Air Modo insurance experience.

[SkyPath Productions]

Has anyone had experience filing a claim with AirModo? Any experience in general? Looking to move to this insurance for drone flights.

 

[Mavy3-CJW]

Excellent question. I recently inquired about this via ChatGPT, as I have no direct experience with AirModo. Here's what it returned:

Credibility & Underwriting​

• AirModo’s app policies (hourly or annual) are underwritten by USAIG, a reputable aviation insurer with a long history matricepilots.com+15autelpilots.com+15matricepilots.com+15.
• They emphasize fully in-app claims service rather than relying on third-party brokers .

---

User Reviews & Claims Feedback​

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any direct user reviews detailing actual claims submissions or payouts. Here's what came through:

• In Reddit discussions (e.g., r/drones, r/Multicopter), users are actively evaluating AirModo against alternatives like SkyWatch but note:
  
  

  “AirModo is seemingly cheaper but I can't find much to give me confidence.” reddit.com
  “VERY bummed … Looks solid aside from the fact I can't cancel pre-booked hourly plans.” matricepilots.com+5reddit.com+5reddit.com+5

• Community forum posts (like the DJI Mavic forums) have asked:
  
  

  “Has anyone had experience with AirModo after you need to file a claim?”
  AirModo reps responded that claims are handled by USAIG and referred users to their claims philosophy—but no follow‑up posts confirmed actual claims payouts autelpilots.com+14mavicpilots.com+14commercialdronepilots.com+14reddit.com+15matricepilots.com+15commercialdronepilots.com+15.

 

[Felix le Chat]

Hi SkyPath Productions,

Regarding the post from Keri in this thread, AirModo has no record of this person purchasing a policy from us. They continue to issue defamatory statements and threats against us for no reason. This user sent our business an email asking for a monthly payment plan and when we advised that we don't offer this, we were attacked with profanity and threats of defaming our name online.

In order to help folks better understand who we are. AirModo is a mobile app that is wholly owned by United States Aviation Underwriters, Inc (aka USAIG). Our company was founded in 1928 and is owned by General Reinsurance (Berkshire Hathaway). The AirModo app sells drone specific insurance policies issued by USAIG. I encourage your to look at our website for more info or reach out with any questions.

Glad you responded (and are currently online). I have a question concerning existing policies and new issues of cover for DJI products. How will the inclusion of Chinese drone manufacturers: DJI and Autel on the 'covered list' affect claims on existing policies?

 

[AirModo - Drone Insurance]

Glad you responded (and are currently online). I have a question concerning existing policies and new issues of cover for DJI products. How will the inclusion of Chinese drone manufacturers: DJI and Autel on the 'covered list' affect claims on existing policies?

Hi Felix le Chat. Thats a great question! We will continue to insure existing policies covering DJI and Autel products. Newly issued policies will cover previously authorized drones listed in our mobile app as it stands now. FCC regulations and the "covered list" are not part of our insurance language. Hope that helps.

 

[moldorf]

sure looks like this is for commercial pilots

recreational pilots, if they are cautious; and smart, probably don't need any liability coverage. Just damage and loss

 

[AirModo - Drone Insurance]

sure looks like this is for commercial pilots

recreational pilots, if they are cautious; and smart, probably don't need any liability coverage. Just damage and loss

Hi moldorf,

We have both commercial and recreational pilots purchasing policies. Commercial users have full access to both hourly and annual policies up to $25M in liability limit. Recreational users can only buy up to $2M hourly.

Unfortunately, recreational pilots can hit someone or something just as much, if not more, than a commercial 107 pilot who is licensed and fly daily. In today's legal landscape, settlements and jury verdicts are quite large and can stretch into the millions of dollars quickly. Our policies provide defense coverage outside of the liability limit you purchase so insureds should feel confident knowing their limit of coverage isn't affected by attorney fees eating away at their coverage.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Hi moldorf,

We have both commercial and recreational pilots purchasing policies. Commercial users have full access to both hourly and annual policies up to $25M in liability limit. Recreational users can only buy up to $2M hourly.

