Sonex Aircraft specializes in manufacturing kits for homebuilt aircraft. Their kits include the SubSonex Personal Jet, Xenos-B Motorglider, and more. You can order a complete airframe kit or just a few components. The benefit of building your own aircraft is that building a plane is much more cost-effective than buying one. It also introduces you to an amazing community of fellow kit aircraft builders. The downside is that getting insurance for your aircraft can be tricky because insurance companies are often wary about insuring homebuilt aircraft.
BWI Aviation Insurance believes that getting insurance for your Sonex plane shouldn’t be a headache. That’s why we put together this helpful guide to Sonex aircraft insurance. This guide will explain the basics of Sonex aircraft insurance, how to lower your aircraft insurance rates, and how brokers like BWI Aviation Insurance can help you keep your plane safely insured.
About Sonex Aircraft
Sonex Aircraft was founded in 1998. Since then, it has become a leader in the world of homebuilt aircraft. You can customize your Sonex using different engines, propellers, instruments, and upholstery. This customization is great if you want your own unique aircraft design, but it raises some problems.
In the United States, almost all homebuilt aircrafts are classified as experimental aircrafts. Usually, the term “experimental aircraft” denotes an aircraft that is using new, untested technology. This is untrue for Sonex aircraft kits, which are all standardized and made of high quality materials. However, because the process of construction and customization introduces some variability into the design, insurance companies generally consider homebuilt planes experimental and therefore high risk.
Admittedly, heavily customizing your Sonex aircraft can make it hard to predict what issues your aircraft might develop. Any aircraft, no matter how well-designed, is bound to experience some wear and tear. However, that doesn’t mean you have to let insurance providers charge you exorbitant rates.
Should I Get Sonex Aircraft Insurance?
If you are an ardent fan of Sonex’s designs, you may be tempted to simply not insure your aircraft. After all, the Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t require aircraft owners to be insured, However, you should still insure your aircraftbecause there are many circumstances in which having insurance is useful or even mandatory. For example, good aviation insurance covers damage to your aircraft resulting from an accident, as well as injuries or property damage. If you want to finance your aircraft purchase, the lender will generally insist that you meet specific insurance requirements before agreeing to give you a loan. Your state might also require you to carry liability insurance.
There’s also the emotional investment to consider. You worked hard to build your Sonex plane. You poured effort and time, not to mention money, into putting it together. You don’t want all that hard work to be undone by an accident that completely destroys the aircraft and your financial investment.
Factors Affecting Your Insurance
In recent years, aviation insurance companies have had higher rates on experimental aircraft due to the unknown nature of their construction and a hardened market. These increases tend to have the biggest impact on tailwheel, retractable gear aircraft, rotorcraft, and homebuilt aircraft. If you own a homebuilt Sonex aircraft, you could be hit with a rate increase as high as 30% at renewal.
Your flying experience could also affect your insurance options. New pilots are often charged high insurance rates due to their inexperience in that specific aircraft and the added risk to the insurance company. Even if you have spent plenty of time flying non-Sonex aircraft, your insurance provider may not consider that experience sufficient. Aviation insurance companies prefer above almost all else, time in make and model, the aircraft that you are flying on the insurance policy. Having over 100 hours in that specific make and model will make a difference in your insurance rate.
The number of passengers your plane can carry also impacts your insurance rates. Liability insurance coverage becomes more expensive the more passengers you have because more passengers means more potential injuries and increased liability exposure. Keep this in mind when you build your Sonex aircraft.
How to Lower Your Insurance Rate
Obtain as many hours as possibly flying the same Sonex aircraft make and model that you are constructing. Obtaining 20-30 hours in a similar Sonex aircraft before activating your own insurance policy, will help lower the rate. Reach out to other people in the Sonex community and ask if they’re willing to let you practice in their planes. The more experience you have, the lower your insurance rate is likely to be.
If you’re having trouble finding a Sonex plane to fly, get experience with another type of aircraft. Conduct your practice flights with a certified flight instructor (CFI). While you’re at it, try to get a tailwheel endorsement or complete a safety course.
Getting a Sonex Insurance Quote
Either during the building process or before you are ready to complete construction, reach out to an aviation insurance specialist broker like BWI Aviation insurance to start the process of shopping for a Sonex Insurance Policy. Brokers who specialize only in aviation insurance will know all the right questions to ask to present the best information to the aviation insurance companies to help get the most competitive quote and comprehensive coverages.
Why choose BWI Aviation Insurance?
Over our 42 year history, BWI has built longstanding relationships with all of the above Aviation Insurance Companies. We work hand in hand with the above companies and leverage our experience to find the best market for your particular airplane insurance risk.
To ensure that you are getting the absolute lowest rate and best coverage with a rock solid A+ rated Aviation Insurance company, get a quote with BWI today. We specialize only in Airplane Insurance and our office is open 12 hours a day. Our agents are friendly and knowledgeable, and most importantly they are agents that you can trust to get you the best coverage for your needs. Aviation Insurance is all that we do and have done for 42 years.
Call 800.666.4359 today for a free Airplane Insurance Quote or Click Here to submit a quote request online.
BWI is the Nation’s Leader in Aviation Insurance, with offices based in Corona, CA and Anchorage, AK
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