Mandatory Drone Liability Insurance in Poland Since 13 November 2025

What Changed on 13 November 2025

Since 13 November 2025 operators of drones with a take-off mass between 0.25 kg and 20 kg must hold third-party liability insurance (OC). The legal basis is Article 209(1a) of the Polish Aviation Law (Prawo lotnicze). The details are set out in a regulation of the Minister of Finance and Economy of 24 October 2025 on mandatory liability insurance for operators of unmanned aircraft systems. Before that, the duty applied only to heavier drones, mainly commercial ones.

The aim is simple: someone harmed by a drone should be compensated even if the operator has no money. According to Poland's Financial Ombudsman, the operator is liable on a risk basis, regardless of fault.

Who Must Be Insured

The operator, not the pilot. ULC explains that the insurance concerns the operator of the unmanned aircraft system, meaning the person or company registered at drony.gov.pl. If the operator flies the drone personally, one policy is enough. If a designated pilot flies, the operator is still the insured party. An association or a volunteer fire brigade acting as operator also needs its own policy. The policy must clearly state which operator it covers, ideally by operator number.

Every purpose. The duty covers recreational, sporting and commercial flights, however many there are.

By take-off mass. The thresholds are:

An older pilot liability policy does not automatically replace operator insurance. ULC notes that some insurers add annexes that extend such a policy to the operator. Check this with your insurer.

The 250 g Limit Has No Margin

Manufacturers assign a drone to class C0 under standards that allow a small mass tolerance. ULC gives the example of the DJI Mini 5 Pro, where the standard allows a deviation of ±3%, about 7 g. That tolerance applies only to the class. The Aviation Law and the insurance regulation state the take-off mass of 0.25 kg directly and provide no margin at all.

For buyers this has real consequences. DJI lists the Mini 5 Pro at 249.9 g. The standard battery weighs about 71.2 g and the Plus battery about 117 g. With the Plus battery the drone exceeds the C0 threshold, and in the Fly More Combo Plus it is sold as a C1 drone. Insurance is then mandatory. We cover this group of drones in “Drones Under 250 g in Poland”.

At the ULC briefing someone also asked about a class C0 drone that actually weighs 252 g. Its pilot does not need the A1/A3 exam, because class C0 does not require it. The operator still needs insurance, because the drone exceeds 250 g. Class and the insurance duty are two separate matters.

Sum Insured and Scope

The minimum sum insured is 50,000 SDR (Special Drawing Rights). The Financial Ombudsman converted this to about PLN 270,000 (≈ EUR 61,760) at the IMF rate of 6 November 2025. The amount in zloty moves with the SDR rate. You can buy a higher sum.

When checking, ULC looks at three things: that the policy is operator insurance, that it covers Poland and that the sum insured is at least 50,000 SDR. Compliance is established on the basis of the policy or another document confirming the contract (Article 209(6) of the Aviation Law). You can also add the policy number to your operator profile in KSID.

The standard scope is Poland. Not every EU country requires drone liability insurance, and where it is required the terms differ. Before flying abroad, check whether your Polish policy is valid there. Insurers usually offer EU or worldwide cover for an extra premium.

Exclusions: the Main Point of Dispute

The regulation lists situations in which the insurance does not cover the damage. According to the Financial Ombudsman, these include:

• operations without a document confirming completed training and a passed online exam,
• operations in breach of national, EU or international drone rules,
• war, martial law, riots and acts of terrorism,
• nuclear damage and environmental pollution.

The exclusion for flights in breach of the rules raises the most questions, because the insurance is meant to protect bystanders precisely against pilot error. At the ULC briefing on 13 November 2025 it was said that the Ministry of Finance had announced it would turn this clause into a right of recourse, as in motor insurance. According to the Polish Chamber of Insurance (PIU), the clause is not grounds for refusing a payout automatically: each case is to be assessed, and the insurer must prove the breach of law.

Insurers also may not narrow the cover below what the regulation sets. That rules out, for example, limiting a policy to selected serial numbers or adding extra exclusions for flights near power lines.

What Drone Liability Insurance Costs

These are examples from websites and comparison sites (as of 16 October 2026), not tariffs of specific insurers. The premium depends on the sum insured, territorial scope and type of operations. Insurers on the market include Compensa, PZU, Wiener and Coverdrone. When comparing offers, read the general terms and conditions, especially the list of exclusions and the deductible.

The insurance does not cover damage to your own drone. For damage to or loss of the aircraft you need voluntary hull (AC) insurance.

The Fine for Flying Uninsured

Flying without valid insurance carries a penalty of PLN 4,000 (≈ EUR 915) (Article 209o(3) of the Aviation Law). That is not the only cost: without a policy the operator pays for damage to third parties out of pocket.

In Short: a Checklist Before Your First Flight

1. Weigh the drone in the configuration you fly: with battery, guards and mounts.
2. At 250 g or more, buy operator insurance with a sum insured of at least 50,000 SDR.
3. Check that the policy names you as the operator, ideally with your operator number.
4. Enter the policy number in your KSID profile and keep the document with you.
5. Before flying abroad, check the territorial scope.

We cover the other formalities, registration and the exam, in “Drone Registration and the A1/A3 Exam in Poland (2026)”. You will find the catalogue drones in the drones overview. This guide summarises the rules but is not legal advice and does not replace reading the policy terms.