The next Microflight Africa magazine carries an advert from a new aircraft insurer that is offering their service to an increasing number of our members. I asked them to write us a story on their company and their offerings as insurance is a critically important matter, especially if you need the comfort of a claim.  The detail on Comav Risk Services is set out below in the “advertorial” article sent in by Andre Liebenberg.

Insuring your Dream

There can be no argument that, by the very nature of the activities they undertake, pilots are faced with unique challenges and dangers, and are forced to be acutely aware of risk and the management thereof.

Think of pre-flight inspections, fuel tests, calculating fuel loads, weight and balancing, flight plans, anticipating and dealing with changing weather conditions – these are all instances of practising risk management to ensure a safe and happy flight.

Good airmanship can often be seen as an extension of a greater overall risk awareness. This approach to airmanship, and by extension the pro-active management of risk in all other business and personal endeavours, should be recognised and rewarded.

It was with this in mind that Commercial, Marine and Aviation Risk Services was formed in 2009 by Andre Liebenberg and Raymond Du Plessis. They aim to address the growing need in the marine and aviation insurance market for specialist products and higher levels of personalised client service.

Whilst Comav Risk Services is a young company, it’s founding members have a combined 53 years of solid experience in the insurance industry.

Raymond Du Plessis is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute in London, as well as the Insurance Institute of South Africa. He is also a Chartered Insurance Practitioner.

He has 35 years of experience in the short term insurance industry, and 20 years ago pioneered the  concept of specialised insurance solutions for the 4×4 community, when he launched TUFFSTUFF 4X4 and Lifestyle Insurance. Though the concept has since been copied by a few, he remains at the forefront of this market, and retains a large and loyal client base of true off-road enthusiasts. He is also proud sponsor of the intrepid adventurer, Kingsley Holgate.

His ongoing involvement in lifestyle orientated insurance products keeps him actively involved with the Nissan SA Mountainbike Series, as well as the Endangered Wildlife Trust.

Andre Liebenberg has completed studies in insurance, business and project management, marketing and human resources, and is a member of the Institute of Business Management, the Insurance Institute of Gauteng, the Fire Protection Association and the National Sea Rescue Institute. He has 18 years of insurance experience, including 10 years handling corporate and multinational accounts, and for the last 8 years has specialised exclusively in aviation insurance, insuring everything from para-gliders to helicopters to intercontinental jets and cargo aircraft – and everything in between.

Andre started flying in 2009, and it was during this time that he recognised a glaring gap in the aviation insurance market, as none of the “established” brokerages seemed to recognise the importance of the rapidly expanding micro light, ultra light and sports segments of the market.

What followed was 6 months of intense market research, including a complete analysis of all incidents reported to the Civil Aviation Authority over the last 5 years per aviation sector (ultralight, microlight, light sport, gyroplane, general aviation, etc).

He then spent months talking to various role players within the industry, including various agents and manufacturers, distributors and training organisations, to get a better understanding of the needs of the market. Last but not least was careful negotiation with select aviation insurers, in order to get a comprehensive overview of the market and the challenges faced by the insurers.

Once the facts had been laid bare for all to see, it became immediately apparent that with a little lateral thinking, it was possible to offer the NTC market all the terms and conditions previously only available to owners and operators of type-certified aircraft, and more.

Andre and Raymond place a strong emphasis on underwriter security and swift claims settlement, and therefore only deal with select insurers with an impeccable track record, so that clients are ensured of swift settlement of claims. The first priority was therefore to identify the appropriate secure and reputable insurance markets, followed by intense underwriting negotiations, in order to secure the widest possible cover at the most competitive terms.

The result is Comav Light Sport, an innovative aviation insurance solution offering fully comprehensive cover to owners and operators of light aircraft, on a full flight hull all risks basis, as well as offering comprehensive hull war and allied perils coverage against malicious and intentional damage. Clients may also opt to include third party legal liability cover, and Passenger Legal Liability cover is also available for most aircraft types.

In all cases, cover has been extended to include trailering, as well as the use of unlicensed landing grounds.

Also available to all aircraft owners and operators, at a nominal premium, is Comav Assist, offering medical rescue and medical evacuation coverage, as well as airborne technical assistance, should you suffer any mechanical or electrical failure on your travels abroad. Comav can also include comprehensive personal accident cover, if required.

Before getting actively involved in the microlight and light sport market, Andre handled the insurance for most of the helicopter ATO’s and operators in the country. Insuring a helicopter for engine damage, other than damage sustained in an accident, has previously been “uninsurable”.

This is no longer the case, and in most instances, Comav can now offer cover for engine damage to piston engine helicopters sustained as a result of an over rev or over speed, as an extension of the underlying hull all risks insurance policy covering the helicopter.

Another innovation is a bespoke short-term domestic (motor and household) insurance product specifically for pilots, at reduced terms.

In addition to offering the best possible terms on non-aviation type risks for pilots, they have extended the parameters of cover to offer several aviation-specific benefits, including free “pilot excess” cover, thus covering you for the excess due and payable in respect of any aviation insurance policy, should you be involved in an incident or accident in anyone else’s aircraft, such as loan, rental or hire & fly aircraft. Cover is provided up to a maximum of R50,000 per incident, and included for all aircraft types from microlights to single and multi engine aircraft, gyroplanes and helicopters.

Also included is worldwide cover on an “all risks” basis, for any handheld flight equipment, such as handheld GPS units, headsets, etc.

Another Comav innovation is gyroSure, a policy designed specifically for the gyro community, which has for the most part enjoyed lacklustre interest, product offering and service from the South African insurance market. GyroSure offers market leading terms to all owners and operators of gyroplanes, including comprehensive hull and war risks cover, as well as passenger and third party legal liability cover, at market leading terms.

In December 2009, Comav Risk Services was appointed by Shadow Lite and All About Flying (Pty) Limited, as the preferred service provider to Jabiru South Africa.

Comav prides itself on service excellence, and see themselves as your personal wingman, always there for you when needed.

They undertake to respond to all queries in under 6 hours  -  no matter how big or small your aircraft, query or claim.

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