How much does it cost to insure a satellite launch?

Launch and early-orbit insurance typically costs about 5–12% of the insured value of the satellite. For a $300 million satellite, that is roughly $15–36 million in premium. Rates rise after major losses and for new, unproven rockets, and fall during loss-free periods.

Why did space insurance get more expensive?

A run of large in-orbit losses — including high-value communications satellites — wiped out years of premium income and pushed underwriters to raise rates and tighten terms. A few total losses can turn a profitable year into a heavy loss for the whole market.

Space Insurance Market 2026: Premiums, Rates & The Cost of Insuring a Launch

Q: How big is the space insurance market?

The space insurance market collects roughly $500–600 million in premiums a year, against a few billion dollars of insured value. It is a small, specialised market — a handful of underwriters worldwide — and can swing from profit to heavy loss on a single failure.

Q: Are Starlink satellites insured?

Generally no. Mega-constellation operators like SpaceX self-insure: each Starlink satellite is cheap and mass-produced, so losing a few is a normal cost of business rather than an insurable event. Most government and military launches are also uninsured, which is why the insured share of all launches is small.

The Space Insurance Market

Putting a satellite in orbit means betting hundreds of millions of dollars on a controlled explosion. A small, specialised market exists to underwrite that risk — for roughly 5–12% of the value at stake. Here's how it works, and what it costs.

Data as of 20 June 2026 · Sources: market reports (Seradata, brokers), underwriter disclosures · live launch data from Orbital Radar

Launch Insurance Calculator

How much would it cost to insure a satellite through launch and its first year in orbit? Set the satellite's value and the market conditions.

Satellite value$300M

Illustrative launch + one-year in-orbit premium = insured value × rate. Real quotes depend on the rocket's track record, the satellite, recent market losses and the operator. Many launches — including Starlink and most government missions — fly uninsured.

A Tiny Market Underwriting Enormous Risk

Space insurance is one of the smallest and strangest corners of the global insurance industry. Only about a dozen underwriters worldwide will take the risk, and together they collect roughly $500–600 million in premiums a year — against billions of dollars of insured value riding on rockets with single-digit failure rates. A handful of total losses can turn a profitable year into a heavy one for the entire market.

Coverage usually spans the riskiest window: launch and the first year in orbit, when most failures happen. Premiums run about 5–12% of the satellite's value, rising sharply after big losses or for an unproven rocket, and easing during loss-free stretches. The most important trend, though, is what isn't insured: mega-constellation operators like SpaceX self-insure their cheap, mass-produced Starlink satellites, and most government launches go uncovered — so even as launch rates soar, the insured share keeps shrinking.

Methodology & sources

Premium, rate and market-size figures are rounded estimates from space-insurance market reports (Seradata and broker reviews) and underwriter disclosures, in current USD; the market is small and figures move year to year with the loss record. The calculator multiplies a satellite value you set by a representative rate — it is illustrative, not a quote. Launch counts are live from Orbital Radar's launch database.

Space Insurance FAQ

How much does it cost to insure a launch?

Typically 5–12% of the satellite's value. A $300M satellite costs roughly $15–36M to insure through launch and early orbit. Use the calculator above for any value.

How big is the space insurance market?

About $500–600 million in premiums a year, from ~12 underwriters worldwide — a small market that can swing to a heavy loss on a single failure.

Are Starlink satellites insured?

Generally no — SpaceX self-insures. Each Starlink is cheap and mass-produced, so losing a few is a normal cost of business. Most government launches are uninsured too.

Why did premiums rise?

A run of large in-orbit losses wiped out years of premium income, pushing underwriters to raise rates and tighten terms.