COPA insurance - good news for 2006!

By Adam Hunt
There is good news for COPA members who fly with the COPA Group Aviation Insurance Program administered by Marsh Canada Limited. COPA works with Marsh and the program Underwriter, Lloyd’s – St. Paul Travelers Syndicate 5000, to fine-tune the very successful COPA program and make it better each year.
The big news for 2006 is Silver Wings Plan insurance premium rates will all stay the same – no price increase for 2006. The Silver Wings Plan provides Aircraft Third Party Liability, Passenger Liability and Aircraft Hull “All Risks” Ground (Not-In-Motion) coverage to COPA members. Premiums for the Gold Wings Plan will remain competitive with other insurance offered in Canada. Rates for Gold Wings are based on individual quotes for coverage tailored for each applicant. These are adjusted throughout the year as needed to be competitive.
The Gold Wings plan provides COPA members with Aircraft Third Party Liability, Passenger Liability and Aircraft Hull “All Risks” Ground and Flight insurance coverage. For 2006, at COPA’s request, the definition of Private Business and Pleasure flying has been changed to allow participation by COPA Silver and Gold Wing policy holders in air shows and fly-bys, such as Remembrance Day events. The definition has also been changed to clarify some terms – removing the prohibition on “patrol” flying and replacing it with more precise wording.
The new Silver Wings Plan definition says:
“Private Business and Pleasure” means the use of the aircraft for private, personal and pleasure purposes, or in connection with your business, but excludes the use of the aircraft for:
(i) hire, reward or any use for which any remuneration or benefit is received, promised or anticipated, other than a bona fide reimbursement to you for operating expenses only of the aircraft;
(ii) instruction (other than as permitted under Paragraph 9(c)), aerobatics (other than Recreational Aerobatics), hunting, powerline and pipeline patrol, fire-fighting, the intentional dropping, spraying or releasing of anything, any form of experimental flying or competitive flying;
(iii) formation flying involving any aerobatic maneuver; or
(iv) any flying in connection with any flying exhibition, air display or air show other than:
(a) flying in an air show under Transport Canada Special Flight Operations Certificate - Special Aviation Event provided that the operations certificate limitations are complied with and no aerobatics are performed; and
(b) flying in a ceremonial fly-past, such as Remembrance Day ceremonies or similar event, where no Transport Canada Special Flight Operations Certificate - Special Aviation Event is in effect, provided flight is at a minimum of 1,000 feet above ground level and no aerobatics are performed.
The new Gold Wings Plan definition is slightly different and says:
“Private Business and Pleasure” means the use of the aircraft for private, personal and pleasure purposes, or in connection with your business, but excludes the use of the aircraft for:
(i) hire, reward or any use for which any remuneration or benefit is received, promised or anticipated, other than a bona fide reimbursement to you for operating expenses only of the aircraft;
(ii) ab-initio instruction, aerobatics (other than Recreational Aerobatics), hunting, powerline and pipeline patrol, fire-fighting, the intentional dropping, spraying or releasing of anything, any form of experimental flying or competitive flying;
(iii) formation flying involving any aerobatic maneuver; or
(iv) any flying in connection with any flying exhibition, air display or air show other than:-
(a) flying in an air show under Transport Canada Special Flight Operations Certificate – Special Event provided that the operations certificate limitations are complied with and no aerobatics are performed; and
(b) flying in a ceremonial fly-past, such as Remembrance Day ceremonies or similar event, where no Transport Canada Special Flight Operations Certificate – Special Aviation Event is in effect, provided flight is at a minimum of 1,000 feet above ground level and no aerobatics are performed.
Every year COPA staff works with Marsh and Lloyd’s - St. Paul Travelers to make the COPA Insurance Program better and more responsive to the type of flying COPA members do. If you are insuring under another program then have a close look at our coverage for 2006 and see how your policy stacks up!