Hurricane Preparedness, Are You Ready?
Tips from AssuredPartners Aerospace, AOPA’s Strategic Partner for aviation insurance.
With hurricane season well underway, as a pilot who lives and/or plans to travel in hurricane-prone areas, you should have a plan for what to do if there is a severe weather warning in your path. The plan should include strategies to relocate your aircraft in the event of a storm, if this can be safely done prior to the storm’s arrival.
When you develop your plan, include a review of your insurance policy to see if it covers any costs for relocating your aircraft. Some policies cover the cost to hire an evacuation pilot, to relocate, and to store an aircraft. Other policies will only reimburse the policyholder to relocate their aircraft outside of a hurricane watch or warning area.
If you are faced with relocating your aircraft due to a hurricane, AOPA’s partner for aviation insurance, AssuredPartners Aerospace, offers the following tips to make the process go more smoothly:
- Include at a minimum…
- Communication – Authorities, Family, Staff
- Emergency Power and Supplies
- Food, Medication and Water Supplies
- When choosing a relocation airport, make sure you select airports…
- out of the hurricane watch or warning area, if you have relocation coverage in your policy the distance should be based off what your policy may dictate.
- located comfortably within the range of your aircraft
- with temporary hangar or tie down space available
- that have airline service or rental car availability to get you and/or your evacuation pilot back home.
- If your plan includes an evacuation pilot to fly your aircraft, make sure you check your policy. It will specify the minimum qualifications required for the evacuation pilot. For many common single-engine aircraft, it is simply stated as "private pilot or better" and when looking for pilots in your area, check flight schools and aviation colleges, as well as local airports.
For more information, or to set up a FREE review of your policy, contact AssuredPartners Aerospace at 800.622.2672 or email us at FDK.insurance@ap-aerospace.com.
