Hurricane Season: What You Need to Know

It goes without saying that the weather has been absolutely brutal these past few weeks. To our friends and clients in the Houston area, and more recently the coasts of Florida, our thoughts are with all of you, and we hope you’ve stayed safe throughout. In times like this, it makes sense to review possible insurance/coverage impacts relating to your aircraft should it be in the path of a hurricane. Naturally, above all else and insurance aside, the obvious and primary objective is to get out of the storm’s path.

To that end, most insurance policies (not all) will actually provide limited reimbursement for relocation expenses. Certain criteria apply, such as the National Weather Service officially declaring a hurricane, relocating at least 75 miles beyond the storm’s perimeter, and other requirements. However, provided all the criteria are met, your policy will typically reimburse you $500 – $1,000 for related expenses (fuel, hangar fee, etc.).

Again, not all policies have this provision, but some do. It’s usually a function of the type of policy, with most P&B policies including it, but most commercial policies not. If relocating is out of the question for any particular reason, most policies for aircraft in coastal states will contain a modified-deductible provision that will kick in during a declared storm. This provision increases the not-in-motion deductible to (in some cases) as high as 5% of the insured value.

Please take a moment to look up your hurricane provision if you think you could be in the path of a storm. As always, please give us a ring if you have any questions. Lastly, stay safe out there!