FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often, topic by topic. Each answer links to the page that covers the subject in detail.
General & Commercial Aviation
Which types of aircraft do you insure in general aviation?
We insure:
- General and light aviation
- Light helicopters
- Airships and balloons
Engine types covered:
- Piston engines
- Light turbines
- Airships
Which covers are essential to insure an aircraft?
Third-party liability is the basis of any aviation insurance. It covers the consequences of damage caused to third parties and directly engages the liability of the pilot or operator.
Hull insurance complements this protection by covering damage suffered by the aircraft itself.
These covers must be tailored to the usage profile, flight frequency and aircraft characteristics.
What does aircraft third-party liability insurance cover?
Covers:
- Damage caused to third parties on the ground
- Damage caused to passengers
- Damage caused to other aircraft
Essential cover for any activity.
What does aircraft hull insurance cover?
Protects your aircraft against damage it sustains as a result of:
- Accidents in flight or on the ground
- Ground incidents
- Weather conditions
How can several aircraft be insured?
If you operate several aircraft:
- Single contract
- Harmonised cover
- Simplified management
- Optimised pricing
How should an aircraft bought with a loan be insured?
Even in general aviation, financing an aircraft is common practice.
In this context, insurance becomes a structuring element of the financing arrangement. Setting up a loss payee clause secures the lender, while taking out hull insurance often becomes essential.
The key issue is consistency between the insured value, the amount financed and the contractual conditions.
What is a loss payee clause?
Including financing in the acquisition of an aircraft considerably increases the insurance stakes.
Setting up a loss payee clause is, in this context, an essential mechanism. It guarantees the lender that any indemnity paid in the event of a loss will be applied first to repaying the financing.
Which aircraft do you insure in business aviation?
We notably support:
- Private jets (light, midsize, long range)
- Turboprops
- Helicopters (transport, corporate, offshore…)
- Corporate fleets
- Charter operators
Is war risks cover needed in business aviation?
Essential in business aviation:
- Terrorism
- Sabotage
- Hijacking
- Geopolitical risks
Aerospace Companies
Which aerospace companies do you support?
We support:
- maintenance companies (MRO)
- airport service providers
- manufacturers and equipment suppliers
- technical organisations
With complete command of the sector's specific features.
What is the difference between professional liability and products liability?
Professional liability covers damage caused in the course of operations, whether a handling error, an incident during a job or a failure in the service provided.
Product liability applies after a product or component has been put into circulation. It relies on specific mechanisms, particularly as regards its trigger, which is often conditional on the occurrence of an aviation accident.
This is a major point to watch, since some costs arising from a defect may not be covered where no actual loss event has occurred.
Which cover extensions should an aerospace company consider?
Beyond the basic cover, the real effectiveness of an insurance programme depends on its ability to include extensions suited to the actual situations companies face.
Some operations, although common in practice, may fall outside the scope of standard cover.
This is particularly true of:
- removal and refitting of parts
- product recall campaigns
- fleet grounding situations
- post-maintenance test flights
- extension for motor vehicles (complementing a motor insurer)
These extensions cover exposures that would otherwise be excluded, and are often decisive for the overall relevance of the cover.
What is grounding cover?
Grounding occurs when a defect identified in a component or system requires one or more aircraft to be grounded, pending inspection or modification.
- Grounding of an aircraft following an airworthiness directive
- Grounding of an entire fleet in the event of a series defect
- Business interruption losses linked to the suspension of operations
- Costs linked to mandated inspections and modifications
What does product recall insurance cover?
Product recall covers the costs generated by the withdrawal from the market of an aviation component or system recognised as defective, whether or not it has caused an accident.
- Costs of withdrawing defective components
- Replacement and reinstallation costs
- Recall management logistics
- Crisis communication and administrative costs
- Following an official decision by an administrative authority
How do IATA contracts such as the SGHA affect a company's liability?
Standard contracts, particularly in the IATA environment (such as the SGHA), allocate liabilities between the parties, with limitation and even exemption mechanisms.
