I haven't seen a auto policy cover this, but I thought I would ask the experts on this board. Are there any companies that provides coverage while driving your car on a track while attending driving school, or an open track event?
Insurance coverage during open track?
- Thread starter BlackICE
- Start date
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
forgetaboutit.... on top of it, if you put in a claim, say it happened on the street there are enough folks that will post on the forums that some insurance inspector will find it, cross check it against the national data base and you will bet busted for insurance fraud.... my 2 cents. we have way to much to loose, break it, pay for it,...simple.
gtracer
GT Owner
My company conducts high performance driving schools. It wasn't too long ago that insurance policy provisions "did" cover cars damaged on track if it occured during a driving school event. This has pretty much come to an end. Most policies (the insurance guys out there may varify this) now indicate that if damage occurs on a race track there is no coverage regardless of the event.
There is a company that does race insurance and drivers ed insurance.They insure the alms / imsa guys , pca /bmw club racers and the high performance driving schools.They do single day to a seasons worth of coverage
Laurel group. Peter Sereda 519-676-1136
I have used them to insure my race cars over the years,had 2 claims with no problems.The key is not to over insure.I have no affiliation with them.
Ron
Laurel group. Peter Sereda 519-676-1136
I have used them to insure my race cars over the years,had 2 claims with no problems.The key is not to over insure.I have no affiliation with them.
Ron
Cyclenirvana
GT Owner
I have State Farm Insurance and they have covered me for several years. Prior to attending my first track event, I contacted them and was told that it was covered at driving school as long as the events were not timed or represented racing events. Having said this, I have a friend who recently wrecked his 2004 Ferrari 360 at VIR...did about 70k in damage! Insurance covered him for the loss but afterwards dropped his coverage.
I have had AAA insurance for 20 years. Made my first claim 6 weeks ago when the tire wall at Buttonwillow jumped right out in front of me. The car is at Saleen in Irvine being repaired. The AAA claims adjuster took a look and they are covering it. Competition of any kind is excluded per the policy, but I told them (truthfully) that it occurred during a high performance driving school and there was no competition, time trials etc.
Craig
Craig
Bony, to our surprise it seems that some companies do provide coverage.
I never violate the laws of man or nature, thus wouldn't even think about making a false claim. It is wrong and I have way too much to lose and so little to gain.
Some companies, as indicated do not deny coverage if it is a instructional event, emaning no racing. They may even cover your car if multiplec ars are ont he track. You need to check with the insurance company.
Most of these are listed as instructional/non-competitive. Those I go to at Watkins Glen get extremely upset if some one calls it racing becauseof their insurance coverage.
They have instructors and mandatory classroom sessions.
Dave
Most of these are listed as instructional/non-competitive. Those I go to at Watkins Glen get extremely upset if some one calls it racing becauseof their insurance coverage.
They have instructors and mandatory classroom sessions.
Dave
B O N Y
MODERATOR & FGT OWNER
Neither do I...
I would venture to say, that if the fine print in read on the policy, one would be sol. But could be wrong. Most open track events prohibit time laps etc... doesn't mean that some folks don't stick a transponder in and record.
It seems that some forum members with 1st hand experience have made claims and received compensation. I think the first reaction from the insurance company would be, it isn't covered based on some fine print about racing, time event, competition, etc.
I don't know about car insurance, but I do know the company I co-founded had a trademark infringement suit against it. Our company's liability coverage said in large print, NO COVERAGE FOR TRADEMARKS AND PATENTS! Our attorneys told us that in may be covered anyway under another cause about marketing. I needed to settle this case fast, so a negotiated a licensing agreement with the plaintiff and the case was dropped. Our attorneys wrote the insurance company and got over 50K of legal fees from the insurance company that didn't cover trademarks. They would have been on the hook for the settlement too, but I did that without there input so that wasn't possible.
Our lawyers said insurance companies hate to be a defendant in a suit, since all jurist have a bias against those "money grubbing" insurance companies. So they have desire to settle out of court.
Guys there is a difference between racing and an instructional. That is the key thing to keep in mind.
Racing = free for all, little if any rules, passing anywhere including curves/turns. Cars may even hit/rub each other on occassion.
Very often official timing
Instructional = passing in designated zones area, only straights, and only when the car in front signals/extends you an invitation to pass them. Pointing to the left means pass of left, signally over the roof means pass on the right.
