Cessna insurance: how much does it cost to insure a Cessna 150, 172, 182 or 210?
Cessna insurance for a privately owned Cessna 172 with a $100,000 hull and $1M liability typically costs $1,200–$2,500 a year in 2026 for an experienced pilot and $2,000–$3,500+ for a low-time pilot. A broker-published example for a 1979 Cessna 182 ($150,000 hull, 900-hour IFR pilot, hangared in Texas) came in at about $1,450 a year. Retractable, high-performance models like the 210 cost more. Hull premiums run roughly 0.9%–1.3% of agreed value for fixed-gear piston Cessnas, plus liability. See the full airplane insurance cost breakdown.
- Fixed-gear Cessnas (150/152/172/182) are among the cheapest certified aircraft to insure because the claims data is deep and the aircraft are forgiving to fly.
- Pilot experience moves the price more than the model does. A 90-hour pilot can pay twice what a 1,000-hour IFR pilot pays for the same 172.
- Retractable and high-performance Cessnas (210, 177RG) trigger hull-rate loadings and often require dual instruction before the insurer will cover hull damage.
- Most Cessna quotes default to $1M liability with a $100,000 per-seat sublimit. Price a smooth limit too (smooth vs per-seat).
- Flight-school or rental-fleet 172s cost $4,000–$8,000+ a year to insure because of student exposure.
Cessna Insurance Cost by Model (2026 Indicative Ranges)
• Cessna 172 (hull $80,000–$150,000): $1,200–$2,500 for an experienced private owner, $2,000–$3,500+ for a low-time pilot, $4,000–$8,000+ in flight-school use.
• Cessna 182 (hull ≈ $150,000+): a broker-published example came to ≈ $1,450 for a 900-hour IFR pilot, hangared in Texas. Low-time pilots should expect much more.
• Cessna 210 (retractable, high performance): hull rates are loaded for gear and performance. Expect multiple thousands a year and a make-and-model training requirement.
These figures come from the hull-rate formula explained in airplane insurance cost and are indicative, not quotes.
Why the Same Cessna Gets Very Different Quotes
Get two or three quotes through an aviation broker before you sign a purchase agreement. A 172 and a 182 can differ by $1,000+ a year for a low-time pilot.
Liability Limits Most Cessna Owners Get Wrong
Cessnas on Floats, Homebuilt Look-Alikes and Rentals
Co-Owning, Instructing In or Hangaring a Cessna
Illustrative Case: Two Pilots, One Cessna 172, Two Very Different Quotes
Scenario: Linda (1,100 hours, instrument rated, hangared) and Josh (95 hours, new private certificate, tie-down) each requested quotes on the same $110,000 Cessna 172 with $1M / $100k-per-seat liability.
Resolution & Judicial Outcome: Linda was quoted about $1,350 a year. Josh's first quote was about $2,900, with a 10-hour dual requirement in make and model. After completing the training and moving the aircraft into a shared hangar, Josh re-quoted at about $2,300, and his premium is expected to keep falling as he logs more hours.
What You Should Do: Step-by-Step Action Plan
Critical Mistakes to Avoid
- Letting a friend fly your Cessna when they don't meet the open-pilot clause, which can void the claim.
- Over-insuring the hull and paying extra premium every year for value you could never collect.
- Assuming your umbrella or homeowners policy will cover aircraft liability.
- Buying a retractable 210 before checking insurability as a low-time pilot.