Owning an airplane is one of the most rewarding achievements in life. Whether you fly a Cessna 172, a Piper Archer, a Cirrus SR22, or an experimental Vans RV, your airplane is more than just a machine, it’s a gateway to freedom.
At BWI Aviation Insurance, we specialize in helping airplane owners protect their aircraft with fast, reliable, and tailored insurance coverage. We’ve been in business since 1977, and today, we insure more than 9,000 aircraft across the U.S.
We believe airplane insurance should be simple, affordable, and fast. And that’s exactly what we deliver.
What Is Airplane Insurance?
Airplane insurance is coverage designed to protect you, your aircraft, and others in the event of an accident, damage, injury, or loss. It includes liability protection, hull coverage (physical damage to your airplane), and optional endorsements to match how you fly.
Unlike auto insurance, airplane insurance is underwritten on a case-by-case basis. Everything is considered, your pilot experience, your aircraft’s performance, your usage patterns, and even where you store it.
If you fly under Part 91 or own a small personal aircraft, airplane insurance is essential, not just to meet hangar and airport requirements, but to protect your financial future.
What Does Airplane Insurance Cover?
Here’s what most airplane insurance policies include:
Liability Insurance
Covers bodily injury or property damage caused to others while operating your airplane. Most policies include $1,000,000 in total liability and offer either:
- $100,000 per passenger sublimit
- “Smooth” liability with no per-passenger cap
Hull Coverage
Protects your aircraft itself. If it’s damaged, destroyed, or stolen, this coverage pays to repair or replace it. You select the hull value during the quoting process. Hull options include:
- Ground not-in-motion (for stored aircraft)
- Ground in-motion (excluding flight)
- Full flight (all-risk, in-flight included)
Medical Payments
Covers injuries to passengers, even if there’s no fault. Most policies include $3,000 to $10,000.
Add-Ons and Optional Coverage
- Non-owned aircraft liability
- Loss of use
- Hangar and equipment coverage
- Spare parts coverage
- Emergency expenses
- Search and rescue
- Deductible waivers
Whether your airplane is in the hangar or 5,000 feet up on a cross-country, your coverage stays with you, on the ramp, in the air, or during emergencies.
Why Airplane Insurance Matters
Even the safest pilots in the best-maintained airplanes can face unexpected events:
- A ground loop in a crosswind
- An off-airport precautionary landing
- Bird strikes, blown tires, or electrical fires
- Hangar collapses or hail damage
- Taxi collisions on crowded ramps
Airplanes are expensive to fix and expensive to replace. Even if you never leave your local airport, your aircraft is still exposed to weather, mechanical failure, hangar risks, and liability if anything goes wrong.
Most airports and hangars will require you to carry insurance. But beyond that, airplane insurance protects your investment, and your peace of mind.
What Impacts Airplane Insurance Rates?
Underwriters evaluate each pilot and airplane individually. Here’s what they look at:
- Aircraft type and configuration (piston, tailwheel, complex, turbine)
- Stated hull value
- Total pilot time and time in make/model
- Ratings (instrument, commercial, ATP)
- Intended use (personal, instructional, rental, business)
- Storage (hangar vs tiedown)
- Geographic location
- Claims or violation history
- Liability limit and deductible selected
A high-time IFR-rated pilot flying a Cessna 172 for personal use may pay under $1,000 per year. A lower-time pilot in a Cirrus or Mooney may pay closer to $3,000.
At BWI, we present your quote to multiple aviation underwriters and advocate for your risk. That helps us find the best price, not just the first one available.
Real Airplane Insurance Quote Examples
Here are real quotes from recent BWI clients:
Cessna 172 | Private Use | $100,000 hull
$1M smooth liability: $1,250/year
Cirrus SR22T | Personal + Business Use | $400,000 hull
$1M smooth liability: $3,600/year
Piper Archer | Instructional Use | $80,000 hull
$1M liability with $100k/passenger: $1,800/year
Vans RV-10 | Experimental | $210,000 hull
$1M liability with $100k/passenger: $2,250/year
Actual rates will vary, but these examples show what’s possible when your risk is placed with the right carrier.
Why Choose BWI for Airplane Insurance?
You can go with a generic agent. You can use a portal. Or you can work with the aviation-only insurance specialists who’ve been doing this since 1977.
At BWI, we’ve built our business on one thing: serving aircraft owners better than anyone else.
Here’s what makes us different:
- We assign a licensed aviation account manager to every customer
- We quote your policy with 7+ A-rated aviation carriers
- Most quotes are delivered in under 24 hours
- We don’t just sell—we guide you through coverage
- We stay with you for claims, renewals, and policy updates
- We’re family-owned, aviation-focused, and customer-first
We’re here for your first airplane, and your third. For your 100-hour solo. And your 1,000th cross-country.
Airplanes We Insure
We write insurance for nearly all fixed-wing general aviation aircraft:
- Cessna: 150, 152, 172, 182, 206, 210, 414, 421
- Piper: Cherokee, Archer, Saratoga, Seneca, Cub
- Cirrus: SR20, SR22, Vision Jet
- Vans RV Series: RV-7, RV-9, RV-10, RV-14, and others
- Beechcraft Bonanza, Baron, Musketeer
- Mooney, Diamond, American Champion
- Experimental and kit-built airplanes
- Turboprops and light jets (King Air, Pilatus, Eclipse, etc.)
If you own an airplane, we can insure it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is airplane insurance required by law?
Not federally, but most airports, hangar owners, and lenders require it. More importantly, it protects you from potentially devastating financial loss.
Can I get insurance before buying an airplane?
Yes. We quote prospective buyers every day. Just tell us what you’re looking at and your pilot profile, and we’ll provide options.
Do you insure tailwheel and experimental aircraft?
Absolutely. We specialize in Vans RVs, Kitfox, Glasair, Carbon Cubs, and many more.
Do recurrent training or simulator hours lower premiums?
Yes. Underwriters look favorably on advanced training, instrument ratings, and simulator time—especially for high-performance aircraft.
How quickly can I get a quote?
Most quotes are returned within 24 hours. Many are same-day. If you’re buying soon or need urgent coverage, let us know, we’ll expedite it.
Can I get coverage for my airplane in Alaska?
Yes. We insure hundreds of aircraft in Alaska and have strong relationships with carriers that understand Alaska flying.
What if I need proof of insurance today?
Once coverage is bound, our service team can typically issue certificates the same day, often within minutes.
How to Get an Airplane Insurance Quote
Getting a quote with BWI is fast, easy, and personal.
Step 1: Fill out our Get A Quote form with your aircraft and pilot info
Step 2: A licensed aviation insurance expert will contact you
Step 3: We’ll shop your profile to multiple aviation underwriters
Step 4: Choose your policy, bind coverage, and get proof, often same day
No bots. No waiting games. Just real humans who know airplanes.
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Need help deciding which policy is right for you? We’re here to guide you.
Trusted by 9,000+ Aircraft Owners Since 1977
At BWI, we know what it means to own an airplane. We know the joy, the responsibility, the risk, and the reward. That’s why our mission is to make airplane insurance fast, clear, and fully dialed in to the way you fly.
We’re licensed in all 50 states and represent the top aviation underwriters in the country. Whether you fly 50 hours a year or 500, we’ll help you get covered quickly, correctly, and confidently.
Get a Quote Now or call us at 800.666.4359
