Your work takes you to new places. Tell us about your drone business, the equipment you fly and the jobs ahead. BWI can help you explore your insurance options.
Coverage varies by policy. Discuss the proposed terms, conditions and exclusions with BWI.
Commercial Drone Insurance guide
Commercial drone insurance for the work you do
BWI helps Part 107 operators explore annual commercial drone insurance for photography, surveying, inspections, construction and other business uses. Start with liability coverage for your operations, then discuss physical damage cover for the drones, cameras and sensors you want to insure.
A useful quote starts with your actual work: where you fly, who operates the aircraft, what equipment you use and what your clients require. BWI’s aviation insurance team can help you review those details and compare the proposed terms.
Before you start: BWI currently requires a Part 107 certificate for drone quote requests. Have your equipment values and any client insurance requirements ready.
Liability, hull and payload coverage: what to compare
Drone liability: addresses covered claims involving injury to other people or damage to their property arising from drone operations. Compare the limit, covered operations, exclusions and how defense costs are treated.
Hull or physical damage: optional protection for the drone itself. Check the insured value, deductible, covered causes of loss and settlement terms. Liability-only coverage does not insure damage to your own aircraft.
Cameras, sensors and payloads: identify each item and its value, including thermal cameras and LiDAR equipment. Confirm whether attached and detached equipment are treated differently.
Ground equipment and other exposures: ask about controllers, base stations, transit, theft, rented equipment and non-owned drones when they are relevant to your business. Do not assume that every item is included.
Available options depend on the insurer, operation and underwriting review. The quotation and policy wording determine the coverage; the name of a coverage alone does not establish what a claim will pay.
Annual insurance or coverage for an individual job?
BWI’s commercial drone offering focuses on annual policies. An annual policy may suit a business with recurring assignments, multiple clients or equipment that needs protection across the policy term. Confirm when and where coverage applies, including any conditions for storage, transit and work away from your usual location.
If you are comparing an annual quotation with hourly or monthly insurance, compare the same operations, liability limits, equipment values and deductibles. Include the number of jobs you expect to fly and the total cost over that period. A lower headline price may describe a different scope or duration of coverage.
Client requirements, certificates and additional insureds
Send BWI the client’s insurance requirements before agreeing that your policy meets them. Include the full wording, the client’s legal name, the job location, the work you will perform and the dates involved.
Check the requested liability limits and any requirements for an additional insured, waiver or other endorsement.
Identify the business that signs the contract and the pilots or subcontractors who will perform the work.
Allow time for any insurer review or policy change before the job begins.
A certificate of insurance provides evidence of insurance; it does not itself add coverage or amend the policy. Ask BWI to confirm which documents or endorsements are needed for the request.
Match the policy to your commercial operation
Describe every service you offer, even if it represents a small share of your work. These pages can help you prepare:
Flag unusual operations, international work, flights over people, indoor jobs, delivery work and rented or borrowed aircraft before requesting coverage. Availability and conditions vary; a general list of industries is not a promise that every activity is covered.
How much does commercial drone insurance cost?
Your premium depends on the operation, requested liability limit, aircraft and equipment values, number of drones and pilots, experience, loss history and selected coverage. Hull deductibles and settlement terms also matter when comparing quotations.
Use the same equipment schedule and description of work for each quote. Compare liability and equipment premiums, deductibles, exclusions, policy term and any fees together. An old sample premium or a fixed percentage of equipment value is not a reliable quote for your business today.
Tell BWI about the full fleet, equipment values, pilots and operating business. Ask which aircraft and operators must be listed and what happens when you add or replace equipment. Do not assume a new drone or a subcontractor is automatically covered.
Does liability insurance cover my own drone?
Liability and physical damage address different exposures. If you want to insure your drone, cameras or sensors, request those options explicitly and check the quotation’s equipment schedule.
Are flyaways, theft and crashes covered?
Ask how the proposed physical damage coverage treats each event, including exclusions, operating conditions and deductibles. The answer depends on the policy wording and the circumstances of the loss.
Does my business general liability policy cover drone work?
Have your existing insurer or agent review the policy for aircraft or unmanned-aircraft exclusions and any relevant endorsements. Do not assume general liability includes your drone operations.
Can I increase a limit for a larger contract?
Send the new requirement to BWI before accepting or starting the assignment. A change may require insurer approval and an additional premium; confirm it has taken effect before relying on it.
Do I need a Part 107 certificate to request a quote from BWI?
Yes. BWI currently requires a Part 107 certificate for drone quote requests, including recreational use. Contact the team if you need to confirm eligibility.
Get your commercial drone insurance quote ready
Describe your work: services, locations, expected start date and any unusual operations.
List the equipment: drone models and separate values for aircraft, payloads and ground equipment; identify anything rented or borrowed.
Include the people and business: legal business name, operator certificate details, experience and relevant loss history.
Share client requirements: requested limits, contract wording and any certificate or endorsement requests.
BWI can review your information and explain the next steps. Coverage is subject to underwriting and policy terms, and is not effective until binding is confirmed in writing.
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