Unfortunately, recreational pilots can hit someone or something just as much, if not more, than a commercial 107 pilot who is licensed and fly daily. In today's legal landscape, settlements and jury verdicts are quite large and can stretch into the millions of dollars quickly. Our policies provide defense coverage outside of the liability limit you purchase so insureds should feel confident knowing their limit of coverage isn't affected by attorney fees eating away at their coverage.

Are you really 97 years old, as your profile states? LOL!

So there is no cheaper option for "drone only" insurance for recreational pilots, like a personal articles insurance policy, without also paying for your minimum amount of liability coverage?

State Farm's Personal Articles Policy is unfortunately not available in at least two states, so viable alternatives are being sought with no DJI Care Refresh option available anymore in the U.S..

 

[Starz]

recreational pilots can hit someone or something just as much, if not more, than a commercial 107 pilot who is licensed and fly daily

Interesting distinction. So, recreational pilots, because they aren’t “licensed”pose a greater risk and don’t fly “daily”?

 

[AirModo - Drone Insurance]

Interesting distinction. So, recreational pilots, because they aren’t “licensed”pose a greater risk and don’t fly “daily”?

We were addressing the comment above that recreational pilots don't need liability insurance if they are cautious and smart. It is fact that recreational pilots can have accidents just as much as any other licensed pilot and they are not exempt from accidents in any form. We have also found that pilots who are licensed, complete training, and fly daily are certainly a different risk profile than someone who isn't licensed, taken any type of training, and only fly's once per year.

 

[Starz]

only fly's once per year

Not sure what your profiling methods are, but my thought is the above may need some additional research.

 

[AirModo - Drone Insurance]

Not sure what your profiling methods are, but my thought is the above may need some additional research.

Starz, this is just an example. Not saying every recreational pilot will only fly once per year but our aggregate data shows they fly a lot less than a professional part 107 pilot.

 

[moldorf]

We were addressing the comment above that recreational pilots don't need liability insurance if they are cautious and smart. It is fact that recreational pilots can have accidents just as much as any other licensed pilot and they are not exempt from accidents in any form. We have also found that pilots who are licensed, complete training, and fly daily are certainly a different risk profile than someone who isn't licensed, taken any type of training, and only fly's once per year.

look....I get you have a business and a product to sell

but most recreational pilots here are simply looking for coverage against damage to, or loss of, a drone. Not for a 1 million liability policy for a 250g drone crashing into somebody's fence or apple tree. Where is your insurance niche for a lost or damaged drone? Do you even have that option?

 

[AirModo - Drone Insurance]

look....I get you have a business and a product to sell

but most recreational pilots here are simply looking for coverage against damage to, or loss of, a drone. Not for a 1 million liability policy for a 250g drone crashing into somebody's fence or apple tree. Where is your insurance niche for a lost or damaged drone? Do you even have that option?

Glad we can have these discussions freely. Not trying to sit here and sell but more to clarify the misconceptions out there from an insurer perspective. Most of our insureds choose to self insure or use DJI Care Refresh or similar products. We had too few customers wanting to purchase "hull" coverage in order to make it feasible premium wise and therefore we didn't offer it through AirModo. Most insureds request liability coverage only in the event they injured somebody or damaged someone else's property. As mentioned prior, legal liability in today's environment can get expensive quickly. Similar to car insurance where you can buy comprehensive or just liability only coverage. Don't think any insurer offers just damage coverage on cars without liability coverage, right?

 

[moldorf]

Glad we can have these discussions freely. Not trying to sit here and sell but more to clarify the misconceptions out there from an insurer perspective. Most of our insureds choose to self insure or use DJI Care Refresh or similar products. We had too few customers wanting to purchase "hull" coverage in order to make it feasible premium wise and therefore we didn't offer it through AirModo. Most insureds request liability coverage only in the event they injured somebody or damaged someone else's property. As mentioned prior, legal liability in today's environment can get expensive quickly. Similar to car insurance where you can buy comprehensive or just liability only coverage. Don't think any insurer offers just damage coverage on cars without liability coverage, right?

