A high flying team of aviation insurance specialists

The Crombie Lockwood aviation team, incorporating Boston Marks and Avsure, is perfectly placed to secure the right cover for clients. And, as Crombie Lockwood Aviation Manager, Chris Pyle, explains, those clients are many and varied.

“The aviation industry is much broader than many realise,” she says. “Beyond commercial airlines, our client base also includes owners of private aircraft, along with emergency services who operate search and rescue helicopters and planes, tourism operators, agricultural contractors, glider owners, and increasingly in recent years, commercial drone operators, among others.”

The types of associated businesses requiring specialist guidance on aviation insurance matters also extend beyond companies dealing directly with aircraft itself. Airports and civil aviation authorities, hangar owners, aeroclubs and training organisations, aircraft engineers, parts and service providers and even aviation fuel suppliers all face risks specific to the industry.

“As with many sectors of business in New Zealand, the local aviation industry is hands-on, innovative and entrepreneurial, with an eye on safety. Generally, Kiwi operators are extremely aware of their exposures: helping them manage complex risks is where our specialist team comes in,” says Chris. 

The aviation team cater to the insurance needs of a broad and diverse industry

Getting the right aviation insurance sorted

The Crombie Lockwood aviation team can provide cover to clients located anywhere in New Zealand, with Pat McLaughlan and his team based in Auckland and Chris and her team based in Christchurch.  The team have a wide breadth of experience with Chris herself a veteran of over 20 years in the industry, assisting clients in New Zealand and throughout the Pacific in managing risk and offering guidance through scenarios for all sorts of businesses.

Most general insurance policies exclude aviation-related activities. But working in partnership with specialist aviation insurers, the Crombie Lockwood team, incorporating Avsure and Boston Marks, can offer aviation insurance products developed specifically for businesses connected with the industry.

 “The everyday requirements of insurance cover for a tourism operator in Rotorua flying a small fixed-wing aircraft won’t be the same as a helicopter owner on the West Coast, or an aviation engineer in Wellington,” continues Chris. “Yes, there may be similar liability exposures that apply to each of them, but our longstanding involvement in the aviation sector has given us sound knowledge of our clients’ businesses, and the unique details required for tailoring insurance policies that will cover their individual and specific exposures.” 

The impact of COVID-19 on the aviation sector

With the COVID-19 pandemic having impacted every industry in New Zealand, the majority of aviation companies have been affected – especially those within the tourism sector.

“We’ve had many clients whose aircraft have been grounded, or they have customers of their own that can’t operate. Unfortunately, their ongoing running costs remain, despite not being operational. And with the borders closed, there aren’t the usual international tourists to cater to – for many tourism sector businesses, relying on local holidaymakers will only get you so far. The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for many of our clients and continues to be so.”

Grounded aircraft, however, still have cover needs. Chris says certain covers remain geared to protect clients’ interests specifically when aircraft aren’t in the air. One example is hangarkeeper’s liability cover, designed to mitigate exposure for businesses storing other people’s aircraft in their facilities. Other risks, such as statutory liability and directors and officers’ liability  for example, also remain regardless of the environment the industry is working within.

“There are a lot of complexities specific to the aviation industry, but through the knowledge of our dedicated team, and the broad suite of tailored insurance products Crombie Lockwood’s position in the market gives us access to, we have the right solutions available,” Chris concludes.