Question: We’re having a disagreement about liability insurance for our fly-in community. Some of our property owners want as high a liability policy as we can get. Another group says a minimum about is adequate and the third group says we shouldn’t have any liability insurance for the airpark; each homeowner should just carry his own. What’s the best answer?
Answer: I’m not sure there is a best answer but there are different points of view on these.
First though, I would not want to be part of an association that goes without any liability insurance. If the coverage helps with nothing more then the legal fees, it is important.
There are lots of folks who argue that if you have any liability insurance at all that’s just waving dollar signs at a lawyer for someone who has a mishap at your property. I don’t personally see it that way. Despite the negative press, lawyers aren’t just chomping at the bit to file lawsuits without a reasonable case.
Hopefully, the airpark runway, related taxiways and other common properties are held by a homeowners association that is incorporated. If so, I think individuals are reasonably well sheltered by the association. I’m not an attorney (and don’t want to be one) but I think I’ve heard that related enough times to speak it with relative confidence. (I’m sure if that isn’t a good statement, I’ll hear from an attorney among our readers.)
Thus, I would consider the value of the property that is owned by the association and base the insurance coverage on that. A good insurance agent should be able to guide you properly in these areas.
Does your airpark have issues that you’d like me to address? E-mail your question to me.