Part of the Department of Transport, Environment and the Regions, AAIB is responsible for the investigation of civil air accidents and serious incidents within the UK. AAIB’s home page provides accident report procedures and the text of the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulations 1996 plus report bulletins. www.aaib.dft.gov.uk.

Travel as a fare-paying passenger with recognised airlines is not excluded under personal accident policies. Private flying is excluded, but cover can be specially arranged.

The contract of carriage between a shipper and an air carrier. It serves the same purpose as a bill of lading on a vessel but is not a negotiable instrument.

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A bill of landing that covers both international and domestic lights transporting goods to a specified destination. This is a non-negotiable documents of air transport that serves as a receipt for the shipper, indicating that the carrier has accepted the goods listed and obligates itself to carry the consignment to the airport of destination according to specified conditions.

Public liability policy exclusion ensuring that aviation and marine risks are not covered unwittingly. The exclusion is overridden in respect of any liability attaching to the insured arising out of business entertainment on or in craft belonging to others, or in handpropelled boats. Work by the insured in or on aircraft or vessels (e.g. cleaning) should not normally be excluded.

Specified in paragraph 5 of Part I of Schedule 1 to the Regulated Activities Order (Contracts of general insurance) as the insurance upon aircraft or upon the machinery, tackle, furniture or equipment of aircraft.

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Coverage for the insured in the event that the insured’s negligent acts and/or omissions result in losses in connection with the use, ownership, or maintenance of aircraft.

Specified in paragraph 5 of Part I of Schedule 1 to the Regulated Activities Order (Contracts of general insurance) as insurance against damage arising out of or in connection with the use of aircraft, including third party risks and carrier’s liability.

Covers airlines for a pre-agreed daily amount in the event of the aircraft being out of use due to an ‘intervening peril’ (peril covered under hull all risks and war risks covers), but can extend to mechanical breakdown, groundings, air traffic control strikes, etc. Cover does not apply to total loss situations. Financiers may insist that cover is arranged to fund lease payments during periods of repair. Claims payments may be sufficient to help the insured meet other fixed costs. See TOTAL LOSS ONLY INSURANCE.

Protects aircraft lessor against confiscatory acts (typically by the country of domicile of owner and/or country of registration) and inability to enforce possessory rights following a default under the lease. The insurance may be extended through a contingent war policy to cover damage to the aircraft whilst awaiting repossession.

Main policies are aviation hull all risks and aviation liability. Other special forms of aviation insurance effected by airlines are: war risks; deductible insurance; unearned premium; mechanical breakdown; loss of use. Airlines also need a full range of non-marine policies covering ground property, vehicles, risks and liabilities related to ground operations. There are standard aviation wordings (see AVNIC) but most airlines have individual ‘manuscript’ wordings devised with brokers to reflect their particular circumstances. Premiums are based on ‘own experience’, regional and global airline experience, type of aircraft, route structure, passenger make-up and individual legal situations.