Flying Under MOSAIC: What It Means for Your Avemco Insurance

The long-awaited and much anticipated MOSAIC¹ rule has been published. The first part which revolves around revised sport pilot requirements will be effective 10/22/2025.

The big question on everyone’s mind, after determining that their aircraft qualifies and that they can now fly as a sport pilot, is what about my insurance policy?  Will my insurance policy allow me to let my medical expire and fly as a sport pilot? Will I now be able to get coverage as a sport pilot in an aircraft that meets the expanded definitions?

While we cannot answer this for the industry, we can say that Avemco Insurance Company’s answer to these questions is yes. Keep in mind both the pilot and the aircraft need to meet all the provisions of the new rule which can be found here.

Your policy may have a requirement for an annual physical and an annual flight review as a condition of insurance because of the type of plane you fly, your age, the hull value or liability limit you carry. In that case, the requirement to have a medical every 12 months is our insurance requirement not the FAA’s. We use your recent medical and good health and annual flight review as a defense to help us settle a claim. If your current policy has this requirement and you are thinking of switching to a sport pilot, please contact us first to discuss whether the requirement can be amended to reflect you flying as a sport pilot. In most cases we will be able to allow it but encourage you to check first.

Many of the policies that Avemco offers on owned aircraft have an open pilot warranty that allows other pilots to fly the aircraft, provided they meet the listed requirements. These typically require a private pilot certificate or better, with a current medical and flight review and set pilot hour requirements. If you are a private pilot and let your medical expire, you are now considered by the FAA as a sport pilot, which disqualifies the pilot from flying under the open pilot clause. However, in most cases, the pilot can be listed by name as an approved pilot which would allow them to operate the aircraft.

When sport pilot was introduced in 2004, we did see a few claims from customers who believed that the sport pilot did not need to comply with flight review requirements. This was not the case then, and it is still not the case now. A sport pilot is still required to comply with flight review requirements.

If you have any questions regarding MOSAIC and your Avemco insurance policy, please call and speak directly to any of our aviation underwriters at 800-638-8440 or e-mail us at [email protected].

We’d love to know what you think of this PIREP. Please e-mail us at [email protected] and let us know.

Reprint by permission only. If you would like to obtain reprint requirements and request permission, please e-mail us at [email protected].

¹ https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/MOSAIC_Final_Rule_Issuance.pdf  

Kim Skipper has been with Avemco Insurance Company since 1987. Kim earned her Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation - the industry’s highest achievement - in 2002. She has been diligent and instrumental in educating customers and callers about general aviation insurance, as well as managing and training the team of aviation underwriters at Avemco. Kim also holds a property/casualty insurance license in all 50 states. She says, “I love the fact that my experience combined with being a direct underwriter allows me to deliver immediate answers to the customers.” In her free time, Kim enjoys crocheting, spending time with her family, and is an avid Baltimore Ravens fan.