Piper PA-16 Clipper Insurance Cost

Piper PA-16 Clipper Overview:

The post-World War II years were a roller coaster ride for the Piper Aircraft company. The venerable J-3 Cub had remained in production after the war and continued to sell well, but the line was running at a loss and each Cub sold continued to cost Piper cash. The new Cub Special and Vagabond (basically a Cub with side by side seating) were introduced in 1947 but both were stopgap measures designed to bring Piper back to profitability quickly.

The Vagabond had proven very popular with the new seating arrangement and it was clear that outside of utility and aerobatic aircraft, side by side was generally the way customers wanted to move forward. Piper took the fuselage of the Vagabond and stretched it 17 inches (44 cm) allowing the installation of a rear seat for two more passengers. The entry door for the front seat remained on the right side and a second door was added on the left side of the cabin for easy rear seat and baggage access. The “clipped” wing of the Vagabond and Cub Special remained, while the engine was upgraded to the 115 horsepower Lycoming four-cylinder O-235 and a second fuel tank made standard. Thanks to the light weight of the fabric-covered aircraft, this gave respectable performance for the time. The new model was serialized as the PA-16 and given the name Clipper.

First deliveries began in 1949 and the Clipper was produced only in that year, though over 700 left the Lock Haven factory in that short time. Pan American World Airways, which famously branded its worldwide fleet as the Clippers, objected to Piper using the name for the PA-16. After some legal wrangling, it was agreed to replace the name on a subsequent model.

A modified Clipper was used to develop this new design. The wing was reworked to allow flaps to be added for better takeoff and landing performance, and the engine was upgraded to a 125 horsepower Lycoming. The control sticks were replaced with yokes extending from the panel and an electrical system was added, producing the all new PA-20 Pacer which began serial production in 1950 and replaced the Clipper. Though the Clipper would have a short run itself, the Pacer and Tri-Pacer would go on to over 10,000 deliveries, firmly realizing the Piper goal of a successful and profitable four-seat post-war model.

Piper PA-16 Clipper Insurance Cost:

Aviation insurance in general, is a very specialized industry and premiums vary depending on make and model of the aircraft, hull value, use of the aircraft, pilot history and qualifications and aircraft insurance rates even take into account the loss history of each specific make and model and the loss history of the aviation industry as a whole.

Piper PA-16 Clipper insurance, like all aviation insurance, is broken down into 2 specific coverages. The first is Liability Coverage, which is standard on every aircraft insurance policy and the second is optional hull coverage, which covers damage to the aircraft itself.

Piper PA-16 Clipper aviation liability insurance covers damage caused by the aircraft, outside of the aircraft, specifically property damage, bodily injury, and provides for legal defense in the event that the aircraft owner or policyholder is sued.

Aircraft liability insurance is typically offered for Piper PA-16 Clipper’s at $1,000,000 per occurrence (per incident) and includes coverage for passengers, but typically limits that amount to between $100,000 and $1,000,000 per passenger. Passenger liability coverage is included within the total liability coverage amount.

A real-world example of how this aviation liability coverage would protect you: If, as a result of operating your Piper PA-16 Clipper you damaged property or caused bodily injury outside of the aircraft, you would have the full amount of total liability coverage to pay for damages that occurred, less the liability amount paid for passengers inside the aircraft. If the aircraft crashed and you had passengers inside the aircraft that were injured, your insurance policy would pay up to the policy passenger limit for each passenger.

This liability coverage also applies as a bubble that follows the aircraft around. If the aircraft is hangered, liability coverage extends throughout your hangar and it is this coverage that airports will typically require you to have. It’s not a separate insurance policy, it is actually coverage built into your standards airplane insurance policy.

Other liability options: Higher liability coverage on the Piper PA-16 Clipper may be available to qualified pilots with experience in the make and model and a minimum Private License/IFR rating.

The second coverage on a Piper PA-16 Clipper insurance policy is hull coverage and is an optional coverage. Aircraft hull insurance covers damage to the aircraft itself and is an agreed value, not subject to depreciation. Agreed value is decided during the initial insurance quoting process, the aircraft owner requests an insurance quote for his or her Piper PA-16 Clipper and requests a quote including hull coverage in the amount of say $40,000. Once an aviation insurance company provides a quote, they are agreeing with you that your aircraft is worth $40,000.
*Insurance companies may place additional stipulations on quotes to prove the value of your aircraft prior to binding, if your agreed value is higher than bluebook.

Most aviation insurance companies do not offer deductibles higher than $0 deductibles, which means in the event of a total loss, if your aircraft was insured for $40,000, you would get a straight check for $40,000.

Piper PA-16 Clipper Insurance Cost Breakdown:

As of January 2021, there are 5 carriers quoting Piper PA-16 Clipper insurance in the U.S. We consider qualified pilots to have at least a Private License with 200 total hours, 100 tailwheel hours and 25 hours in the make/model.

For an annual policy with $1,000,000 in liability only coverage.
 Premium range for qualified pilots: $450-$600 per year.
 Premium range for less than qualified pilots (low-time/etc): $675-950 per year.

For an annual policy with $1,000,000 in liability coverage and $40,000 in hull coverage
 Premium range for qualified pilots: $1,450-$2,300 per year.
 Premium range for less than qualified pilots (low-time/etc): $2,750-$4,100 per year.

BWI is a family-owned, nationwide insurance brokerage specializing in aviation insurance since 1977. Our dedicated Aviation Insurance Professionals are highly trained, hand-picked and experienced in helping Piper PA-16 Clipper owners and operators obtain the very best insurance coverage.

BWI offers comprehensive Piper PA-16 Clipper insurance policies for personal, business, charter, industrial aid, and commercial aviation uses.

For more information or to get an actual Piper PA-16 Clipper insurance quote, please fill out a quote request online here or call us at 800.666.4359