When you charter a private jet, the aircraft carries insurance. What most clients never ask is: does that insurance actually cover you? The answer depends entirely on whether the certificate of insurance you receive is a dry certificate or a wet certificate. A dry certificate confirms coverage exists on the aircraft. A wet certificate names you as an additional insured party, which means the insurer acknowledges your interest directly and cannot settle a claim in ways that leave you exposed. For private jet charter in Asia, this distinction is rarely explained and almost never requested by clients. It should be the first document question you ask.
TL;DR
- A dry certificate of insurance confirms an aircraft has coverage but does not protect the charter client directly.
- A wet certificate names the client as an additional insured, giving them standing in any insurance claim.
- Most private jet clients in Asia never ask for either document, let alone understand the difference.
- The certificate type matters most when liability disputes arise, such as trip cancellations, third-party damage, or medical incidents.
- Working with a consultancy that vets insurance documentation as part of its compliance process closes this gap before a trip departs.
About the Author: L’VOYAGE is a government-licensed travel agency and private aviation consultancy established in Hong Kong in 2014, with offices across Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Kuala Lumpur, and the APAC region. Founded in 2014, the company has spent over a decade building in-house compliance and due diligence processes specifically for the Asia-Pacific private aviation market, including the verification of insurance documentation on every charter it arranges.
What Is a Certificate of Insurance in Private Aviation?
A certificate of insurance (COI) is a summary document issued by an insurer or broker confirming that an insurance policy is in force for a specific aircraft. It typically states the policy period, coverage types, and liability limits. In commercial aviation, COIs are standard paperwork exchanged between operators and airports. In private charter, they are often treated as an afterthought, handed over only if a client specifically requests them.
There are two meaningfully different versions of this document [pilot-protection-services.aopa.org][aersale.com]:
- Dry certificate: Confirms the aircraft owner or operator holds a valid policy. The client is not named. If a claim arises, the insurer’s obligation runs to the policyholder, not to you.
- Wet certificate: Names the charter client or another specified party as an additional insured. This gives that party direct standing under the policy, meaning the insurer must consider their interests when handling any claim.
The terminology borrows loosely from the broader wet lease and dry lease distinction in aviation, where a wet lease includes crew and operational responsibility while a dry lease transfers operational control to the lessee [stratosjets.com][flyingfinance.com]. In both contexts, “wet” means the arrangement carries more active protections and responsibilities bundled in.
Why Does the Difference Matter for Charter Clients?
Building on the certificate definitions above, the harder question is: what practically changes when a dispute or incident occurs?
Consider a scenario where a chartered aircraft suffers a ground incident at a regional airport and a third party files a liability claim. If you hold only a dry certificate, your name does not appear in the policy. The insurer settles with the operator. You may have a contractual remedy through the charter agreement, but you have no direct insurance standing. If the operator is underinsured, underfinanced, or simply slow to respond, your recourse is limited.
If you hold a wet certificate naming you as an additional insured, you have a direct relationship with the insurer. You can file independently. You are notified of policy changes or cancellations. You cannot be left out of the settlement conversation.
For corporate clients using private jet charter in Asia for executive travel, this matters enormously. A company’s duty of care obligations to its executives extend to the quality of insurance coverage on the aircraft they fly.
Where the risk concentrates:
| Scenario | Dry Certificate Risk | Wet Certificate Protection |
|---|---|---|
| Operator goes insolvent after an incident | Client has no direct insurer access | Client named on policy retains claim rights |
| Policy lapses mid-trip | Client unaware, no notification right | Client must be notified of cancellation |
| Third-party liability claim | Insurer defends operator’s interest only | Insurer must consider named insured’s interest |
| Trip interruption or cancellation dispute | No insurance standing for client | Direct standing to pursue coverage |
Why Do Most Private Jet Clients in Asia Never Ask?
Stepping back from the technical detail, a separate concern is why this knowledge gap exists in the first place.
Several factors converge in the Asian private aviation market:
- Relationship-first culture: High-net-worth clients in Asia often trust their broker or operator implicitly and do not ask for documentation they were never told to expect.
- Speed of booking: Many private jet trips in Asia are arranged within 24 to 48 hours. Due diligence conversations are compressed or skipped entirely.
- Broker incentive structure: A transactional broker who sources the lowest-cost quote has limited incentive to slow the process down for compliance conversations.
