"Richard Russell" wrote in message
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[...]
That's what I always thought (and still do, as safety is more
important than money) but can anyone comment on this? I was told at a
NACO safety seminar that if you land on a closed runway insurance
companies will not pay, even if was an emergency.

NACO (whoever they are) doesn't set the rules for each policy. The
underwriter for the policy does. And unless the policy explicitly says you
cannot land on a closed runway, even in an emergency, the insurance company
would have a hard time justifying withholding payment on the policy. I know
my policy contains no such language.

It is up to the pilot to decide where the most suitable emergency landing
site is, and it is up to the insurance company to pay for damages to the
airplane that are a result of an accident. Most accidents are the result of
poor judgment on the pilot's part anyway, so even if a closed runway turned
out to not be the most suitable landing site (and that's not a foregone
conclusion anyway), the insurance policy should pay, barring some specific
language to the contrary.

Pete