all in one package to get you started but there are others out there so shop around.
Make sure you get the right cover for you; stay safe and stay legal.
