Diamond G Club

It is prudent for a pilot operating an aircraft to ask what his/her financial risk might be in the event of an incident or accident. There are three risk-management options available to a pilot renting an aircraft.

A pilot may elect to self-insure, accepting the entire liability in the event of an accident. This liability would include damage to an aircraft, bodily injury to others, and damage to property of others. The value of a new Skyhawk, for example, ranges from about $140,000 to $190,000, so the self-insured risk is substantial. As a Galvin Flying Services Retail Customer, you may be covered for the bodily injury and property damage risks(including damage to the airplane); however, the insurance company has the right to try to recover its loss payment from you(subrogate) if you are the pilot in command and found to be negligent. This is typical of FBO insurance coverage.

Second, a pilot might choose to buy renter’s insurance. For pilots who rent aircraft at various places, this a reasonable option. As an example, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association(AOPA) offers renter’s insurance to members with a choice of liability limits, and hull coverage up to $150,000. The annual cost of a policy that offers $1 million of liability with a $200,000 per seat sub-limit and $150,000 of hull coverage is over $1,500. Hull limits above $150,000 are not available.

The third option is to join an insurance pool offered by the aircraft rental company. Because the pilots operating at a company like Galvin Flying Services are company-qualified in the aircraft, the insurance company extends some of the benefits of the Galvin policy to the renter pilots. In Galvin’s case, a pilot who joins the "Diamond G" membership pool receives automatic coverage for any liability related to Galvin airplanes. The insurance carries $1 million of liability coverage with no sub-limits, and a zero-deductible hull coverage for the airplane. Further, the insurance company agrees to waive its rights of subrogation. For a renter pilot, this is the best coverage value available.

Some high-net-worth individuals may feel that additional coverage would be advised. Diamond G coverage is limited at $1 million. That may seem to be a low coverage limit for persons whose personal assets may make them a target in a lawsuit.

We recommend that in such a case, they employ the services of a professional risk manager who understands how such individuals manage risk and who have tools at their disposal (supplemental insurance products) to assist people and give them the peace of mind regarding risk exposure that they desire.

We are pleased to refer people to Jeff Gray at NationAir. We’ve worked with NationAir for almost 9 years, and find them very helpful in assisting our customers.

NationAir Aviation Insurance
Jeff Gray, jgray@nationair.com
Serves: Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon,
Utah, Washington
Address: 7001 Perimeter Road, Suite 101, Seattle, WA 98108
888-830-1295 • 206-768-0796 • fax 206-768-8505

Diamond G membership insurance is offered at a discounted price. Additional benefits to the member are reduced rates on aircraft rental, instruction, and pilot supplies. The discounted rates by themselves will pay for the insurance.

A comparison example of training costs for a license or rating over a four-month period, with and without Diamond G membership, looks like this:

	Diamond G	Without Diamond G
Initial Fee	500	None
Monthly Fee (4 months)	180	None
50 hours dual instruction	2650	2900
50 hours new Diamond DA20 rental	5900	6550
Jeppesen ground school kit	371	412
4-month total	9,601	9,862
Insurance Coverage	Full	Pilot Responsibility

At Galvin Flying Service, we believe that the financial and peace-of-mind benefits of our Diamond G membership represent an extraordinary value. Our Customer Service Representatives can answer any questions you may have about Diamond G membership. 

Download Our Diamond G Explanation Here
Download Our  Flight Training Brochure Here

Toll Free in the US: 800-341-4102
Flight School Switchboard 206-763-9706
Flight School Fax 206-767-7662
flight@galvinflying.com