AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2013 - 33

AOPAIS

Protecting pilots
AOPAIS celebrates 20 years of service
veteran
Bill Snead has joined AOPA
as president of AOPA Insurance Services, the nation’s
largest insurer of light
aircraft. Snead is a pilot who
has 36 years of aviation
insurance experience as a
broker, agent, and underwriter.
Snead has worked with
clients in all major aviation
insurance lines, including
pleasure, business, and commercial aviation, Experimental, Light Sport, antique,
and warbird aircraft. Snead
began his aviation career
with Avemco Insurance in
1977 as a sales underwriter
and over the next 22 years
rose to become one of
Avemco’s Aviation Insurance
regional managers. Most recently, Snead served as vice
AVIATION INSURANCE

AOPA INSURANCE SERVICES (AOPAIS) marked its twentieth anniversary in August, celebrating two decades of protecting pilots and
the aviation community through insurance and risk-management
services with a commitment to giving back to members through
direct support of the AOPA mission.
“I am delighted to congratulate our colleagues at AOPA
Insurance Services on this noteworthy anniversary,” said Craig
Fuller, AOPA president and CEO. “AOPA Insurance Services perfectly represents AOPA’s core principles through great service for
our members with the goal of keeping them flying. I know the next 20 years will bring
even more success.”
Launched in a partnership with Aon Insurance in September 1993, AOPA Insurance
Services has since grown into a brokerage that offers coverage on a wide variety of aircraft, from historic and experimental aircraft to today’s most advanced business jets.
In 2008, the company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of AOPA and it has assumed
AOPA’s other membership insurance offerings, such as term life and accidental death
policies. Three of the six original employees—Gina Monarez, Cathy Knotts, and Brenda
Jennings—still work for AOPAIS.
From its headquarters in Wichita, AOPA Insurance Services has expanded to offer
a variety of innovative programs for pilots, including special insurance coverage for
flying clubs and an accident forgiveness program. Under that program, pilots who
take two AOPA Air Safety Institute online courses every six months can avoid both a
deductible payment if they are involved in an accident and a premium increase when
the policy is renewed.
In June 2013, AOPA Insurance Services launched a new commercial program offering
coverage to members who have aviation-related businesses, such as fixed-base operators
and manufacturing and repair facilities.
“The changes made over the years have come from tailoring our products to fit what
our members are asking for,” said Brenda Jennings, AOPA Insurance Services senior vice
president and director of operations. “In addition to providing targeted services, we are
also able to right now offer members the lowest rates we have seen in the industry since
the 1970s. This is a very exciting time for AOPAIS.”
In addition to providing financial support for AOPA’s mission, AOPA Insurance
Service has donated $1.8 million to the AOPA Foundation since 2009 to help safeguard
the future of general aviation.

president of aviation insurance with Falcon Insurance.
During his 14-year career at
the company, he launched
and managed Falcon’s Great
Lakes Branch, among his accomplishments. Snead holds
a commercial pilot certificate
and served in the U.S. Air
Force as a crew chief. He has
a bachelor of science degree
from Virginia Commonwealth
University. Snead takes up
his post as AOPA Insurance
Services celebrates its twentieth anniversary.

www.aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 33

http://www.aopa.org/pilot

AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2013