Not surprised. If anything, I'm surprised that we are able to still get affordable (depending on your definition) insurance for our sport. My team was supporting operations for a major aviation carrier for many years, and among other things we supported the loss reporting application. The combined ratios were ... eye opening. Typically, the Underwriting team develops rating by class codes, and being a relatively small risk pool, it only takes a couple of incidents to blow the rating scheme out of the water. Assuming that glider FBOs that offer rides and instruction are all in the same class, IIRC last year, there was a 2-32 accident which claimed 3 lives and the L-23 accident which claimed 2. That's a couple of million in losses right off the bat (not to mention untold pain for the families). Let's say there were 50 glider FBOs each paying $20K in premiums last year... you get the picture.

Erik Mann (P3)