The FAA doesn't require insurance for Part 107 flights, but most paying clients do. The standard ask is a certificate of insurance showing $1 million in drone liability coverage, often with the client named as an additional insured. You can buy it by the hour, by the month or by the year, and add hull coverage if you want your own drone and payload covered too.
What commercial drone insurance covers
- Liability: injury to people or damage to property your drone causes. This is the part clients, venues, property managers and general contractors care about.
- Hull (physical damage): repair or replacement of your drone, camera and payload. Optional, priced on the equipment's value.
- Extras: ground equipment, non-owned or rented drones, invasion-of-privacy coverage, and worldwide coverage on some policies.
A general business liability policy often excludes aircraft, including drones. Read the exclusions or ask your agent before you assume you're covered.
Who asks for proof
- Real estate brokerages and property managers
- Roofing, solar and construction companies
- Event venues, wedding venues and municipalities
- Film productions and agencies
Some large clients require higher limits, or specific wording. Ask for their insurance requirements in writing before you quote the job, because they affect your cost.
Hourly, monthly or annual
On-demand policies are bought in an app for a specific flight window and location. They suit pilots with a few paid jobs a year.
Monthly plans fit seasonal work such as summer real estate or a harvest season.
Annual policies make sense once you fly most weeks, and they're often what agencies and enterprise clients expect. Typical price ranges for each are on how much drone insurance costs.
Hull coverage vs DJI Care Refresh
For a consumer DJI drone, DJI Care Refresh is often cheaper than hull insurance. It replaces a damaged drone for a service fee, but it doesn't cover damage you cause to others, so you still need liability. For enterprise drones with thermal or LiDAR payloads, hull coverage makes more sense. Read does drone insurance cover flyaways before you choose.
What affects your premium
- Liability limit and deductible
- Value of the drones and payloads you insure
- Type of work: roofs, crowds and urban flying cost more than open land
- Where you fly and how many hours
- Your experience, certificates and claims history
Using a drone insurance broker
A broker who specializes in aviation can shop several insurers, explain exclusions and write certificates for clients quickly. That helps for higher limits, spray drones, or contracts with unusual requirements. Online insurers are faster for simple liability.
Insurance rules that catch pilots
- Most policies only pay if you were flying legally: a current Part 107 certificate, a registered drone with Remote ID, and any required airspace authorization.
- Keep flight logs. They help with claims and renewals.
- Spraying, delivery and anything over 55 lb usually needs a specialist policy. See spray drone insurance.
Rules current as of October 2026. This is general information, not insurance or legal advice.
Setting up your business? See how to start a drone business, or contact us for help choosing a work drone.
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