PRODUCT: General aviation and all other lines of aviation insurance

COMPANY: Various admitted markets, including USAIG, Global Aerospace, Starr Aviation, Allianz and XL Specialty

BEST RATING: A or better

AVAILABILITY: General aviation specialist JSL Aviation Insurance pays commissions to retailers, typically 5-10%.

FOCUS: JSL Aviation Insurance sees new business opportunities involving a completely new niche in the commercial insurance world: unmanned aerial systems or drones. Doug Johnson, JSL Aviation president, cites new business for aircraft liability and physical damage coverages for drones of military contractors, as well as surveillance craft for police departments throughout the U.S. All this is part of JSL Aviation’s marketing campaign to serve general aviation accounts of more retailers across the country. To that end, Johnson says JSL Aviation welcomes the opportunity to serve a growing number of individual risks, including hard-to-place accounts and book rollovers. Johnson also touts his company’s “ease of doing business” for independent agents. “We can find a market for your business even if you have only one account and don’t have a lot of experience in this tough specialty,” he says, describing his firm as a resource or consultant for independent agents who want information on how to structure a placement, necessary coverages and exposures.

UNDERWRITING: JSL Aviation prepares both aircraft hull and general liability, as well as aviation property and aviation workers comp. The firm also handles various kinds of aviation manufacturers products liability, including aircraft and parts ranging from aircraft instruments to landing gear. Policies are generally written on a stand-alone basis, but a producer serving fixed base operators might arrange packages covering both the GL for slip-and-fall exposures on a tarmac and hull and liability protection if they operate aircraft commercially. As a rule of thumb, underwriters prefer corporate aircraft accounts that usually have hull limits no greater than $65 million, usually with zero deductibles.

Corporate aircraft coverage also includes guest voluntary settlement with limits of up to $500,000, non-owned liability and physical damage for those who charter aircraft and helicopters and a broad range of ancillary coverages, including trip interruption protection and premises liability protection. JSL Aviation can deliver coverage for airports and government entity aircraft. The independent specialty agency can arrange airport liability for airports that are owned or operated by governmental or private entities, as well as aircraft hull and liability policies. Coverage is available for both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft risks. Airport liability limits can soar as high as $500 million. Aircraft liability limits can reach $500 million. Primary premises general liability limits or products and completed operations GL limits each can go as high as $300 million. International risks are considered on a case-by-case basis, although underwriting such a risk is made easier if it’s a U.S.-registered aircraft that is based overseas.

MINIMUM PREMIUM: Varies by risk, but generally $5,000.

TARGET: All types of aviation insurance exposures.

COVERAGE TERRITORY: All states.

CONTACT: Doug Johnson, president; JSL Aviation Insurance, 500 Plantation Park Drive, Loganville, GA 30052; 800-654-7892, ext. 4101 or 678-639-4101.

Ron Lent is an IA contributor.