Sad day....drone gone :(

[Travisimo]

However, I figure if I do file a claim on my drones, it would be a rare event and a final solution..

Yes, I think this is a good way of looking at it. "A rare event and a final solution" is a precise description. For some people, that's all they'll want or need to have peace of mind. For others, a combination of Refresh and SF insurance would be a better choice. And for others still who want no possibility of added risk for insurance purposes, then Refresh alone may be their only solution (knowing quite well that they don't cover quite a few types of losses). Certainly there is no absolute recommendation that fits everyone, but it's good to get a variety of opinions and experiences here.

 

[Nirvesh]

It's been raining like crazy here....all the rivers are overflowing, so I decided to go capture it. I was hovering about 3ft above the river and I began following it. I was so intrigued with what I was seeing that I lost track of where I was. I didn't know what was above me. I turned around and started coming back. I thought I was at an opening, so I entered sport mode and went straight up. It hit a branch and I watched it splash into the rushing river. F#@$$!!!!!!!!!!
Beautiful thing is I had it insured, so I'll get my money back. I am not sure I will buy another MA though. Will wait out the MP2.

I will be selling the Fly More combo bag, remote, ND filters, charger, cables and 3 batteries. Message me with respectable offers.

How much for the filters?

 

[R1Mavic]

All SOLD

 

[SpyderSkeets]

I'm interested in the filters. How much?



Just kidding. I know that everything is sold, but isn't it annoying that someone cannot take the 3 minutes to skim through the entire thread to see that everything is already sold?

 

[Tim Crabtree]

We are often asked by customers who are considering the Marco Polo RC Recovery System if they should purchase the waterproof "Advanced" version or the non-waterproof "Ultralight" version. I try to lay out the pros and cons; The Ultralight is, of course, smaller and lighter and gives you more mounting options whereas the Advanced is waterproof and crush resistant so it will better survive any crash situation. Often the customer decides that, since their quad is not waterproof, if the tracking tag is destroyed by water then the rest of the equipment will be as well and it doesn't matter if you find it or not.

This whole discussion of loss recovery kind of sheds a different light on that. If DJI Care Refresh will only replace the aircraft if you send the remains into them, then finding it, no matter what condition it is in, is very important. Not to mention that you may find it unharmed and not have to go through the hassle of finding a claim (and maybe having your insurance canceled or using up one of your replacements on Care Refresh unnecessarily). I just read a post over on PhantomPilots where a guy said that his Phantom was stuck in a tree for a year and had no permanent damage. I'm a little surprised by that but it just shows how you don't know what you have to work with until you find it and check it out.

 

[Pieterdk]

It's been raining like crazy here....all the rivers are overflowing, so I decided to go capture it. I was hovering about 3ft above the river and I began following it. I was so intrigued with what I was seeing that I lost track of where I was. I didn't know what was above me. I turned around and started coming back. I thought I was at an opening, so I entered sport mode and went straight up. It hit a branch and I watched it splash into the rushing river. F#@$$!!!!!!!!!!
Beautiful thing is I had it insured, so I'll get my money back. I am not sure I will buy another MA though. Will wait out the MP2.

I will be selling the Fly More combo bag, remote, ND filters, charger, cables and 3 batteries. Message me with respectable offers.

Interested in all the gear please.

 

[R1Mavic]

Lol... It won't stop.

 

[tedledan]

It's been raining like crazy here....all the rivers are overflowing, so I decided to go capture it. I was hovering about 3ft above the river and I began following it. I was so intrigued with what I was seeing that I lost track of where I was. I didn't know what was above me. I turned around and started coming back. I thought I was at an opening, so I entered sport mode and went straight up. It hit a branch and I watched it splash into the rushing river. F#@$$!!!!!!!!!!
Beautiful thing is I had it insured, so I'll get my money back. I am not sure I will buy another MA though. Will wait out the MP2.

I will be selling the Fly More combo bag, remote, ND filters, charger, cables and 3 batteries. Message me with respectable offers.

How did you get insurance? What kind of insurance?

 

[R1Mavic]

How did you get insurance? What kind of insurance?

