Drone Insurance

Drone Insurance from BWI

Drones were once just a hobby but starting in 2016, the FAA finally got serious about the potential commercial uses of drones and introduced the Part 107 regulation. This regulation along with better drone insurance policies and more demand across all industries for drones led to an explosion in commercial drone use.

BWI offers drone insurance designed to protect you and your business against liability while operating your drone commercially. We offer full-coverage, annual drone insurance policies with both liability coverage and physical damage to protect your drone and any equipment attached including payload coverage.

Our team of highly trained professionals specializes in helping businesses obtain solid drone insurance policies with the best coverages and competitive rates.

Comprehensive liability coverage, competitive rates

BWI offers full-annual commercial drone insurance policies with liability limits ranging from $500,000 all the way to $25,000,000. Having this massive range in capacity gives our insureds the confidence to bid on larger and higher paying drone jobs.
Our annual policies also offer the flexibility for short term liability increases for a set number of days, this allows our customers to scale up their insurance policy temporarily to satisfy drone liability insurance requirements while keep costs minimal.
BWI represents most of the major drone insurance carriers in the U.S. Our carriers specialize in aviation insurance and are experienced with the risks associated with flying machines. Insurance policies provided by aviation insurance carriers are specifically tailored for commercial drone insurance risks and therefore provide great coverage at low rates.

Physical damage coverage protects your drone, anywhere in the world

Commercial Drone Insurance policies from BWI, include the option to add physical damage coverage for your drone, equipment attached, including cameras and payload coverage for agricultural and delivery drone businesses.
Our drone policies can cover damage to the drone itself, including theft, vandalism and accidental damage during flight. These coverages are available to protect your drone world-wide and open the door for your business to accept jobs outside of the United States.

Advertising liability coverage built-in

Advertising liability coverage is designed to protect the policyholder against claims of stolen ideas, invasion of privacy, libel, slander and copyright infringement related to advertising.
Having this coverage built-in to your commercial drone insurance policy offers additional protection related directly to typical use cases of drone operators. This peace of mind comes at no additional charge with policies from BWI.

Top notch customer service

Our office is open 12 hours a day, our team is well trained, professional and experienced in commercial drone and aviation insurance. All of our agents are fully licensed and go through an intense training program that is focused on all aspects of commercial drone insurance.
BWI has invested heavily in our technology, and we have refined the quoting process to make it as simple and easy as possible. All of our agents have direct texting capabilities with our insureds, so changing coverage or adding additional insureds is as simple as sending a quick text.

Drone FAQs

Is Drone insurance required by law?
No, drone coverage is not required by federal law, but some states have their own rules and regulations. In California, all commercial drone pilots are subject to Part 107 of the FAA’s rules.

There are laws for flying drones in every state of the U.S. For example, California has SB 807 // 2016 which provides immunity to first responders who damage a UAS that interferes with an emergency service. AB 1680 // 2016 is an act to amend Section 402 of the Penal Code as it relates to crimes. This law makes it a misdemeanor to interfere using a drone with the activities of a first responder during an emergency.

There are also various California Department of Parks & Regulations (14 section 4351) that prohibit the use of a drone within State Park wilderness areas or cultural and nature preserves.

Cities also have municipal ordinances that prohibit takeoffs and landings within a certain number of feet of events, people, and locations, as well as the number of feet from the ground.

How does drone insurance provide financial peace of mind?
Drone insurance is vital to ensure financial stability and simple peace of mind for commercial drone pilots. Comprehensive coverage provides against a range of risks that come with operating drones, such as accidental damage, third-party liability, and theft. This safeguard enables pilots to focus more on their flights and operations (business) without worrying about unforeseen financial burdens that could arise from mishaps or accidents.

Can drones be flown without a license?
First, all drones must be registered. Drones weighing less than 0.55 lbs. Or 250 grams are allowed under the “Exception for Limited Recreational Operations” but are not allowed to be flown under the FAA’s Small UAS Rule Part 107.

Is the drone insurance in effect if a non-licensed person operates the drone?
All commercial drone pilots are to be FAA licensed, and all must be listed on the drone insurance policy. Failure to comply with those requirements can cause a claim to be denied.

What is not covered under a drone policy?
Generally speaking, reckless or illegal activity such as intentionally invading privacy, political or terrorist acts, war, rebellion, revolution, insurrection, and civil unrest are not covered. Injuries to employees would be covered by a different insurance policy (workers’ comp).

What does Accidental Damage cover?
The benefit of drone insurance is the coverage for accidental damage. Drones, like any other piece of business technology, are susceptible to crashes and other unexpected malfunctions. By having insurance, the cost of repairs or replacement can be significantly mitigated, enabling pilots to get back to their activities without a massive financial strain. In the event that a drone inadvertently causes damage to someone’s property or injures someone, the financial repercussions can be substantial. Insurance helps cover these costs, ensuring that pilots are protected against potential lawsuits and claims.

What about coverage for theft?
Given the high value of drone equipment, they are often targets for theft. Drone insurance encompasses theft coverage, ensuring that the financial loss is minimized if a drone is stolen. This protection enables drone pilots to recover quickly without enduring significant economic setbacks.