Allianz is Lead Insurer for Singapore Airlines Plane, Sources Say

Allianz is the lead insurer for the Singapore Airlines aircraft which left one person dead and scores injured after it hit severe turbulence and had to be diverted to Bangkok this week, two sources said on Thursday.

The sources familiar with the matter, who declined to be named, could not immediately provide detail on the size of any potential insurance claim against the hull and liability policy.

Passengers injured by severe turbulence on the flight are likely eligible for compensation, but the amount each receives could differ dramatically even for identical injuries due to an international treaty.

Related: Association Says Travel Insurance ‘Will Likely’ Cover Injuries Sustained in Singapore Airlines Incident

One passenger died and the airline said 30 passengers were treated for injuries after a flight from London to Singapore made an emergency landing in Bangkok last week. Samitivej Hospital said it was treating 71 passengers.

Under the Montreal Convention, Singapore Airlines is liable for accidents, which can include turbulence, on international flights regardless of whether the airline was negligent, according to U.S. aviation lawyers. If passengers file a lawsuit, the airline cannot contest damages up to around $175,000.

The Montreal Convention sets out various rules for determining where a claim can be brought, which can depend on the destination, where the ticket was purchased and the residence of the passenger.

Tuesday’s flight departed from London bound for Singapore and carried passengers from around the world.

(Reporting by Cohn; editing by Kirstin Ridley)

More related stories:

• Compensation for Injured Passengers on Singapore Airlines Could Vary Dramatically
• ‘It Felt Like We Had Crashed’: Singapore Air Passenger Describes Turbulence Terror
• These Flight Routes Suffer the World’s Worst Turbulence