FAQ
TopCover is designed to protect your flying career and to provide long-term financial security for you and your family. Each section of cover is designed to protect against the different challenges that you may face following a serious illness or injury that prevents you from flying.
Income Protection benefit : up to a maximum of US $15,000 per month
Personal Accident benefit : up to US$500,000 for Member and spouse
Critical Illness benefit: up to US $ 150,000 for Member and spouse
Your premiums are paid directly to the insurer in Hong Kong, and are protected under Hong Kong law. The policy offers full dispute resolution rights to policyholders. No claim by any pilot or Group (union or airline) has ever required any formal dispute resolutions procedure.
If you have a medical history or conditions that may increase the likelihood of you claiming in the future, the insurer may restrict your cover and / or apply exclusions.
Once your cover is accepted, it cannot be restricted in the future provided that you continue to renew your policy.
If you have other monthly income protection schemes that will pay you for the same cause of claim, then your benefits may be restricted to a total maximum of 75% of your gross income or $15,000 per month, whichever is the greater.
API is an entirely different scheme and is not a regulated insurance product. We understand that API may only pay a monthly benefit once you have lost your licence and have been terminated as a pilot by Emirates, and at the sole discretion of the API Committee.
TopCover will pay you benefit whilst you are still employed by Emirates if your income is reduced (ie during a period of long-term sick leave of more than 180 days).
The API / LIPS scheme rules change from time to time and all pilot are advised to carry out their own due diligence carefully of the merits of each plan.
You may continue with your Personal Accident insurance whilst receiving Income Protection benefit and premium payments will be due at renewal as normal. This is subject to any eligibility requirements and you are advised to seek assistance from the insurer and IPEP.
If you now declare a new medical condition that the insurer wishes to restrict cover for, it will not affect any existing cover that you already have, provided you keep your cover in place.
If you are moving to an airline that does not have TopCover, your cover will end when you leave your current employer. You may be eligible for a refund of some of your premium in accordance with the policy terms.
The main exclusion is flying – including for your airline. That is invariably insured by your employers’ policy.
Income Protection: to age 60
Critical Illness: to age 60
Personal Accident: to age 65
STARR Companies (or STARR) is the worldwide marketing name for the services offered by the operating insurance and travel assistance companies and subsidiaries of STARR International Company, Inc. and for the investment business of C.V. Starr & Co., Inc. The shared history of STARR Companies can be traced back to December 1919.
Starr is a global, privately-held insurance and investments organization with a global footprint. With offices on five continents, Starr can support our clients around the world. Through its operating insurance companies, Starr provides property, casualty, and accident & health insurance products as well as a range of specialty coverages including aviation, marine, energy and excess casualty insurance. In aviation, Starr has been a leading aviation insurer since 1961. For over 50 years our knowledge, experience and financial strength has enabled us to provide a full spectrum of aviation insurance coverage for the Airline, Aerospace and General Aviation sectors.
Starr Companies also provides a broad spectrum of insurance-related services, including claims handling and settlement, reinsurance, risk assessment, and loss control.
Starr International Insurance (Asia) Limited holds A.M. Best financial strength rating (FSR) of A (Excellent), Financial Size Category Class XV & an issuer credit rating (ICR) of “a”.
Starr International Insurance (Asia) Limited is rated A by AM Best.