You and your teenager have leveled up from standard model rockets to high-power rocketry. You spend weeks building a massive, six-foot fiberglass rocket powered by a G-class composite motor. You take it to a massive local park to launch it.
The launch is spectacular, reaching 2,000 feet. But at apogee, the parachute fails to deploy. The rocket comes screaming back down to earth like a ballistic missile and smashes directly through the windshield of a neighbor’s parked Mercedes, destroying the dashboard and the onboard computer. The neighbor demands $8,000 for the damages. You assume your homeowners insurance will easily cover a hobby accident.
The Brutal Truth: Why Standard Policies Deny This Claim
While standard HO-3 Homeowners Policies are generally generous with hobby liability, high-power rocketry skirts the edge of several major exclusions.
The adjuster will scrutinize the Aircraft/Aviation Exclusion. While model rockets are not airplanes, some strict policies exclude liability arising from the ownership or use of “unmanned aircraft systems.”
More dangerously, if you launched a high-power rocket in a public park without the proper permits, the carrier will invoke the Illegal Acts Exclusion. High-power rocketry (anything using H-class motors or larger, and some G-class) is strictly regulated by the FAA. If you did not secure an FAA waiver or follow local fire marshal codes, the insurance company will argue that your reckless, illegal activity voided the liability coverage. They will not pay the $8,000 for the Mercedes.
How to Actually Protect Yourself (The Fix)
Launching objects thousands of feet into the air requires specialized hobbyist coverage that overrides standard policy exclusions.
- Join the National Association of Rocketry (NAR): This is the ultimate fix. Becoming a member of NAR or the Tripoli Rocketry Association automatically grants you access to their master liability insurance policy (often up to $5 Million in coverage). If your rocket hits a car during a sanctioned launch, NAR’s insurance pays for it.
- Follow the Safety Code Strictly: NAR insurance is only valid if you strictly adhere to their safety codes (distance from buildings, wind limits, etc.). If you go rogue, the coverage is voided.
- Confirm Your Umbrella Policy: If you have a Personal Umbrella Policy, explicitly ask your broker if hobbyist rocketry is excluded. Many umbrella policies will drop down to cover unique hobby liabilities if the primary policy denies it.
The Claims Adjuster’s Secret
If we investigate a massive property damage claim caused by a rocket, we will weigh the debris. The FAA strictly classifies rockets by weight and propellant mass. If the rocket and motor exceeded the 1,500-gram limit for unregulated model rocketry (Class 1), and you didn’t have a Class 2 FAA waiver, your launch was a federal violation. Standard insurance absolutely will not cover federal offenses.
The Verdict (TL;DR)
The Risk Level: Medium (Catastrophic failures are rare, but the legal and property damage risks are severe). The Solution: Join the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) to secure their specialized $5 Million liability coverage. Estimated Cost: Around $40/year for NAR membership (which includes the insurance).
Don’t play aerospace engineer in your local park without the protection of a nationally sanctioned liability policy.