I know I've broached this issue before but today I've had cause to revisit it. I have been taking my daughter (33) who is a PPL and IFR pilot, currently moving through the AA flight academy getting her rating to work professionally, flying in the Falco. At the academy they charge over $200/hr for plane and instructor so I try to cover as many of the requirement in our airplanes. I just bought a Tiger with a partner for that reason and his son is also getting his IFR but on his own.
I asked the Insurance broker (Skysmith) if I could put her on the policy back in June when I renewed my policy but was denied, but this was before she got her IFR rating. She now has her IFR and is working on her Commercial and one of the requirements is a long 250nm cross country. Last weekend we went on that trip in the Falco because the Tiger is down for maintenance. I sent an update to the insurance broker, Skysmith, and he said he would pass that on to the underwriter, IAT.
Today I get an email from Skysmith telling me that IAT is cancelling my insurance. reason being; in the policy it says, I am the only one who can fly the airplane. I took that to mean I can't lend the plane out to anyone, even if they have Falco time. The policy also states I can't instruct. I took that to mean that I can't instruct a new student in the plane or do BFR or refreshers to Falco pilot, though I'm not sure what the big deal is if I'm not charging money and I'm in the plane as PIC.
I told them that When I fly with my daughter I am the PIC (I'm a CFI as well). She has never landed the airplane nor flown from the left seat but she has handled the control, flown approaches and made PIC decisions. They said "If she logs the time, and you sign the logbook I'm in violation of the policy". In the past I have taken Young Eagles, under the EAA program and occasionally let them handle the controls. I usually sign their first logbook and IAT tells me that's in violation of their policy? How could I show the airplane to a prospective buyer (it is for sale, because of the Tiger purchase) if I can't let them handle the controls. I find this is total BS and I believe they were looking for a way out of the policy. There was a different interpretation of "wording" between me and IAT and I'm even more pissed at Skysmith for not pointing that out when I ask them in June if I could put my daughter on the policy. At that time I submitted a "Pilot Qualification" sheet on both me and my daughter. Nothing was said at that time.
Usually I wouldn't care and would refuse to use Skysmith again but I've been with them for 10 years or more and the last time they tried to get full coverage only IAT gave a quote.
So, Does someone have a broker, or individual company who has an underwriter other than Skysmith or IAT? If so please pass it along. Baring no insurance my plane will probably sit, until it sells.