Aircraft Insurance in Virginia
Mandatory InsuranceState requirements, lender rules, and airport policies for Virginia aircraft owners.
State Liability Insurance
Required by Law
Minimum: $50,000 per person
State Hull Insurance
Not Required
Lenders always require hull coverage
Federal Requirements (FAA)
The FAA does not require liability or hull insurance for privately owned general aviation aircraft. Only commercial air carriers must carry insurance under 14 CFR Part 205 ($300,000 per passenger minimum). This means Virginia's state mandate is stricter than federal law.
Virginia State Law
Virginia requires proof of financial responsibility at aircraft registration under Va. Code 5.1-88.1. Split limit minimums: $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident (bodily injury/death, including passenger liability) + $25,000 property damage. Or a single limit of $250,000 (including $50,000/seat passenger liability). Ultralights: $100,000 single limit. Acceptable proof: insurance policy, surety bond, or $250,000 cash deposit/irrevocable letter of credit. Applies to all aircraft except public aircraft and balloons. Last amended 2017.
View StatuteLender Requirements
Most aircraft lenders require hull insurance with the lender named as loss payee, plus liability coverage of at least $1M.
Airport & FBO Requirements
Many Virginia airports and FBOs require proof of liability insurance ($1M minimum) for based aircraft and transient operations.
Recommended Coverage
Regardless of state law, most aviation professionals recommend at minimum:
- ✓$1M combined single limit liability with $100K per-passenger sublimit — the most common GA coverage level
- ✓Hull coverage equal to current market value (stated value, not actual cash value)
- ✓In-motion and not-in-motion coverage (ground and flight)
Source: AOPA Insurance Services. An estimated 10-20% of GA aircraft fly uninsured (GAO Report GAO-15-740, 2015).