This frequently results in a gap between:
- the actual value of the damage (for example, that of an aircraft)
- and the level of liability that can actually be called upon
This gap requires contracts and insurance cover to be read together.
Loss of Licence & Personal Protection
What does loss of licence insurance cover?
Loss of licence insurance aims to offset the financial consequences of unfitness.
- Financial protection for your loved ones in the event of death or total and irreversible loss of autonomy.
- Capital paid out in the event of a permanent withdrawal of your medical or occupational fitness.
- Daily benefits paid in the event of incapacity to work or temporary unfitness.
Who can take out loss of licence insurance?
Loss of licence insurance is aimed at all professionals whose activity depends on maintaining a recognised licence or medical fitness: technical and commercial flight crew, instructors, as well as trainees and student pilots in training. It can be taken out individually or set up by an employer as a group solution.
Does loss of licence insurance only concern pilots?
No: beyond pilots, it covers all cabin crew as well as other regulated professions subject to specific medical fitness requirements, such as railway professions (train drivers, on-board train staff). Any profession whose practice depends on maintaining an authorisation to work can benefit from a suitable solution.
Can a train driver (ADC) be covered?
Yes. The train driver (ADC), whose ability to practise depends on medical fitness, can be covered by insurance dedicated to loss of driving qualification in the event of medical unfitness resulting in the loss or restriction of their authorisation to drive.
Can an on-board train agent (ASCT) be covered?
Yes. The on-board train agent (ASCT), who is also subject to a safety-related medical fitness requirement, can be covered by insurance dedicated to loss of safety qualification in the event of unfitness resulting in the inability to carry out their on-board duties.
What is the difference between loss of licence and loss of fitness?
Loss of licence refers to the official withdrawal of a professional licence, resulting in the immediate inability to carry out the activity that depends on it. Loss of fitness, on the other hand, results from a medical decision — suspension or withdrawal of the medical fitness required to practise the profession — which may itself lead, depending on the case, to loss of the licence.
Can a group solution be put in place?
Yes. A company — airline, aviation operator, railway company or transport operator — can set up group insurance covering all its staff exposed to the unfitness risk. This solution makes it possible to harmonise cover across crews and is also an HR and retention tool.
How can income be protected in the event of medical unfitness?
Protection relies on two types of cover depending on the nature of the unfitness: a lump sum paid in the event of permanent unfitness, allowing the insured to cope with the immediate financial consequences and fund a possible retraining, and temporary allowances paid in the event of provisional unfitness, to compensate for the loss of income until return to work.
Is loss of licence insurance useful from the start of training?
Yes: entering training often represents a significant financial investment for student pilots and cadets, and unfitness occurring during this period can abruptly interrupt the training path. Suitable cover from the start of training helps secure this investment and limit the financial impact of an interrupted path.
What should you check before taking out loss of licence insurance?
Not all loss of licence insurance policies are equal. Pay close attention to:
- the definition of unfitness (temporary / permanent)
- the medical conditions that trigger cover
- exclusions
- waiting periods
- compensation caps
Expert analysis is essential.
Can loss of licence insurance follow an international career?
Aviation careers are increasingly international. Flight crew may work for different airlines or operate in several countries.
Insurance policies must therefore include:
- extended geographic cover (France, Europe, worldwide)
- consistency with international career paths
- adaptability to changes of employer or status
Ultralight Aviation & Air Sports
Why does microlight (ULM) flying call for specific insurance?
Microlight aviation involves:
- Specific engines (often Rotax-type) and the development of small turbines
- Lightweight and composite structures
- A strong dependence on weather conditions
- A practice that is often individual or supervised
Standard general aviation cover is not always suited to these risks.
What does microlight (ULM) third-party liability cover?
Third-party liability is the cornerstone of any ULM insurance. It is intended to cover the financial consequences of damage caused to third parties, whether on the ground or on board. It can take the form of a user liability cover (attached to the pilot) or an aircraft liability cover (attached to the machine).
