COPA Insurance Fail

[ahramin]

I'm currently insured through EAA but it's been a long time since I shopped around so this year I thought I would see what the going rate was. COPA's VIP Aviation Insurance Program couldn't even come up with a quote for my aircraft type. And I'm not flying anything exotic or expensive, there are hundreds of these things flying and the value is less than an old 172. Isn't the whole point of a program like this to use the size of your membership base to leverage an advantage for your members? I pay my COPA membership every year because politics aside, I think it might do some good but this is the last year.

Cheque sent to Nacora through EAA's C-PLAN. I should have known not to waste my time looking anywhere else as their service has always been excellent.

[HO Driver]

What does COPA actually do? Have they done anything significant?

[Taiser]

I've been shopping for insurance for my homebuilt. I called EAA first and was happy with their quote, they got back to me the same day and fired off a quote via e-mail within a few hours... the phone call was pleasant to boot. I called COPA and was less than impressed... they haven't gotten back to me yet with a quote but I think it will be quite a bit more expensive based on what I see my buddies are paying. I'm going through all the fine print to make sure the coverage is adequate, maybe you get more with COPA so I won't diss them too much yet, but I doubt it.

I'm about done with COPA, unless something drastic happens... Between revoking directors memberships so they can't run to paying the president and INSANE amount of $$$ I'm quickly losing faith. If I don't decide to get insurance through them I don't see the point of sticking around... Their monthly newspaper isn't worth it, the EAA mag is much better when it comes to articles that appeal to me and what the EAA is lobbying the government for on behalf of its members seems much more than anything I read going on here with COPA! If they are doing a bunch of stuff I'm unaware of, then maybe they should do better job at letting us members know...

[spafloats]

Try the APBQ insurance program. A relatively new program underwritten by Global Aerospace with competitive rates, good coverage and claims service.

Spafloats

[AirFrame]

the EAA mag is much better when it comes to articles that appeal to me and what the EAA is lobbying the government for on behalf of its members seems much more than anything I read going on here with COPA! If they are doing a bunch of stuff I'm unaware of, then maybe they should do better job at letting us members know...

I agree that the EAA magazine is better, but keep in mind that the EAA does no lobbying of the government in Canada. COPA and RAA do all of the lobbying for GA and Amateur-Built, respectively. Both groups could better communicate what they do for us.

[5x5]

COPA doesn't necessarily do much lobbying in Canada either. While the whole move to close down CYXD, a very notable aerodrome with huge historical significance, was proceeding they did nothing. Supposedly since there was not a local COPA flight based right in Edmonton at the time. Seems a bit self-serving to me. I realize that groups like this need members but I also know there were lots of members in Edmonton, just not organized as a "flight".

Lots of reasons why their time has past.

[I_Drive_Planes]

When I bought my Cherokee this May I was less than impressed with both COPA and EAA C-PLAN. COPA was several hundred dollars more expensive than the best quote I got from the other brokers I contacted. C-PLAN was fairly competitive price wise, but required 10 hours of dual. On a Cherokee. Air 1 insurance in Pitt Meadows found me an excellent rate from a more reasonable underwriter.

COPA is definitely in need of a serious overhaul. The only reason I'm a member is because I like to read the airplane ads every month and the odd worthwhile article in COPA Flight.

[KnownIce]

The only reason I'm a member is because I like to read the airplane ads every month

Here's a handy tip for you:

- obtain a copy of any COPA (or other published) classifieds from 1980-2000, rewrite 2014 overtop of that date
- add 10 hours per year to the total time on each personal aircraft being hawked to account for typical GA usage during that entire interval
- leave in meaningless phrases like "fresh top overhaul" and "like new interior"

There you have it, a brand new classifieds ad to peruse without the annual subscription!

[I_Drive_Planes]

The only reason I'm a member is because I like to read the airplane ads every month

Here's a handy tip for you:

- obtain a copy of any COPA (or other published) classifieds from 1980-2000, rewrite 2014 overtop of that date
- add 10 hours per year to the total time on each personal aircraft being hawked to account for typical GA usage during that entire interval
- leave in meaningless phrases like "fresh top overhaul" and "like new interior"

There you have it, a brand new classifieds ad to peruse without the annual subscription!

Sad, but true.

[Jungle Jim]

I also switched to the EAA plan and have been happy with their service and response times. I won't be going back. Also the Doug Ronan issue helped to make my decision.

Jim

[spafloats]

I think a lot of people miss the point of what they are buying and focus primaily on the price. Remember that all you ar buying when you pay for insurnce is service from the broker (no aircraft insurance is sold by agents in Canada) and a wad of paper (or electonic bits) that says what the insurance underwriter will do at some time in the future if there is a loss. This is the fine print in coverage and all aircraft insurance policies are not alike (unlike car insurance, aircraft insurance is not highly government regulated in Canada). The apples and oranges caveat applies! Compare!!

As far as EAA and the other so called voice of aviation being the only organizations that represent and lobby for GA in Canada, there are many other organizations that do in a very great way (APBQ is a great example).

Spafloats

[ahramin]

A good point floats.

My EAA policy covers ALL licenced pilots with 25 hours on type. COPA's underwriters wanted me to get a checkout in my own airplane. The EAA policy has a disappearing deductible, only one I've ever seen like that. The EAA policy also covers any aircraft I borrow up to the limits of my own aircraft. So if I crash my buddy's plane, my own policy covers it. That one I'm starting to see more places than EAA, but not everywhere.

For my situation, EAA has the best coverage and the best rate. A rarity.