liability exposure for driving a 3500 pound car on busy roads is nothing like the exposure for flying a 400g drone around the countryside

sure....if I was operating a drone commercially on construction sites, or around electrical infrastructure, or in residential areas for real estate listings & inspections, I'd want some liability coverage. But as a licensed contractor of 40 years I was required to carry liability coverage anyway. But flying a tiny camera drone over open landscapes doesn't really have much potential for liability. That's especially true if you're not careless enough to fly over people and their homes, or busy streets and roads.

at one point in time, when I was fully engaged as a contractor. I had

full insurance for car #1
full insurance for car #2
full insurance for a 4X4 pickup
full insurance for the 5th wheel towed by the pickup
full insurance for two work vans
full insurance for a trailer that could be towed by either of the two vans

(in case you're keeping track that list means 7 different license plates)

full insurance for a home and outbuildings
a separate insurance policy for a shop, on my property, used for business

an inland marine policy covering the thousands of dollars of tools carried in the vans and trailer

a 2 million liability policy for residential construction
a separate 2 million liability policy for commercial construction
two separate bonds for the contractor's license
liability coverage for employees
co-pay medical insurance for employees
unemployment insurance for employees

and often, I had to post fully insured performance bonds for successful bids

I couldn't keep track of all the ways insurance companies were gouging me. Now that I'm retired and have simplified my life you're telling me I need liability coverage for a Mini 4 Pro? I'll fly the other direction

 

[AirModo - Drone Insurance]

liability exposure for driving a 3500 pound car on busy roads is nothing like the exposure for flying a 400g drone around the countryside

sure....if I was operating a drone commercially on construction sites, or around electrical infrastructure, or in residential areas for real estate listings & inspections, I'd want some liability coverage. But as a licensed contractor of 40 years I was required to carry liability coverage anyway. But flying a tiny camera drone over open landscapes doesn't really have much potential for liability. That's especially true if you're not careless enough to fly over people and their homes, or busy streets and roads.

at one point in time, when I was fully engaged as a contractor. I had

full insurance for car #1
full insurance for car #2
full insurance for a 4X4 pickup
full insurance for the 5th wheel towed by the pickup
full insurance for two work vans
full insurance for a trailer that could be towed by either of the two vans

(in case you're keeping track that list means 7 different license plates)

full insurance for a home and outbuildings
a separate insurance policy for a shop, on my property, used for business

an inland marine policy covering the thousands of dollars of tools carried in the vans and trailer

a 2 million liability policy for residential construction
a separate 2 million liability policy for commercial construction
two separate bonds for the contractor's license
liability coverage for employees
co-pay medical insurance for employees
unemployment insurance for employees

and often, I had to post fully insured performance bonds for successful bids

I couldn't keep track of all the ways insurance companies were gouging me. Now that I'm retired and have simplified my life you're telling me I need liability coverage for a Mini 4 Pro? I'll fly the other direction

Congratulations on retirement and it sounds like you had a successful career. Each drone operator has their own needs, requirements, and assets to protect whether they are a recreation pilot or commercial. Everybody fly's in different locations with various risk. You are correct that most commercial 107 operations usually have a requirement to carry insurance in their job contract. I'm NOT forcing you to purchase any liability coverage for your mini 4 pro. You or anyone else has the choice to buy insurance or not.

We've seen small UAS hit people in the heads, cut faces and body parts, hit expensive cars, started fires, collided with manned aircraft, hit power lines requiring full replacement, and many others that have cost a lot of money. Those buying insurance were happy they did since they received legal defense immediately. We aren't here to gouge anybody but we are here to be a service provider to the industry for those who wish to buy insurance.

 

[Starz]

shows they fly a lot less than a professional part 107 pilot

I would tend to agree with that. Commercial work, especially if it’s putting food on someone’s table, would require more time in the air.

 

[PINEBARON]

My AMA membership (I fly RC planes) covers recreational drone liability after claim amount paid by my HO policy which, I just found out does not cover drones since these are considered aircraft. Over $5000 a year for my HO policy and useless for drones although they are willing to add drone damage/lost drone coverage which I declined; sadly not many HO insurers cover properties like ours, hence I'm screwed.

Additionally AIRMODO does not provide annual coverage for recreational use hence need to look elsewhere.