Best insurance options for drone operators in Australia
Public Liability Insurance is a must when clients look to hire a drone operator, no matter the job. Drones are becoming safer due to great innovation by industry leaders such as DJI. But accidents do happen, and technology can still malfunction – this means there is a very real public risk that can be associated with drone use. We recommend all drone operators get insurance. It goes without saying you should consider your own requirements and each individual organisations offering before deciding which insurance product is best for you.
There are a few different options and types of insurance available in Australia
1. BIRDI – 20 Million $ Public Liability Only
Check out BIRDI. BIRDI offers 20 Million Dollar Public Liability at an additional $30 a month (on top of any of their subscriptions) – minimum cost $80 a month. This is a great option if you are only looking for public liability, and will become an even better option if they offer Hull Insurance in the near future. Check out https://www.birdi.com.au/insurance/ to learn more.
Our thoughts: This is a very competitively priced option and will be cheaper than a comprehensive insurance plan in most cases – but of course you don’t get hull insurance (yet). This is for you if you are only after public liability.
2. BMG Aviation
BMG Aviation is our current insurance broker, they provide great coverage and have excellent service and response times. Get a quote from Jodie at JBoyce@bmgaviation.com.au – make sure you mention who referred you!
Our thoughts: This is a great option for someone looking for comprehensive coverage for their drone work. For example, if you are looking to do drone work full time or if your equipment is really high value.
3. Precision Autonomy
Precision autonomy works on a pay per flight insurance structure. You pay a standard premium based on your requirements for hull and public liability and then a fixed extra per-minute of flight. Check out https://www.precision-autonomy.com/ to learn more or contact timothy.sutherland@precision-autonomy.com directly.
Our thoughts: This is for you if you want the flexibility of having both public liability and hull coverage, but you aren’t sure about how much you expect to fly your drone. At the moment you need to have an iOS device as their Android app is not fully launched (as of May 2019).
4. Get Quotes from AON, QBE or from Finder.
This way you can get multiple quotes and consider your options.Our thoughts: Let us know if you find good coverage with these providers. Personally doing my own research, I found the three listed above met my requirements best.
