DJI Drone Insurance: Coverage and Costs

DJI makes some of the most common and popular drone models, from budget-friendly hobby drones to high-end ones used for complex cinematography.

But what happens if you damage or lose your drone, or it causes harm to someone or their property?

DJI’s protection plan, DJI Care Refresh, helps drone pilots quickly and easily get a new drone if they lose or damage theirs. It’s a great addition to a full drone insurance policy, but it doesn’t provide liability coverage, which all business owners who fly drones should have.

Learn more about insurance for your DJI drone, including how much it costs and where you can get coverage.

What is a DJI drone?

DJI drones lead the industry. Whether for hobby or professional use, the Chinese manufacturer’s popular models of camera drones meet most pilot needs, from selfie-taking to videography, surveying, and photography.

The DJI Mini series is an affordable entry-level camera drone for personal enjoyment and basic commercial use. Meanwhile, DJI models like the Mavic series have the features, batteries, gimbals, and camera quality for high-value productions.

With so much range in DJI products, drone ownership comes with a variety of risks and investments. This is why everyone should consider DJI drone insurance for their device.

The DJI drone insurance policy that’s right for you will depend on why you fly your drone, how often, and the coverage scenarios that concern you. From third-party insurers to DJI’s in-house coverage, you have plenty of drone insurance options to help you fly with peace of mind.

What is DJI Care Refresh?

DJI Care Refresh is DJI’s official drone insurance product. DJI customers can purchase DJI Care Refresh for most DJI drones. Similar to drone hull insurance coverage on a typical drone insurance policy, DJI Care Refresh is a comprehensive damage protection solution that’ll help repair or replace your drone if you lose or damage it.

DJI Care Refresh is a big step up in protection from DJI’s warranty, which only covers some drone parts from shipping damage and other non-operator failures.^[1] DJI Care Refresh applies to a range of coverage scenarios, including water damage, collisions and accidents, and flyaway coverage (though not for all DJI models).^[2]

The claims process for DJI Care Refresh is simple and fast. Instead of video verification requirements and deductibles from traditional insurers, you’ll complete a short registration form and send your damaged drone to the DJI service center. For flyaway claims, you’ll submit a flight record from the incident.

How DJI drone insurance works

When DJI receives your drone, the customer service team performs the necessary repairs in about five working days. If your drone is beyond repair, or if you prefer a replacement drone, you’ll pay the replacement fee specified in your policy’s terms of service and receive a working drone of the same model. DJI pays all shipping costs.

For expedited service, you can pay the replacement fee to DJI up front and receive your replacement drone faster.

To access flyaway coverage, you must also complete your registration in the DJI app and bind your drone to the remote controller. This will help you provide flight records for your flyaway incident, which are essential to flyaway coverage through DJI Care Refresh.

You’re only eligible to purchase DJI Care Refresh during a short period after purchase or activation. Otherwise, you’ll need to apply for video verification to prove your DJI drone ownership.

DJI covers a maximum of three years of your drone’s running life, and you need to renew it continuously within 15 days of your policy’s expiration.

Types of DJI drone insurance

If you’re shopping for DJI drone insurance, you have three main policy options:

• DJI Care Refresh is DJI’s in-house protection plan and replacement service. It insures your drone from water damage, normal wear, collisions, and usually offers flyaway coverage. The service is fast, and the claims process is simple.

• A drone insurance policy from a third-party insurance company fills important gaps in DJI Care Refresh. Among other coverage scenarios, a third-party policy gives you bodily injury and property damage liability protection, which DJI Care Refresh doesn’t.

• Business and commercial drone insurance provides a broader scope of financial protection with coverage amounts that reflect your level of risk. When you’re flying a camera drone for a business purpose, you’re exposing your business to lawsuits, including property damage, bodily injury, and even privacy. Business drone insurance protects you.

What DJI drone insurance covers

Your DJI drone insurance will apply to different coverage scenarios depending on your insurance policies. You can purchase DJI drone insurance to cover:

• Crashes and drops: DJI Care Refresh policies cover drone accidents during normal use. Exclusions apply for inclement or extreme weather.

• Flyaway claims: Some DJI drones are eligible for flyaway coverage from DJI Care Refresh. Third-party policies won’t cover lost drones without hull insurance.

• Accident protection: DJI Care Refresh will repair or replace your drone if it’s damaged in an accident. Other policies provide liability coverage for accidents.

• Repair service and replacement service: Hull insurance through a third-party insurance company could replace your drone (after you pay your deductible), but it won’t offer a repair service. DJI Care Refresh offers both.

• Covered accessories: DJI Care Refresh might cover gimbals, batteries, and other elements of your DJI drone. Check your terms of service to know for sure.

• Liability: DJI Care Refresh doesn’t provide bodily injury, property damage liability, or liability coverage from any other lawsuit. But third-party insurance does.

DJI drone insurance cost

Drone insurance premiums depend on the policy type and scope of coverage. Here’s an overview:

• DJI Care Refresh: Coverage typically costs about 10% of the drone’s list price. You can save if you buy DJI Care Refresh for two years. Otherwise, the company sells it in one-year increments. Replacement fees are approximately 10% of the drone’s list price for damage and 40% for flyaway (if available).

• Third-party DJI drone insurance: Third-party drone insurance costs begin at approximately $400 per year for $1 million in liability coverage. Premiums for high-risk business activity and expensive equipment can run between $600 and $3,000. You can buy coverage in yearly, monthly, and sometimes hourly periods.

Third-party insurance companies also provide hull insurance, which provides similar coverage as DJI Care Refresh on a third-party drone insurance policy.

• Hull insurance premiums are comparable to DJI Care Refresh, at 10% of the value of the insured drone.

• Hull insurance deductibles are typically between 5% and 10% of the unit’s insured value.

Is DJI drone insurance required?

Drone insurance isn’t legally required for hobbyists except in specific municipalities, such as in some parts of Minnesota. But hobby pilots can buy drone insurance for their own peace of mind. 

If your business owns and operates drones, it’s possible that a client will require you to have insurance.^[4]

Drone operators in regulated industries that heavily use photography, such as real estate or insurance inspections, or those who work with public entities or government agencies, are most likely to require drone insurance.

Liability is a strong reason to buy drone insurance. But if your business has high drone equipment costs, you also might benefit from payload insurance to protect those assets, with coverage amounts that match your investment.

Is DJI drone insurance worth it?

Drone insurance is often worth the cost. And for frequent fliers and commercial operators, it’s a must-have. 

Even hobby pilots can benefit from liability protection and hull coverage to recoup potential losses. Operators with less experience are more prone to accidents and damage to their drones. So a small investment in coverage might save large amounts of money.

DJI Care Refresh is a well-priced accident protection and replacement service. Businesses or hobbyists could save on repair costs and receive faster service with DJI Care Refresh compared to a standard third-party hull coverage policy.

But DJI Care Refresh is a limited insurance product, and it may not be sufficient for many drone operators. While you may want to enroll in DJI Care Refresh if you’re a DJI drone owner, make sure to shop for a liability policy as well — especially if you fly drones for business.

DJI drone insurance FAQs