Elite Dangerous insurance is automatic, so you do not need to buy a separate policy for your ship. If your ship is destroyed, you can recover it by paying its rebuy cost. [1]
That makes the rebuy the key amount to know before you take risks. Think of a combat run or a hazardous trip: before heading out, know what recovery would cost so you can make a deliberate choice about flying that ship. [1]
The word “insurance” can sound like a guarantee that a replacement is free, but the practical point is that coverage comes with a cost when you need to recover your ship. [1] You do not need to arrange a policy before flying; focus instead on understanding the rebuy amount tied to your ship. [1]
For example, if you are about to take a valuable ship into a fight, treat its rebuy as part of the decision to launch—not as a detail to consider only after a loss. If the amount would change your plans, choose a safer activity or wait until you are comfortable with the risk. The rest of this overview covers how the rebuy works, what recovery involves, and the choices you face if you cannot pay it.
How does the rebuy cost work?
You can check your current rebuy cost in the right-hand console, on the first tab near the lower-left corner. The in-game figure is the practical amount to use when planning, rather than relying on an older percentage guide. [2]
Where to find the figure
Open the right-hand console and select its first tab; look near the bottom-left for “re-buy cost.” [2] For example, if you’re docked after changing your ship and want to review its current figure, that’s the display to check. Use the amount shown in your game, not a number remembered from an old post.
Treat percentage estimates as historical guidance
A community guide describes insurance as 5% of the ship’s purchase price and other item costs. [3] That is a historical estimate, not a guaranteed current price for every ship, item, or game version. If you see a percentage quoted in a discussion, treat it as background and verify the displayed amount in-game.
The display gives you a concrete figure to work with. For instance, if you’re comparing two loadouts or reviewing a ship after outfitting it, check the figure again in the console instead of estimating from the purchase price. That keeps your planning tied to what the game currently shows, without assuming an older guide’s percentage still applies.
You can make checking the console a quick part of your hangar routine. When a remembered figure and the in-game display differ, use the display as your reference for the current rebuy amount.
What happens when your ship is destroyed?
When your ship is destroyed in Elite Dangerous, you can use the insurance system to recover it by paying the rebuy cost rather than receiving a free replacement. [1] The recovery process is a choice made after the loss: you decide whether to pay the required amount and return to flying that ship. [1]
What recovery means
Think of insurance as a way to get your lost ship back, not as a ship that appears at no cost. The Pilot’s Federation provides insurance automatically, and after a ship is lost you have to pay to recover it. [1] For example, if your combat ship is destroyed during a fight, recovery means choosing the paid rebuy option instead of expecting a no-cost replacement. [1]
The recovery screen can also involve restoring your old ship’s loadout, so the process may cover more than the hull alone. [4] If you have customized your ship, treat the recovery choice as restoring a configured vessel rather than picking an unrelated replacement. The details of how individual modules factor into that process are a separate question.
What to expect after destruction
After destruction, focus on the recovery choice presented to you: pay the rebuy cost to get the ship back, or do not take that recovery option. [1] For instance, a pilot whose exploration ship is destroyed can weigh paying the rebuy against continuing without that ship. The cost is part of recovery, not a bonus that the game waives simply because the ship was insured. [1]
If you accept recovery, consider what you want restored before confirming the choice, especially if the ship had a familiar setup. Loadout recovery may be included, but that does not mean every detail of module coverage is identical or automatic in every situation. Use the recovery screen to understand the choice in front of you, and keep the broader module rules distinct from the basic ship-recovery step.
What choices do you face after losing a ship?
After losing a ship, your key choice is whether to pay the displayed rebuy cost and recover it. [1] Before you undock, check that figure and keep enough credits available; if you cannot pay, you face a different set of tradeoffs covered separately.
Think of the rebuy decision as a quick check against your available credits, not a moment to discover what your ship costs to recover. For example, if your balance is close to the displayed rebuy figure, you may want to pause before heading out and decide whether to build up more credits first. That way, you can make the choice with the amount in view rather than relying on memory.
Make the check part of your pre-flight routine. Open the right-hand console and look at the rebuy figure before you launch. [2] If you have recently changed ships or equipment, check again so your planning uses the current displayed amount. Keep your credits accessible in your mind as well: knowing the figure is useful only if you can compare it with what you have available.
If you lose your ship and can pay, weigh the rebuy against your current credit balance before confirming recovery. If you cannot pay, do not assume the same recovery choice remains available; the resulting options involve separate tradeoffs. For those details, consult the dedicated coverage of unaffordable rebuys rather than guessing at the consequences.
A practical habit is to check twice: once before undocking, then again after a change that could affect the displayed figure. For instance, if you are preparing for a flight and notice your credits are tight relative to the rebuy, you can adjust your plans before leaving the station. This keeps the recovery decision in view without treating a ship loss as something you can automatically resolve for free.
Who should pay close attention to insurance?
New pilots and veterans alike should treat a change in ship or flying plans as a cue to review their insurance exposure. Before taking a valuable ship out, make sure you know where its rebuy figure appears; it is shown on the first tab of the right-hand console, in the lower-left area. [2]
If you’re new to the ship
When you’re still learning a vessel, build a quick pre-flight habit: find the rebuy figure, then consider whether your plans feel comfortable for that ship. For example, before heading into combat in a newly acquired craft, pause to check the figure rather than assuming it matches what you remember from another ship. The point is to know what you’re committing to before you leave, not to avoid every risky activity.
If you’ve changed your build
Experienced pilots should revisit the displayed figure after major ship or equipment changes. A new loadout can make an old mental estimate a poor guide, so check again after refitting rather than relying on what you recall from the previous setup. [2]
That review can be part of the same routine you use when preparing a ship for a new role. For instance, if you refit for combat or a hazardous route, take a moment to check the rebuy figure before setting out. This is a practical prompt to reassess, not a prediction that a loss will occur.
Let the activity prompt a check
Combat, hazardous travel, and risky missions are useful moments to stop and review your exposure. Before launching into a mission that feels less forgiving than your usual run, check that you understand the displayed figure and are comfortable proceeding. You can make that quick review part of your launch routine, especially when you’re flying a ship or setup you haven’t used recently.
Keep the habit simple: check after meaningful changes, and check again when your plans become riskier. That way, you’re making a deliberate choice about the ship you’re taking out, rather than relying on an outdated impression of its rebuy figure.
What should you remember before flying?
Remember that automatic insurance does not make ship recovery free: you still need enough credits to pay the rebuy amount. [1] Before you launch, check the current figure in your game and make sure those credits are available; for example, pause before undocking if a recent ship or equipment change has left you unsure what the amount is. [2]
Treat that check as a quick pre-flight habit, especially when you are about to take a ship into a situation where you might lose it. You do not need to calculate a figure from memory: use the current in-game amount and decide whether your available credits leave you comfortable flying that ship. If you want to dig into the details, continue with the separate coverage of rebuy costs, what happens when you cannot afford a rebuy, insurance FAQs, and module recovery.