State Farm, PAP

 

[shakedd]

It's been raining like crazy here....all the rivers are overflowing, so I decided to go capture it. I was hovering about 3ft above the river and I began following it. I was so intrigued with what I was seeing that I lost track of where I was. I didn't know what was above me. I turned around and started coming back. I thought I was at an opening, so I entered sport mode and went straight up. It hit a branch and I watched it splash into the rushing river. F#@$$!!!!!!!!!!
Beautiful thing is I had it insured, so I'll get my money back. I am not sure I will buy another MA though. Will wait out the MP2.

I will be selling the Fly More combo bag, remote, ND filters, charger, cables and 3 batteries. Message me with respectable offers.

Have you had any offers yet? Thx!

 

[Air Beetle]

edit your post if you want it to stop lol

 

[daev1966]

I have all my drones insure with State Farm for $12,000. Premium went up from about $140 to $210 the second year. If I ever start using them for professional use I need another company.

 

[Mike4884]

Hey man how much for the stuff?

..

...
....i kid i kid

 

[NestleQuik]

.......and State Farm canceled me! I was with them for 43 years. I’m 71.

It had to be more reasons why they canceled you, i am sure they pay out more for Auto wrecks than the cost to replace a drone???

 

[kakao]

PM sent ...

 

[Drone on]

I'm looking into the becoming an AMA member, and buying drone insurance through them. You have to be a member, and certified part 107 pilot. Membership is about $70/year, and I am taking the 107 next week for $150. Did the study without cost, so I'll be into $220 before insurance cost, but given the fact the organization has been around for decades the insurer is in the business of model aircraft, and now drone coverage, so likely no drops. I can't get a quote on the insurance until the 107. If I remember to, I'll update with the all in cost for the first year of coverage.

 

[StriiderDroner]

I'm looking into the becoming an AMA member, and buying drone insurance through them. You have to be a member, and certified part 107 pilot. Membership is about $70/year, and I am taking the 107 next week for $150. Did the study without cost, so I'll be into $220 before insurance cost, but given the fact the organization has been around for decades the insurer is in the business of model aircraft, and now drone coverage, so likely no drops. I can't get a quote on the insurance until the 107. If I remember to, I'll update with the all in cost for the first year of coverage.

Drone ON - I am also considering the AMA for insurance. Do you know if the AMA insurance company (underwriter?) reports to Nexis Lexis database?

 

[Noflo]

Here is the deal on getting dropped...... if you get a State Farm policy on your drone or any camera equipment and make a claim in the first year they will drop you after the first year policy renewal date ...but if you don't make it claim in the first year they will not drop you if you make a claim in the second year or after.

 

[SpyderSkeets]

I'm looking into the becoming an AMA member, and buying drone insurance through them. You have to be a member, and certified part 107 pilot. Membership is about $70/year, and I am taking the 107 next week for $150. Did the study without cost, so I'll be into $220 before insurance cost, but given the fact the organization has been around for decades the insurer is in the business of model aircraft, and now drone coverage, so likely no drops. I can't get a quote on the insurance until the 107. If I remember to, I'll update with the all in cost for the first year of coverage.

Unless something with AMA has changed that I do not know about, their insurance is for Liability (i.e. you crash into someone else's house) and is secondary insurance only and does not cover loss or damage to your drone. You do not need to be 107 certified to join unless you are wanting commercial coverage.

 

[method007]

Not only will Farmers drop you if you file a $1,000 claim on a $60 policy, every insurance company will. Beyond that, the claim will remains forever in multiple databases and will be used in the future when rates are considering for other lines of insurance. Filing any insurance claim - regardless of the coverage - for anything under $2,000 is not a great fiscal decision in the long run. A year or so ago I posted the below in an effort to help visualize for people what filing a PAP (drone coverage) claim will do just to your home owners insurance alone.

The average increase in home owners insurance after a claim is filed is 9% (nationwide average in America using data from 2014). The average increase after 2 claims is about 20%. Filing a personal accident protection claim is the same as filing a home owners claim. It does not matter if you have your PAP coverage with one insurance company and have your home owners with another, everybody uses the same reporting system.

