Most insurable homebuilts under $30k?

MarkH

MarkH

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MarkH
This is a bit of an odd question, but I am a low time pilot (with not claims) that has been shopping for an experimental for a while, and recently I thought I found one that would be great: a Davis DA-2. Everything I read suggested it flys like a PA-28, the price was good, the metal airframe would be ok on the ramp, the small Continental would be cheap to fuel and easy to maintain, the last factor was insurance.

When I went for an insurance quote, 2 agents told me it was uninsurable and the one that quoted it was $4k liability.

This isn't first time this has happened, I received similar answers when quoting an ELSA, a Corben Jr Ace, an Aerovee Sonex and Thatcher CX4.

Some experimental are not terribly expensive to insure (it's cheaper to insure an $80k RV taildragger than the $15k Davis Da-2 trigear), but I am having trouble identifying them and understanding why.

Outside of the RVs, I can't find any information about what models I should be looking for for reasonable insurance rates. Where should I look for information on that?
 
FORANE said:
Can't your insurance agent help answer this question?
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The agents I have worked with have been able to give me prices as I find planes, but less guidance on what to look for.

For example, one of the reasons I liked the Davis DA-2 is that I thought it would be easier to insure than the taildraggers I had been pursuing. Obviously, I was wrong, but I still don't know why it is so difficult to insure, or what I should look for to get something more insurable. My agent hasn't been able to answer that question.
 
fewer examples of the type = they have no idea = they are forced to assume the worst or decline to quote?

Insurance is not in a very welcoming mood lately, so seems these are fringe planes they won't spend the energy trying to quote fairly and will just quote ridiculously high or not at all?
 
4k for liability is go-away quoting, for recreational/non-revenue usage. Especially on a 15k hull as disclosed to the underwriter, even if hull coverage wasn't selected. This ish is for the birds anymore.
 
With a less common homebuilt you can't just buy off the shelf or used replacement parts if it gets damaged, so repairs can be expensive. Fabric and tube aircraft are often easier to repair, and so may be more insurable.

How low is "low time"?

Fwiw, insurance on my Hatz (liability + 30K hull) is around $1500, from Falcon. I'm at just over 1000 hours.
 
I have a very experimental tailwheel Sonex with a Corvair engine conversion. My insurance, including hull, is about one quarter of your quote above. I've posted this before so here again, I recommend to call:

Bio - Victoria Neuville - Aviation Insurance Resources

In 2019, Victoria earned her seaplane rating and became a CFI. When not managing policies for clients, she manages the company’s social media/advertising.
air-pros.com

Tell her I said hello ...
 
Daleandee said:
I have a very experimental tailwheel Sonex with a Corvair engine conversion. My insurance, including hull, is about one quarter of your quote above. I've posted this before so here again, I recommend to call:

Bio - Victoria Neuville - Aviation Insurance Resources

In 2019, Victoria earned her seaplane rating and became a CFI. When not managing policies for clients, she manages the company’s social media/advertising.
air-pros.com

Tell her I said hello ...
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Victoria is fantastic, I've known her for years, many of my clients are insured through her. Highly recommended!
 
Dana said:
With a less common homebuilt you can't just buy off the shelf or used replacement parts if it gets damaged, so repairs can be expensive. Fabric and tube aircraft are often easier to repair, and so may be more insurable.

How low is "low time"?

Fwiw, insurance on my Hatz (liability + 30K hull) is around $1500, from Falcon. I'm at just over 1000 hours.
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200 hours.
 
Daleandee said:
I have a very experimental tailwheel Sonex with a Corvair engine conversion. My insurance, including hull, is about one quarter of your quote above. I've posted this before so here again, I recommend to call:

Bio - Victoria Neuville - Aviation Insurance Resources

In 2019, Victoria earned her seaplane rating and became a CFI. When not managing policies for clients, she manages the company’s social media/advertising.
air-pros.com

Tell her I said hello ...
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I took this recommendation previously, she was the only one able to give me a quote on the DA-2.
 
MarkH said:
I took this recommendation previously, she was the only one able to give me a quote on the DA-2.
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Did you try Global Aerospace? They've got a good reputation with RV-types, including a few low-timers.

Nauga,
affordably
 
for all the guys getting 'great quotes ' are you reading the binder and understand completely what is covered? cheap insurance means not a lot if things covered. also are you getting reimbursed for FMV or replacement? lots of reasons why a quote is cheap.
 
Dana said:
With a less common homebuilt you can't just buy off the shelf or used replacement parts if it gets damaged, so repairs can be expensive. Fabric and tube aircraft are often easier to repair, and so may be more insurable.
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I'm not following this. I would think a Velocity would be a "less common" homebuilt. If something gets damaged that I can't buy, I'll make it.

Isn't that one of the primary advantages of an E/AB airplane?
 
donjohnston said:
I'm not following this. I would think a Velocity would be a "less common" homebuilt. If something gets damaged that I can't buy, I'll make it.

Isn't that one of the primary advantages of an E/AB airplane?
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Yes, but even if you can fix it yourself, the insurance company is considering what it will cost them to pay somebody, at current labor rates, to perform the repair or make a replacement part rather than buying an off the shelf part and bolting it on.
 
Dana said:
Yes, but even if you can fix it yourself, the insurance company is considering what it will cost them to pay somebody, at current labor rates, to perform the repair or make a replacement part rather than buying an off the shelf part and bolting it on.
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So what's an "off the shelf" part that you buy for a "common" homebuilt that can't buy for a "less common" homebuilt?
 
donjohnston said:
I can get just about anything for a Velocity.

I still don’t see your point.
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I'm not certain this will help but for my Sonex I have a set of plans. I can scratch build every part of the plane except the wing spar caps. It is an aluminum T shaped tapered extrusion that would be extremely difficult for a homebuilder to replicate ...
 
I don't know details about every kit, but I assumed that all of them had some parts that where built/fabricated by the company which would be difficult to reproduce. On the Velocity, the fuselage halves, windows and spars, for example.

So I'm guessing that on the RV's you can order spars from the local metal supplier? The windows come from where? Safelite? :rolleyes:
 
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