Drone Insurance in California...

[Derek Short]

I'm looking to buy my first drone a P4.
Been reading some post that Statefarm will insure drones but for some reason not in California...?

Is this true?

If so who or where can I get insurance?

 

[Jussaguy]

I tried three SF and was rejected for the drone addendum by all of them. Am really going to try and turn it on at the next one. Just that we naturally have more people all of a sudden asking for this addendum and so they are investigating it now and will make a decision within the month I'm told. If you own a residence in another state, you can use that state and have a better chance of an underwriter saying yet but you cannot have homeowner's insurance out of state. Meaning I can't get HOI in Indiana and use it in California. I asked.

So that's the story morning glory. Literally depends on how the person that your agent calls to underwrite and how they feel that day. Maybe you'll catch a hobbyist and he will push you though. I'm still gonna try before they make a decision. GL

 

[Jwebbe]

That's interesting! Any luck on getting it insured? I just got my P3 in June and am looking in to it myself as I too am in the Bay Area. I thought I saw somewhere that DJI had a policy but it was like $129.00 a year or something. Seems a bit $$$.

 

[RPP]

I have it covered as part of my photography insurance. It is a separate insurance and not a rider on other insurance policies.

 

[Jwebbe]

Can you elaborate? Carrier through State farm, AAA, etc, Name of agent, etc, Cost per year,

Thanks!

 

[RPP]

Can you elaborate? Carrier through State farm, AAA, etc, Name of agent, etc, Cost per year,

Thanks!

Were you asking me?

 

[Jwebbe]

Were you asking me?

Yes. Since you said you had a policy, I am interested where/how you got insured since t seems to be hard to do in California.

Thanks!

 

[RPP]

Yes. Since you said you had a policy, I am interested where/how you got insured since t seems to be hard to do in California.

Thanks!

I am a photographer and have a policy for my photography equipment. I simply added the drone to the itemized list. It is not cheap - the premium works out to 2.35% of your total equipment value insured. This is the one I use -

NANPA| Photographers Equipment Insurance | Greenwich, Riverside, Old Greenwich, Fairfield, CT - RAND Insurance

 

[Jwebbe]

I am a photographer and have a policy for my photography equipment. I simply added the drone to the itemized list. It is not cheap - the premium works out to 2.35% of your total equipment value insured. This is the one I use -

NANPA| Photographers Equipment Insurance | Greenwich, Riverside, Old Greenwich, Fairfield, CT - RAND Insurance

Ok thank you.

 

[RPP]

If you have just the drone to insure, this may not be the best route for you cost-wise. But if you have additional photo equipment and the total value of it is greater than, say, $8000 then this becomes viable. It isn't inexpensive, yes, but it is protection and it has saved my bacon once.

 

[Jussaguy]

If you have just the drone to insure, this may not be the best route for you cost-wise. But if you have additional photo equipment and the total value of it is greater than, say, $8000 then this becomes viable. It isn't inexpensive, yes, but it is protection and it has saved my bacon once.

How much is it?

 

[RPP]

How much is it?

The yearly premium works out to 2.35% of the total equipment value.

 

[Jussaguy]

The yearly premium works out to 2.35% of the total equipment value.

That would be about $33 a year for a $1400 P4 so how is it not worth it?

 

[RPP]

That would be about $33 a year for a $1400 P4 so how is it not worth it?

You have to join NANPA ($100) to get that deal. If that solves for you, great. Typically it works out well if you have other gear as well such as a DSLR + lenses.

 

[RPP]

It could be viable also if you have more than one drone.

 

[GMack]

Are you asking about insurance on the drone itself if you wad it up? Or liability insurance in case you need a permit that requires it somewhere?

I read with the P4 boxed instructions that DJI offers some "Smash it up and we fix it for $299/yr. or $229 for 6 months" on a new bird.

General/Public liability I don't know other than some parks require $4 million general liability for a drone or aircraft permit on their application. I have a general liability of $2 million plus $35K on gear that runs me about $800/yr.with a $1K deductible which pretty much takes the P4 out of my wallet for me wadding it up. Never asked them about the drone coverage yet (I'm in Calif., fwiw.).

Mack

 

[Jwebbe]

Are you asking about insurance on the drone itself if you wad it up? Or liability insurance in case you need a permit that requires it somewhere?

I read with the P4 boxed instructions that DJI offers some "Smash it up and we fix it for $299/yr. or $229 for 6 months" on a new bird.

I saw that on the P3 standard, it was $129.00 per year - I guess that's a great deal if they replace the whole thing and no deductible, especially if its made by DJI to begin with and you send them the drone to fix, etc. I was wondering if there were private insurance companies such as AAA or Farmers/State Farm which insures for less.

 

[Jussaguy]

Are you asking about insurance on the drone itself if you wad it up? Or liability insurance in case you need a permit that requires it somewhere?

I read with the P4 boxed instructions that DJI offers some "Smash it up and we fix it for $299/yr. or $229 for 6 months" on a new bird.

General/Public liability I don't know other than some parks require $4 million general liability for a drone or aircraft permit on their application. I have a general liability of $2 million plus $35K on gear that runs me about $800/yr.with a $1K deductible which pretty much takes the P4 out of my wallet for me wadding it up. Never asked them about the drone coverage yet (I'm in Calif., fwiw.).

Mack

Yeah, it's called DJI Care and is 299 for a year (on the Phantom 4, $399 for an Inspire which is insane) for the cost of one full replacement if need be.

However, I believe you have to be able to recover the bird, so you can't just say you lost it, or actually lose it. Also, for the last two months it starts to lose the value based on the pro-rated amount left or something.

It sounds weird to me and way too much. The risk definitely outweighs the reward on a statistical basis (as it does with all insurance companies, less they go out of business) but this is way too much. However, if the peace of mind is worth that, it's increases the value from simply the statistical chances it will save you.

Now to the person that is going to chime in and say it saved you and you would recommend it, you represent one out of many many many more than bought it and will never have to use it. It's all about peace of mind but I'd rather have mine at $50 a year or even $150 a year from State Farm as opposed to DJI. They know more about insurance.

I think Apple Care is extremely well priced and is one of the only warranty extensions I ever buy (even though it's not really that) because I have found is an item with AppleCare just always gets taken care of over ones that don't. I've had Apple replace a whole computer tower once the I ruined the mobo on myself while replacing a drive. I admitted it was my fault and I need to buy a new logic board and they didn't even have to replace it based on the terms of Apple Care but they gave me a whole new computer. And the cost of the computer was WAY more than $1400 and the cost of Apple Care is something like $120 or something.

 

[Dontro]

any luck out there? I've had no luck in getting insured with state farm here in California. I called several all around my area here in the Inland Empire.

 

[Jwebbe]

Personally, I gave up on the idea because every other state has it for like $60.00 and CA doesn't - I saw an ad in Staples the other day and I believe if you have a drone valued at 500.00 or more, they had some private insurance at around $200.00 or so a year. Mine has been flying successfully for 2 years so I probably won't be getting it anyway.