No contact tolerated.
Instructors are randomly assigned, even to advanced group, to check on those drivers who have been cleared for solo driving.
No official timing.
I only go to instructionals and not racing. Even some instructionals get out of hand if not carefully monitored.
Dave
Racing = free for all, little if any rules, passing anywhere including curves/turns. Cars may even hit/rub each other on occassion.
Very often official timing
Instructional = passing in designated zones area, only straights, and only when the car in front signals/extends you an invitation to pass them. Pointing to the left means pass of left, signally over the roof means pass on the right.
No contact tolerated.
Instructors are randomly assigned, even to advanced group, to check on those drivers who have been cleared for solo driving.
No official timing.
I only go to instructionals and not racing. Even some instructionals get out of hand if not carefully monitored.
Dave
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FrankBarba
Permanent Vacation
Easy Rule of Thumb....If you can't afford to fix your ride if something happens, then don't do it. Don't rely on the Insurance companies to pay for your wreck or accident.
Sure Instructors can give some input, they can even ask to drive your car (so they can instruct you properly). Listen to your instructor but under no circumstances allow them to drive your car without getting a notorized document stating that if they do any damage they are responsible.
Call the reps listed in the thread..5K premimum might sound expensive, but look at the alternatives.
Sure Instructors can give some input, they can even ask to drive your car (so they can instruct you properly). Listen to your instructor but under no circumstances allow them to drive your car without getting a notorized document stating that if they do any damage they are responsible.
Call the reps listed in the thread..5K premimum might sound expensive, but look at the alternatives.
FrankBarba
Permanent Vacation
Easy Rule of Thumb....If you can't afford to fix your ride if something happens, then don't do it. Don't rely on the Insurance companies to pay for your wreck or accident.
Sure Instructors can give some input, they can even ask to drive your car (so they can instruct you properly). Listen to your instructor but under no circumstances allow them to drive your car without getting a notorized document stating that if they do any damage they are responsible.
Call the reps listed in the thread..5K premimum might sound expensive, but look at the alternatives.
Sure Instructors can give some input, they can even ask to drive your car (so they can instruct you properly). Listen to your instructor but under no circumstances allow them to drive your car without getting a notorized document stating that if they do any damage they are responsible.
Call the reps listed in the thread..5K premimum might sound expensive, but look at the alternatives.
Good warning about letting the instructor drive your car. I was at a NASA event many years ago, an instructor was driving a lady's white Corvette at Laguna Seca, when the car's brakes faded, he sent the car into the wall of tires at turn 2. Luckily due to the skill of the driver only minimal paint damage was done.
That car's brakes went down to the floor because the old brake fluid boiled over. I was driving a similar Corvette at that time and didn't have any problems with my braking. I was using the 13" rotors vs. the 12" standard ones, and replaced brake fluid a few days before the event. Even then I could feel the brakes overheating after 5 or 6 laps, so I backed off.
Words of wisdom, always replace the brake fluid just before any track event. I find that fresh regular DOT3 brake fluid works fine for most amateur track driving and it is definitely better than the fancy racing brake fluid that has been in the car for 6 months.
snaproll
GT Owner
I contacted them and they do indeed have a "track event" policy. I talked to David Epringham there (of grand am cup fame). I will probably buy it.
It's not cheap, but it would beat a coverage denial for some new policy language after you stuff the car into the wall or someone else "helps" you damage it.
Here's a big discussion of it at c-c.com:
http://forums.corner-carvers.com/showthread.php?t=32514
I've always subscribed to the theory that "if you can't afford to walk away, don't take it to the track" theory, but I can't NOT take the GT to the track. It's not like you can excersize the thing on the street to anything approaching its capability.
Bruce
Bruce
Great link!
It seems that past claims are past history and that many if not all insurance companies have updated the coverage to exclude use on a race track for almost any reason.
State Farm had coverage in the past but according to this post just changed it to read:
"There is no coverage while a vehicle is being prepared for, used in practice for, or operated in any racing, speed, hill-climbing, jumping, or other similar contest; or on a track designed primarily for racing or high-speed driving. This type of racing/high-speed driving is no longer covered – no liability coverage, no medical payment and no physical damage coverage "
I guess Bony is right on this one! :frown