Here is a good article that sums up my feelings on the subject:
Think carefully before filing a homeowners claim

If you file a claim, your insurance premium will go up. If you pay $1,100 a year for home owners insurance and file one claim, your home owners insurance premium will increase (on average) of 9% This makes your new premium $1,199 (9% = $99). Your home owners insurance will stay that way until it increases again or if you change insurance companies after the claim history drops off whatever period the insurance company uses for review, generally around 7 years. Most of the time your existing insurance company will not proactively lower your rates. So if you paid the increased home owners insurance for 7 years, that would mean you paid $693 extra in home owners insurance due to filing the claims. Future policies will cost more as will any other insurance you buy to protect personal property. Don't forget, your insurance will increase year over year anyway - which makes the premium bump worse. Without anything specific, here is essentially what we're dealing with regarding the changing costs of homeowners insurance:

Year 1 (No Drone Claim): $1,100
+4%
Year 2 (No Drone Claim): $1,144
+4%
Year 3 (No Drone Claim): $1,189
+4%
Year 4 (No Drone Claim): $1,237
+4%
Year 5 (No Drone Claim): $1,286
+4%
Year 6 (No Drone Claim): $1,337
+4%
Year 7 (No Drone Claim): $1,390
Total over 5 years (no claims): $8,683

VS.

Year 1 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,199
+4%
Year 2 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,246
+4%
Year 3 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,296
+4%
Year 4 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,348
+4%
Year 5 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,402
+4%
Year 6 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,458
+4%
Year 7 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,516
Total over 5 years (1 claim): $9,465

As you can see, by having an increase on your insurance, it makes all other increases that much worse. The difference over 7 years is now $782 (for 1 claim).
Now let's assume that you filed a Mavic claim in year 1, then a hail claim in year 2 - and compare those.

Year 1 (No Drone Claim): $1,100
+4%
Year 2 (No Drone Claim): $1,144
+4%
Year 3 (No Drone Claim but home owners claim - effect next year): $1,189
+9%
Year 4 (No Drone Claim but home owners claim): $1,296
+4%
Year 5 (No Drone Claim but home owners claim): $1,347
+4%
Year 6 (No Drone Claim but home owners claim): $1,401
+4%
Year 7 (No Drone Claim but home owners claim): $1,457
Total over 5 years (1 claim): $8,934

VS

Year 1 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,199
+4%
Year 2 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,246
+4%
Year 3 (W/ Drone Claim & home owners claim - effect next year): $1,296
+20%
Year 4 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,555
+4%
Year 5 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,617
+4%
Year 6 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,682
+4%
Year 7 (W/ Drone Claim): $1,749
Total over 5 years (2 claims): $10,344

The difference is now $1,410 (for 2 claims). Keep in mind, you can simply swap out the home owners claim for a second Mavic claim, there is no difference in regards to how it effects your premium. So what happens if you file 2 Mavic claims, then have a home owners insurance claim?

Year 1 (No Drone Claim): $1,100
+4%
Year 2 (No Drone Claim): $1,144
+4%
Year 3 (No Drone Claim): $1,189
+4%
Year 4 (No Drone Claim): $1,237
+4%
Year 5 (No Drone Claim): $1,286
+4%
Year 6 (No Drone Claim): $1,337
+4%
Year 7 (No Drone Claim): $1,390
Total over 5 years (no claims): $8,683

VS

Year 1 (1st Mavic claim - effect next year): $1,100
+9%
Year 2 (2nd Mavic claim - effect next year): $1,199
+20%
Year 3 (Home owners claim (roof/personal injury/theft) - effect next year): $1,438
+35%
Year 4 (No Drone Claim): $1,941
+4%
Year 5 (No Drone Claim): $2,018
+4%
Year 6 (No Drone Claim): $2,099
+4%
Year 7 (No Drone Claim): $2,183
Total over 5 years (3 claims): $11,978

The difference is now $3,295 between the two above scenarios (no claim vs 3 claims). The worst case scenario (3 claims) vs 2nd best scenario (1 claim) creates a difference of $2,513. As you can see, insurance cost can really snow ball. Keep in mind - after year 7 it's not like the insurance company calls you and drops your rates. This is not unique to a drone however, this is what happens when you file any claim. That's why the article I linked to is such a good one to read. It's specific that if the damage is less than $2,000 or so, you should probably pay for it out of pocket.

None of this discusses the fact that your odds of being dropped from your insurance go up with each claim - which in turn means future insurance costs that much more. Let me know if there are any questions.