Understanding General Aviation Insurance Claims: What Causes Rate Hikes?

The AOPA Air Safety Institute has analyzed general aviation insurance claims to uncover trends in common but often underreported incidents that significantly impact insurance costs.

While catastrophic accidents like in-flight breakups and weather-related crashes are the most expensive per incident, their infrequency means they don’t heavily influence overall insurance costs. Instead, more frequent events such as prop strikes, hard landings, and gear-up landings create substantial financial burdens on insurers, leading to higher rates for pilots.

These incidents often go unreported in official NTSB records but are consistently observed through insurance claims. By focusing on improved cockpit procedures, pilots can help reduce the frequency of these costly mishaps.