DJI Care VS Drone Insurance: What You Need to Know
Introduction
As drones continue to rise in popularity for all the advantages they provide as we outline in our guides, both enthusiasts and professionals alike are increasingly looking to protect the drone, like with any asset, you want to be sure you’re covered for the unexpected. Especially as these drones range anywhere from $1,000 to $45,000, so when it comes to safeguarding your drone, there are two primary options to choose from: DJI Care and drone insurance. While both offer protection, understanding their differences is crucial in making the best decision for you. In this guide we’ll explore the differences between DJI care and drone insurance.
DJI Care
DJI Care is an accidental protection plan offered by DJI for as you’d guess, only DJI drones. Normally you can only purchase DJI Care if the drone is new, or within 48 hours of product activation. Here are some aspects of DJI Care:
- Coverage Limitations: DJI Care normally covers accidents, such as collisions, flyaway, and water damage, but doesn’t cover situations of loss or theft.
- Duration: DJI Care plans are available in 1 or 2 year packages. You can renew after the initial plans expire though.
- Service Fees: When making a claim with DJI Care, there are fees you’ll need to pay before having your drone repaired or replaced. There are also limits on how many times you can replace your drone on these plans.
- Drone Model Specific: DJI Care is only tied to a specific drone model, so if you have a DJI Inspire 3, and a DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise, you’d need to purchase DJI Care for each one.
- Other advantages: DJI Care also gives you access to technical service support, free shipping for replacement, and depending on the drone, repair discounts.
Drone Insurance
Drone insurance is different from DJI Care as it gives a broader protection option that goes far beyond the limitations of DJI Care. It is offered by various providers and can normally be customised to suit your requirements as a pilot or drone service business. UASys partners with Precision Autonomy to provide drone insurance to pilots just like you. Here are some of the key features of drone insurance:
- Comprehensive Coverage: Unlike DJI Care, drone insurance covers not only collisions, flyaways, and water damage, but also accidents, loss, theft, damage to third-party property, and personal injury liability.
- Customisable Plans: With drone insurance, you have the flexibility to tailor your coverage according to your specific individual or business requirements, things like public liability insurance for any of the equipment you have on the ground and not just for the drone. Or being able to designate Interested Parties in case you’re loaning out a drone to someone else.
- Third-Party Liability: One main advantage of drone insurance is the inclusion of third-party liability coverage. That means if your drone causes damage to someone else’s property or injures a person, the insurance will help cover the associated costs and legal expenses. This is often a requirement before conducting work for some clients, and ranges between $5m to $20m.
- Insuring the Drone Fleet: Drone insurance can cover multiple drones, from different manufactures as well like the WingtraOne, under a single policy. This makes it far easier to manage if you have multiple drones as a pilot or drone service business.
- Other Advantages: The customer support from some insurance companies like Precision Autonomy helps to cut through any of the complexities of insurance to make sure you only receive what you need in your policy. They’re also just a phone call away in case you have any issues.
Conclusion
Choosing between DJI Care and drone insurance depends on your specific needs and the level of protection you need for your drone, yourself, and your business. DJI Care may be more suitable for those who only own a few DJI drones and just need peace of mind for accidental damages. On the other hand, drone insurance offers a comprehensive and flexible solution for drone enthusiasts and professionals, providing coverage for various incidents, including third-party liabilities. Be sure to assess your own requirements and compare the terms and coverage options of both before making a decision to ensure your drone, and business, remains protected.
Note: UASys provides general information only. It should not be taken as constituting professional advice. UASys receives commission based off a successful policy undertaken with Precision Autonomy.
