Who insures it · 5 named markets · read 2026-10-28

Who insures hot air balloon and skydiving operators?

Hot air balloon and skydiving operators is a risk most standard carriers decline on sight. The markets below say in their own published appetite or program pages that they write it; each line links to that page with the date it was read.

5 markets publicly write hot air balloon and skydiving operators: Acrisure Lighter Than Air (LTA) program, XINSURANCE (hot air balloons), XINSURANCE (skydiving), Aviation Insurance Resources (AIR) - Lighter Than Air program, Prime Insurance Company. 2 program administrators, 2 wholesalers, 1 E&S carrier. 3 through surplus lines.

By Sam Alishahi, independent insurance broker

The markets

Who says they write it

From each market's own appetite, product or program page (or a trade article quoting it), read on the date shown. Appetites change: the linked page controls. A market listed here isn't necessarily one this agency is appointed with; a licensed broker reaches most of them directly or through a wholesaler.

Market	What they say they write	Where	Paper	Source
Acrisure Lighter Than Air (LTA) program Program administrator	Lighter than air / hot air balloon operations on an 'all in one' policy; page says it has been a leader in the Lighter than Air insurance industry for more than a decade (entity role not self-labeled) “provide you with an "all in one" policy to cover you and your balloon operations”	not stated	not stated	about.acrisure.com · read 2026-10-28
XINSURANCE (hot air balloons) Wholesaler	Hot air balloon businesses and operators (TRU Insurance), all coverages in one policy. Site: 'an excess and surplus lines insurance brokerage' “XINSURANCE offers TRU Insurance for hot air balloon businesses and operators”	not stated	Surplus lines	xinsurance.com · read 2026-10-28
XINSURANCE (skydiving) Wholesaler	All skydiving operations, commercial or personal, including instructors, business owners and skydiving clubs: third-party liability, commercial property, professional, participant and general liability (commercial auto available in most states) “XINSURANCE offers customized insurance solutions for all skydiving operations – big or small, commercial or personal.”	not stated (commercial auto 'Available in most states')	Surplus lines	xinsurance.com · read 2026-10-28
Aviation Insurance Resources (AIR) - Lighter Than Air program Program administrator	Hot air balloon / lighter-than-air operations on an 'all in one' policy; page says T.H.E. Insurance Company has led the lighter-than-air insurance industry for more than a decade; AIR describes itself as representing all major aviation insurance markets “we will continue to provide you with an "all in one" policy to cover you and your balloon operations.”	all 50 states (homepage: 'Licensed in all 50 states and staffed by pilots to serve you better!')	not stated	air-pros.com · read 2026-10-28
Prime Insurance Company E&S carrier	Outdoor recreation liability; 'Skydiving' listed among outdoor recreation businesses insured (with hunting/shooting/trapping, mountain climbing and hiking, outdoor guides); commercial auto in most states “Generally speaking, Prime can help outdoor recreation businesses, guided tour companies, outdoor guides,”	all 50 states (page: 'Prime Insurance Company writes in all 50 states of the USA')	Surplus lines	primeis.com · read 2026-10-28

Balloons: Acrisure LTA, AIR LTA and XINSURANCE (Prime also hosts a hot air balloon application PDF at https://www.primeis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Hot_Air_Balloon.pdf but has no balloon product page). Skydiving: XINSURANCE and Prime (outdoor recreation page lists 'Skydiving'); both are affiliated (XINSURANCE places with Prime). RPS (self-described largest hot air balloon broker) pages are script-rendered and returned no text; Costello Insurance's domain now belongs to a Massachusetts retail agency with no aviation content; Kimmel Aviation (USPA's placing agent) does not resolve; Falcon I

How hot air balloon and skydiving operators gets placed

Standard markets first where any will look at it; when they won't, the placement goes through surplus lines, where a licensed surplus lines broker places it with an eligible non-admitted insurer and files the state's surplus lines tax and stamping forms. In California, risks on the Department of Insurance export list can go to surplus lines without the usual diligent search of admitted carriers. Surplus lines policies aren't backed by a state guaranty fund, so the insurer's financial rating matters more.

What an underwriter will want before quoting: a full description of the operation, years in business and the owners' experience, revenue or payroll, loss runs (five years where available, currently valued), the contracts or venue requirements that set the limits, and photos or safety plans where the hazard is physical.

I'm licensed in 49 states and Washington, DC and your request stays with my agency, not passed to another agent. In Florida, where my licenses are still being issued, a partner agency in your state helps in the meantime.

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