Your students and instructors fly your aircraft every week, but they rarely fly on the same schedule. A student may fly twice a month during a busy stretch and not at all over the holidays. A CFI may pick up extra instruction for a season. A policy that only comes in one term fits neither of them. This guide explains how SkyWatch on-demand non-owned aircraft insurance works for flight students and CFIs, and what to tell them before the first lesson.
Why on-demand terms fit students and CFIs
SkyWatch is one of the few carriers with on-demand policies by the day, week, month and year. A student can match coverage to a training block instead of committing to a full year, and a CFI can cover a short stretch of instruction without locking into a long plan. Our overview of on-demand non-owned aircraft insurance for flight schools covers the terms in more detail.
What students and CFIs can choose
Each pilot picks limits when they buy. These are the ranges to know:
- Hull (liability for damage to non-owned aircraft): $5K to $200K on monthly and annual policies. Short-term plans have a maximum hull limit of $75K.
- Liability: from $250K per accident / $25K per passenger up to $1M per accident / $200K per passenger.
- Medical expense: up to $10K.
- Deductible reimbursement: up to $25K. It reimburses the owner or lessor policy holder of the non-owned aircraft up to the physical damage deductible paid, but not more than the deductible limit purchased.
Pilots also choose a use category: Pleasure & Business (P&B), Instruction & Rental (I&R) or Commercial. A student training in a school aircraft and a CFI teaching in it may not need the same category, so ask each person to pick the one that matches how they actually fly. The policy wording decides what applies, so everyone should read it before buying.
What to tell them before the first flight
- Show them your minimum hull and liability limits in writing.
- Tell them which use category you expect for training flights.
- Explain which coverage periods they can choose and that a short-term plan has a lower hull ceiling.
- Ask for the certificate of insurance before they fly your aircraft.
- Remind them to read the policy, including its exclusions.
Our checklist of what to verify before a student flies a school or club aircraft turns these points into a one-page routine for your front desk.
Keep control of your minimums
Telling every pilot your requirements works until someone buys the wrong limit. SkyWatch can customize a flight school portal to meet your minimum thresholds, so students and CFIs only see options that qualify. See how in our guide to setting your minimum insurance thresholds. SkyWatch can also add your school offices as cc on every COI, so you receive each certificate without chasing it.
Quick FAQ
Can a student buy coverage for just a few days? SkyWatch offers on-demand policies by the day, week, month and year, so short terms are available.
Do students and CFIs need the same policy? Not necessarily. Limits and use category are chosen by each pilot, within the minimums you set.
Where can pilots learn more? SkyWatch has pages for flight student insurance and CFI insurance.
Ready to see the options? Pilots can start a quote for non-owned aircraft insurance in a few minutes, and your school can ask SkyWatch about a custom portal.