Its level must be tailored to the nature of the activity. A leisure pilot, an instructor or a structure offering introductory flights will not have the same level of exposure.
Is federation insurance compulsory for microlight (ULM) flying?
Federation insurance is not compulsory.
Which insurance solutions exist for microlight (ULM) flying?
The ULM sector is part of an ecosystem where different insurance solutions coexist, particularly those offered by federations and those from specialised providers.
This coexistence allows practitioners and structures to choose solutions suited to their specific needs, whether standardised cover or more personalised arrangements.
What cover does a microlight (ULM) school or organisation need?
ULM structures, whether schools or operators, carry several levels of liability at once. They must simultaneously:
- supervise practitioners
- provide instruction services
- welcome the public
- manage infrastructure
This diversity of activities requires additional cover to be put in place, covering both in-flight activities and ground risks.
How can paragliding, hang gliding or skydiving be insured?
These disciplines call for protection that matches their risks, and standard insurance policies are generally not enough.
As a broker specialising in air sports, and in particular broker to the FFP and FFVL federations, we support you from the very start of your practice.
Your licence includes third-party liability insurance, which covers damage caused to others and is in fact a legal requirement for practising these sports.
Beyond liability, we offer personal accident cover tailored to your profile: disability benefit, death benefit, daily allowances, search and rescue costs, and repatriation. Our field knowledge and understanding of each discipline allow us to guide you towards the most relevant options and to check that your other policies, which often exclude air sports, leave no gaps in cover.
General questions
What does an aviation insurance broker do?
Our role is to represent exclusively our clients' interests, by designing, negotiating and placing tailored aviation insurance solutions with market insurers, in complete independence.
Thanks to our technical and sector-specific expertise, we support the whole aviation community — individuals, professionals and companies — in analysing, managing and securing their aviation risks.
We are also involved throughout the life of the policy, in particular in claims handling and support, with one constant objective: defending the interests of our policyholders.
How do I get a price or a quote?
Depending on the product, get an instant price, subscribe directly online or ask our experts for a tailored quote.
Our experts will guide you to the most suitable solution.
How do I report a claim?
Gather your documents (pilot qualifications, aircraft information, photos of the damage…) and submit your report online to our teams.
The faster and more complete your report, the sooner your file can be processed.
Our claims department receives your report and opens your file. You receive an email with your file reference, the name of your claims handler, and the list of additional documents to send us.
Who handles my claim?
At SAAM Verspieren Group, every aviation claim is handled by a single claims handler who manages the file from the first report through to settlement, backed by a dedicated team of technical, legal and claims-settlement experts. We coordinate between the insurer, the victims or policyholders and the experts (technical, medical, legal), ensuring clear communication, fast decisions and rigorous follow-up at every step.
What is a claim handled under delegation?
Depending on your policy, two situations are possible:
- Delegated file: SAAM handles the entire claim, in the interest of all parties (policyholder and insurer).
- Non-delegated file: your file is forwarded to your insurer. SAAM remains your main point of contact throughout the process.
In both cases, you are never alone: SAAM's claims department supports you from start to finish.
What counts as a complaint?
A complaint is a written statement in which you express your dissatisfaction with our company on one or more clearly identified matters. A request for a service or benefit, a request for information or clarification, or a request for an opinion is not a complaint.
How quickly is a complaint handled?
We undertake to acknowledge receipt of your complaint within a maximum of 10 working days of receiving it. If you do not hear from us within this period, it means we have not received your complaint; in that case, please kindly send it to us again.
We undertake to provide you with a response (positive or negative) within 60 days of receiving all the elements of your complaint.
What can I do if I am not satisfied with the response to my complaint?
If you are a private individual and are not satisfied with the response to your complaint, you may refer the matter to the mediator of La Médiation de l'Assurance. Please note that only disputes concerning personal insurance between you and a broker belonging to a trade body that is a member of La Médiation de l'Assurance fall within the remit of the mediator of La Médiation de l'Assurance.
Please note that this procedure is not open to professionals.
