Life Insurance for Pilots
Jason Stolz CLTC, CRPC
Life insurance for pilots can be more complex than most professions due to aviation-related risks — but it’s absolutely achievable. Whether you fly commercially, privately, recreationally, or as a helicopter or agricultural pilot, affordable and comprehensive coverage is available through Diversified Insurance Brokers. With access to over 75 top-rated carriers and decades of experience insuring high-risk occupations, our team understands exactly how to navigate underwriting for pilots to help you secure the protection your family deserves.
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Why Pilots Face Unique Life Insurance Challenges
Pilots often encounter extra underwriting questions and, in some cases, higher premiums due to occupational hazards such as altitude risk, solo flying, night operations, or flight hours in experimental aircraft. However, these factors can be mitigated by providing complete documentation — logbook data, certifications, and safety records — which allow underwriters to assess risk more accurately. At Diversified Insurance Brokers, we routinely help clients present their aviation background in the most favorable light possible.
Who Qualifies for Pilot Life Insurance?
Nearly every category of pilot can qualify for coverage, including:
- Commercial pilots — airline, cargo, and charter pilots.
- Private pilots — non-commercial license holders who fly for leisure or business travel.
- Helicopter pilots — including medevac, law enforcement, or private transport.
- Agricultural and crop-dusting pilots — higher-risk due to low-altitude flight patterns and chemical exposure.
- Flight instructors and student pilots — often eligible for preferred or standard rates with proper documentation.
- Corporate and business aviation pilots — including jet or turboprop operators.
Types of Life Insurance Available to Pilots
Pilots can access the same main policy categories as other professionals — the underwriting process simply accounts for flight exposure. Common options include:
- Term Life Insurance: Affordable coverage for a set period (10, 20, or 30 years). Excellent for income protection, mortgages, and family security.
- Whole Life Insurance: Permanent coverage with fixed premiums, guaranteed death benefit, and cash value accumulation.
- Universal Life Insurance: Flexible premiums and adjustable death benefits — ideal for pilots seeking long-term flexibility.
- Final Expense Insurance: Simplified-issue plans covering funeral and burial costs, often without a medical exam.
Understanding Aviation Exclusions
Older policies often contained aviation exclusions that denied benefits for non-commercial flight activity. Modern insurers are more flexible, but exclusions may still appear for certain activities like stunt flying, crop dusting, or experimental aircraft. Our advisors review each carrier’s language carefully to ensure you know exactly what is — and isn’t — covered.
How Pilots Can Lower Premiums
- Provide complete flight logs showing safe hours and up-to-date certifications.
- Maintain strong health metrics (weight, blood pressure, cholesterol).
- Fly under structured programs (Part 121 or 135 carriers often receive better classifications).
- Consider coverage layering — combining term and permanent life to balance cost and security.
Example Case Study
A 38-year-old corporate pilot with 2,000 flight hours wanted $1 million of term coverage for income replacement and family protection. Because he flew modern jet aircraft under Part 135 operations with impeccable health and flight records, our team secured preferred-rate coverage — the same rate as many non-aviation professionals. This example highlights how proper presentation and the right carrier relationships can drastically reduce costs for pilots.
Why Work With Diversified Insurance Brokers
Since 1980, Diversified Insurance Brokers has specialized in high-risk and complex underwriting cases, from commercial drivers to medical professionals to pilots. As a fiduciary agency licensed in all 50 states, we work with over 75 top-rated insurers — not just one company. Our role is to shop the entire market, ensuring you receive the best combination of value, flexibility, and long-term stability. Explore related coverage options like life insurance with pre-existing conditions, learn how group vs. individual life insurance compares, or see our guide to working with independent agents.
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Get Expert Help From Aviation-Savvy Advisors
Choosing the right insurer makes all the difference. Some carriers treat all aviation equally risky, while others specialize in professional pilots. Our advisors know which underwriters are most pilot-friendly — saving you both time and money. Get a no-obligation comparison quote below and see what options fit your flight profile.
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FAQs: Life Insurance for Pilots
Can pilots get affordable life insurance?
Yes. Many pilots qualify for standard or even preferred rates, especially if they fly under structured operations with a strong safety record and health history.
Do I need to report all flight activity?
Yes. Disclosing total flight hours, type of aircraft, and certifications ensures proper underwriting and prevents future claim issues.
Are aviation exclusions still common?
They’re far less common today, but some policies still exclude high-risk flying such as crop-dusting or stunt operations. Always review policy language carefully.
Will student pilots be denied coverage?
No. Student and recreational pilots can still qualify. Underwriters may limit face amount or require updates once a full license is achieved.
How can I lower my pilot life insurance rates?
Provide accurate flight logs, maintain strong health, and work with an experienced independent agency like Diversified Insurance Brokers that knows which carriers treat pilots more favorably.
What documents will insurers request?
Expect to provide pilot certificate numbers, flight hours, ratings, medical exam documentation, and recent logbook pages verifying activity and aircraft types.
Does travel frequency affect premiums?
It can. Commercial pilots with predictable flight schedules often fare better than recreational pilots with sporadic or high-risk flying habits.
Can helicopter or agricultural pilots get coverage?
Yes. These are higher-risk categories, but specialized carriers offer policies designed for low-altitude and mission-specific operations.
Is medical underwriting required for pilots?
Usually, yes — especially for policies over $250,000. Some smaller final-expense or simplified-issue policies require only basic health questions.
What if I was declined before?
Don’t give up. Many pilots are approved through different carriers once their logbooks and medical documentation are clarified. Our advisors regularly succeed where others could not.
About the Author:
Jason Stolz, CLTC, CRPC, is a senior insurance and retirement professional with more than two decades of real-world experience helping individuals, families, and business owners protect their income, assets, and long-term financial stability. As a long-time partner of the nationally licensed independent agency Diversified Insurance Brokers, Jason provides trusted guidance across multiple specialties—including fixed and indexed annuities, long-term care planning, personal and business disability insurance, life insurance solutions, and short-term health coverage. Diversified Insurance Brokers maintains active contracts with over 100 highly rated insurance carriers, ensuring clients have access to a broad and competitive marketplace.
His practical, education-first approach has earned recognition in publications such as VoyageATL, highlighting his commitment to financial clarity and client-focused planning. Drawing on deep product knowledge and years of hands-on field experience, Jason helps clients evaluate carriers, compare strategies, and build retirement and protection plans that are both secure and cost-efficient.
