UAVS Members, Windsor Partners, a licensed insurance broker, and Kiln Group, leading aviation underwriters, have combined to deliver a sector specific insurance programme tailored to meet operators' third party liability and physical loss/damage risk and insurance requirements for the Light UAS Industry.

The Cover

The policy is designed specifically to meet the operators' third party liabilities when operating in a civil commercial, Governmental or Emergency Services environment. Providing up to £20 million of third party liability cover, the policy aims to provide an equivalent level of coverage as that required by and currently provided to the manned aviation fraternity: it provides the cover necessary to meet the regulatory requirements of the operating environment and, as importantly, the risk transfer that is so important for any commercial operation.

Additionally, applicants may opt for additional protection against risks including physical loss/damage of the UAS during operation, Storage and Transport.

What affects the rating?

The third party liability cover rating is predominantly affected by the combined airframe's and payload's maximum take off mass (MTOM). Additional factors such as the use and operating environment may also be taken into account.

For the physical loss/damage option, rating will be assessed based on the individual applicant's Proposal Form given the variety of UAS types and values in or entering the market.

Application

A straightforward proposal form is available for buyers of the programme which quickly enables underwriters to fully assess the risk and provide pricing indications. (See Application form - insert)

THE INSURANCE PROGRAMME

The LUAS insurance programme consists of three main sections :

1. Third Party Liability
    a. Operators
    b. Manufacturers
    c. Distributors
2. Physical loss & damage to UAS
3. Transit

1 - Legal Liability to Third Parties (Compulsory)

In response to each companies unique risk profile such as an Operator, Manufacturer or a Distributor this new insurance programme is tailored to suit all requirements. For example, Insurers will indemnify the Insured for all sums which the Insured shall become legally liable to pay. They shall pay, as Compensatory damages (including costs awarded against the Insured) in respect of accidental bodily injury (fatal or otherwise) and damage to property caused by the UAS or by any object falling there from.

This cover can therefore be applied for those operating UAS's in the air on the ground, whilst responsible for UAS's in the hangar or having sold the product itself.

2 - Physical Loss & Damage to UAS

Values of LUAS can be significant and therefore this section covers Physical loss or damage to UAS (airframe, payload, launch station and/or GCS) in operating or routine testing environment. Further features include disappearance if the UAS is unreported after 60 days as well as storage whilst undergoing routine maintenance at the operator's premises. UAS's also have expensive spare parts which whilst not operational may be at risk and this programme provides this valuable protection. Another feature of this programme includes cover for the UAS whilst in storage or maintenance at operator's premises.

3 - Transit

Covers the Physical loss or damage to UAS (airframe, payload, launch station and/or GCS) whilst in transit to/from operating environment or manufacturer.

Other exposures

There will be other Corporate Risk exposures including Directors & Officers liability, Professional Indemnity, Employers Liability and potentially risks such as Kidnap and Ransom for executives. All these can be arranged through Windsor and Lloyd's and international markets.

For more information on the LUAS Insurance Programme click on the links below:

Publishing Body	Title	Type	Actions
LUAS	Kiln Aviation - LUAS Insurance Proposal Form	pdf	View/Download
LUAS	Windsor Partners - LUAS Insurance Overview - Sept 10	pdf	View/Download
LUAS	Windsor Partners - LUAS Insurance Programme - July 2010	pdf	View/Download

To make an initial enquiry regarding Light UAS Insurance, click here or call on +44 (0) 207 133 1320.  If you wish to complete the Kiln Aviation LUAS Insurance Proposal Form please download it from above and, after completing it, attach it to the initial enquiry e-mail as above.

For Larger UAS policies can be designed specifically to meet the operators' third party liabilities when operating in a civil commercial, Governmental or Emergency Services environment.  For more details on insurance schemes for larger, >150kg, UAS, click here.