http://arstechnica.com/tech-poli ... nfo-after-accident/

You could see this coming from 500m away.

Not sure how much insurance $1 would purchase.   A better way to go might be the AMA.  they provide $2.5Million liability insurance with a membership.   Irregardless,  if you have any assets at all, they need protection.  So, some form of insurance is a good idea.   

And, as far as tiny license plates go - I think the FAA Registration number should answer that requirement.

Sid

My neighbor is also my State Farm insurance agent. He told me State Farm will now insure your drone. It will cover it if it crashes or malfunctions. I thought he was joking with me, but he's sending me the paperwork to look over.

ccbiggz Posted at 2016-1-15 13:32
My neighbor is also my State Farm insurance agent. He told me State Farm will now insure your drone. ...

Keep us up to date on the info. if you don't mind.

sidtx Posted at 2016-1-15 12:40
Not sure how much insurance $1 would purchase.   A better way to go might be the AMA.  they provide  ...

Yeah a dollar ok. The FAA also said registering would be free.

I knew insurance regulations were coming the minute the FAA began to require registration. That's always  the next step.
Next insurance companies will require a license in order to provide insurance....

I'm not surprised it's simply the next step.

My insurance agent is my neighbor and when he saw my drone told me that I could get insurance for it. It costs me $60 per year, 0 deductible, and it covers crashes, loss, theft, and malfunctions.

ccbiggz Posted at 2016-1-16 04:19
My insurance agent is my neighbor and when he saw my drone told me that I could get insurance for it ...

Send me a link to the insurance company.....Please

It's State Farm insurance company.

State Farm Insurance

Flyin'Bryan Posted at 2016-1-15 22:04
Here is the beginning of the end ... Mandatory insurance, and licensing... this will be just the sta ...

Hold up! You mean to tell me that anal exam WASN'T required after all?

Elmer Fudd Posted at 2016-1-15 22:58
Yeah a dollar ok. The FAA also said registering would be free.

I have already received my "refund" from the FAA. It's my assumption the first "event" is free. When the three years are up and re-registration comes up, it probably won't be free. Just my guess.

Art - N4PJ
Leesburg, FL

ccbiggz Posted at 2016-1-16 21:19
My insurance agent is my neighbor and when he saw my drone told me that I could get insurance for it ...

Isn't the most important bit the 3rd party cover? Does state farm also include that? If not the AMA one seems like the best option...

The insurance referenced in the article is liability insurance. That is so California. If passed, I suspect act NY will quickly follow (they hate to have fewer laws and restrictions than CA). After a few more states, the problem will taper off as many of the "free" states will chafe at such a rule.

Note that this is very different than the "no deductible" type of insurance others have mentioned. That type of insurance will pay of your drone if lost, stolen or damaged (exact terms depend on the actual policy).

The type of insurance in the article is liability, and protects against lawsuits for damage caused by you and your drone. This will not replace your Phantom, but will pay to repair the dent in your neighbors car where your Phantom crashed into it.

Remember that most insurance policies exclude actions which are willfully negligent or illegal. Also note that your homeowners policy (if you or your parents have one) will likely protect against most cases of liability.

The State Farm agent I talked to said they wouldn't write me a policy for a drone.

Village Idiot Posted at 2016-1-18 14:55
The State Farm agent I talked to said they wouldn't write me a policy for a drone.

Interesting, the only thing I found on the site was them getting permission to use drones...
https://www.statefarm.com/about- ... cleared-for-takeoff

I did find this though...
"Personal drones are surprisingly easy to insure, provided you only want to use it for recreational purposes. Many home insurance policies cover personal property and, while there's an exclusion for aircraft, "model or hobby aircraft not designed to fly people or cargo" are included in the policy, according to a typical homeowners policy from New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co." From:  http://www.insure.com/home-insurance/insurance-for-drone.html

making it harder to own a drone than a gun, only in America

Texting while driving.. Moron located...

aburkefl@gmail. Posted at 2016-1-18 09:39
I have already received my "refund" from the FAA. It's my assumption the first "event" is free. Wh ...

Of course it wont be free the next time. The refund was bait to catch a bunch of fools. No offense.

Flyin'Bryan Posted at 2016-1-15 23:04
Here is the beginning of the end ... Mandatory insurance, and licensing... this will be just the sta ...

We are going to need an anal exam after the fisting they give us

Sorry to bring this back to the topic of the actual post rather than a petty war of words but personally I think that it is absolutely the right thing for 3rd party insurance to be mandatory for flying drones, if a P3P drops on someone or something from any decent height it has the potential to do serious damage. I chose to join the AMA just for the 3rd party cover this week, $75 isn't insignificant but for the piece of mind it provides it's well worth it in my opinion.

Most forum members would likely be financially ruined if they were to cause serious injuries to a person or persons without some kind of cover. Ultimately if it becomes law competition will drive the prices down and hopefully make it a no-brainier.

Just my 2 cents on the actual topic...

Village Idiot Posted at 2016-1-19 03:55
The State Farm agent I talked to said they wouldn't write me a policy for a drone.

Village. I'm not sure why one agent will and another won't. Maybe ask another agent?

I am so glad the moderators of this forum decided to block a certain troll on here. The guy NEVER contributed anything constructive and was only here to argue. I wonder if he even owned a drone?

My agent told me the drone insurance will cover the replacement of my drone if it is damaged, lost, or stolen. If it hits someone else's property, my home owners insurance would cover that or I could have to pay for it out of pocket; it depends on the amount of damage. The drone insurance is the same type of insurance that covers some guns I have.

Flyin'Bryan Posted at 2016-1-19 11:39
I see your point of view, however, just because you have insurance, does not stop someone from sui ...

That is a possibility but also true of any insurance policy, the $2.5m coverage from the AMA policy would certainly go a long way to helping and is likely to cover any property related damages in full at least. Insurance is (right now at least) a personal choice I'd much rather have it than not.

ccbiggz Posted at 2016-1-19 07:07
My agent told me the drone insurance will cover the replacement of my drone if it is damaged, lost,  ...

FYI - I'm getting to try out my insurance coverage. I crashed my drone Sunday; 100% pilot error. I Emailed my agent yesterday morning and he sent me a phone number and claim number. I called the number and had a 10 minute conversation with the claims department, they are sending me a check for a new one.

That will not last long. As soon as the insurance finds out how many claims they have they will adjust the price UP. Seen it before in another sport. Now the cost of insurance is so high as to make one think long and hard about it. Same game, different name.

"California has a long history of leading the way with sensible requirements for certain products sold in the state of California,"

Really, what a joke, every substance known to man is 'known by the State of California to cause birth defects blah blah'

My State Farm rep said drone insurance will be available in Virginia before June.

State Farm in Virginia now covers drones. Everything in my case is covered for less than $65 a year.

ccbiggz Posted at 2016-1-15 11:32
My neighbor is also my State Farm insurance agent. He told me State Farm will now insure your drone. ...

Like a good neighbor,  State Farm is there......  ( to music )

It only took about 5 days and I got a check in the mail. I've got the money parked in my bank account and I'm saving some to go with it to get a P4 and a couple of batteries.