- Unfamiliarity with charter documentation standards: Unlike corporate aviation in Europe or North America, where legal and compliance teams routinely review charter agreements, many Asian clients rely entirely on the broker to have checked everything.
The result is that clients regularly board chartered aircraft holding, at best, a dry certificate they have never read, and at worst, no certificate at all.
What Should a Client Actually Request?
A related but distinct question is: knowing the difference, what is the practical step a client should take?
Before any charter departs, a client or their representative should request:
- A wet certificate of insurance naming the client (or their corporate entity) as an additional insured for the duration of the trip.
- Confirmation of minimum liability limits appropriate for the route and jurisdiction. Domestic flights within Asia carry different regulatory minimums than intercontinental operations.
- Policy cancellation notice terms confirming how many days’ notice the client receives if coverage lapses.
- Operator’s air operator certificate alongside the insurance document, confirming the aircraft is being operated commercially under the correct regulatory framework [stratosjets.com].
This is not an unusual request. Any reputable operator will provide it. Resistance to providing a wet certificate is itself a red flag worth noting.
How L’VOYAGE Approaches Insurance Verification
L’VOYAGE’s in-house compliance department reviews insurance documentation on every charter it arranges. This is not a courtesy check but a structured part of the vetting process that runs alongside safety record audits, air operator certificate verification, and legal compliance confirmation.
For clients booking private jet charter in Asia through L’VOYAGE, this means the certificate question is handled before the itinerary is confirmed, not raised by the client after something has gone wrong. The company’s position as a government-licensed travel agency and private aviation consultancy, with over a decade of operating in this market, means its compliance standards reflect accumulated knowledge of where Asian charter arrangements most commonly fall short.
There is also a pricing dimension worth noting. Clients who shop a charter request across multiple brokers simultaneously signal high demand to operators, who price up accordingly. L’VOYAGE’s single-broker model keeps that market signal honest, and the same focused relationship is what allows the compliance conversation to happen at all. A broker racing to close a quote before three competitors do is not pausing to discuss certificate wording.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I ask for a wet certificate on any charter?
Yes. It is a standard request and any operator with proper commercial coverage can accommodate it. If an operator refuses, treat that as a compliance concern.
Does a wet certificate cost extra?
No. Adding a named additional insured to an existing policy endorsement is standard practice and carries no separate premium for the client.
What liability limits should I look for?
This varies by route, aircraft size, and jurisdiction. For long-haul international flights, industry guidance generally points to higher per-occurrence limits than domestic short hops. A competent broker should advise on appropriate thresholds for your specific trip.
Is a dry certificate completely useless?
Not entirely. It confirms coverage exists, which matters. But it does not protect your direct interests in a claim.
What if my broker has never mentioned this?
That is common and worth addressing. Ask directly for a wet certificate on your next trip. A broker’s response will tell you a great deal about their compliance culture.
Does this apply to helicopter charters too?
Yes. The same wet versus dry distinction applies to any charter involving an aircraft, including helicopters used for transfers or regional hops in the APAC region.
Is this more important in Asia than elsewhere?
The regulatory environment for charter in parts of Asia is less standardized than in Europe or North America, which makes client-level due diligence more important, not less.
About L’VOYAGE
L’VOYAGE is a government-licensed travel agency and private aviation consultancy established in Hong Kong in 2014, with offices across Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Kuala Lumpur, and the APAC region. The company holds licensing from the Hong Kong Travel Industry Authority and was named Best Charter Broker by the Asian Business Aviation Association in 2017. L’VOYAGE was the first private jet broker in Asia to achieve Wyvern Approved Broker status, and it maintains an in-house compliance team that vets every aircraft against proprietary safety and documentation standards before it is offered to a client. With access to over 4,000 aircraft globally, L’VOYAGE serves high-net-worth individuals, corporate clients, and group organizers who expect both luxury and accountability from their aviation partner.
If you are arranging private jet travel in Asia and want to know exactly what insurance protection you hold before your next trip departs, speak with the team at L’VOYAGE at https://www.lvoyage.aero/.
References
- What’s the difference between a 'wet' and 'dry' aircraft lease? – Legal & Medical Services (PPS) | AOPA (pilot-protection-services.aopa.org)
- What are the Differences Between Wet Lease, Dry Lease, & Leaseback for Aircraft? (aersale.com)
- Wet Lease Vs Dry Lease | Stratos Jets (stratosjets.com)
- Dry Lease vs. Wet Lease Aircraft: The Complete 2026 Guide (flyingfinance.com)