Flying Private: Is $100 Million Enough?

What charter customers, jet card holders, and fractional aircraft owners should know about aviation liability protection

Private aviation offers convenience, flexibility, and control. But for charter customers, jet card holders, and fractional owners, an important question remains: If the unthinkable happens, is the operator’s liability insurance enough?

A 2025 jury verdict awarded more than $28 million to one family following the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 tragedy. While that was not a private charter case or a confirmed insurance payout, it illustrates how substantial a single aviation wrongful-death claim can become.

Private aviation frequently carries executives, entrepreneurs, and other high earners whose lost income and financial support may contribute to significant claims. Personal wealth alone does not determine damages, but legally recoverable lost earnings can be substantial. When multiple passengers, crew members, or people on the ground are affected, even a $100 million liability policy could face significant pressure.

And a large headline limit does not tell the whole story. Who qualifies as an insured? Are there passenger sublimits? Who shares the available coverage? The answers depend on the underlying policy and contractual arrangements.

Multiple aviation insurance carriers and specialty markets offer solutions tailored to charter customers, jet card subscribers, and fractional owners, including non-owned aircraft liability, excess liability, and difference-in-limits coverage. Depending on the policy and ownership arrangement, these products may help protect against covered liability claims. They are not substitutes for life insurance or guaranteed benefits to surviving family members.

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Relation Insurance Aviation Practice Group helps clients understand these exposures and explore coverage tailored to their aviation activities, financial interests, and comfort level with risk.
Don’t leave your liability protection to assumption. Contact our team to schedule a confidential review to help you evaluate your operator’s coverage, identify potential gaps, and explore solutions designed for your specific aviation arrangement.

Because the question isn’t simply how much insurance your operator carries. It’s whether that insurance is enough when it matters most.