- Current projections: in 2017 1,550 new drones will be authorised
- Annual premium for new drone-insurance lies at 75 respectively 60 euro
- „With the new product we are closing a risk gap that is brought about by the technological progress, Andreas Kößl, member of the Management Board of UNIQA Austria, is delighted
Unmanned aircrafts – so-called drones, are becoming increasingly popular. Since 2014 the number of authorised drones has centupled according to data by Austro Control. According to the most current projections there will already be 1,550 drone authorisations this year (see chart) while there were only 150 new ones in 2014. Andreas Kößl, member of the Management Board of UNIQA Austria: “Due to strong demand the drone-insurance has evolved from an individual to a standard product. Previously we already insured drones, however only as individual special solutions.”
Whoever is flying a drone in Austria that weighs more than 250 grams (according to the law on aviation a model §24c) is required to have a flight permit by Austro Control. “Cumpulsory associated with the permit is a liability-insurance”, so Kößl. The advantage of the currently published drone-insurance: the product can be sold ready-made, offers optimal protection and is ideally oriented towards the risk – and since the drone-insurance can now be sold standardly the price of the premium has also gone down.
This is how the drone-insurance works:
The product comprises a maximal insurance sum of one million euro in the worst case, in any case however the statutory demanded sum is covered. The annual premium lies at 75 respectively 60 euro, for steady customers, per drone. The insurance is valid only in Austria; with one contract the insurance holder, as well as all persons as of 16 years living in the same household, are insured. If damage happens by the use of the drone, the insurance holder has to pay retention in the amount of ten percent but at the maximum 2,000 euro. For damage to persons the retention is omitted. “With this product we are closing a risk gap that is brought about by the digitalisation”, Kößl is delighted.
UNIQA Austria
Approximately 6,000 employees of UNIQA Austria are managing 3.5 million customers with around 9.9 million insurance contracts. The pronounced service orientation and customer proximity is underlined by the nine state administrations and over 400 service points. In 2016 UNIQA Austria achieved a market share of roughly 21 percent and is therefore the biggest among the more than 50 insurers that are active in Austria. UNIQA has – according to independent studies – for years been the best known insurance brand in Austria and also the one which Austrians meet with the biggest confidence.