Track Day Insurance

[jord79]

I wasn't able to do the Ford Silverstone Track Day Event due partly to the short notice (I got less than 48 hrs warning!)

I'm hoping the opportunity will come up again, but who knows.

Anyway, as I've recently got my policy booklet from Direct Line, I thought I'd have a read through it. Interestingly, the only place 'Track Days' seems to be mentioned is in their policy definitions section. There is a section of 'General Exceptions' which says they will not cover you when your car is being used on Nurburgring Nordschleife, but I can't find a mention of any other circuits.

Having then done a quick google, I've found a few comments on other forums with people claiming to have insurance cancelled when they've told Direct Line or whoever, that they do track days, so I'd be loathe to phone them and ask! Theses reports were however from 6 or 7 years ago.

Anyone else experienced this?

- Ignore most of the above, Nothing in the policy book - but it's there in black and white on the insurance certificate; "The policy does not cover use for racing, competitions, trials, track days or 4X4 off-road events." (gutted about that last one!). So I won't be enquiring on the off chance the Ford invite me to another track day!

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[Manders Mustang]

I wasn't able to do the Ford Silverstone Track Day Event due partly to the short notice (I got less than 48 hrs warning!)

I'm hoping the opportunity will come up again, but who knows.

Anyway, as I've recently got my policy booklet from Direct Line, I thought I'd have a read through it. Interestingly, the only place 'Track Days' seems to be mentioned is in their policy definitions section. There is a section of 'General Exceptions' which says they will not cover you when your car is being used on Nurburgring Nordschleife, but I can't find a mention of any other circuits.

Having then done a quick google, I've found a few comments on other forums with people claiming to have insurance cancelled when they've told Direct Line or whoever, that they do track days, so I'd be loathe to phone them and ask! Theses reports were however from 6 or 7 years ago.

Anyone else experienced this?

No experience of this - however, directline deleted my quote when i asked them about a full wrap. So they maybe a bit temperamental. If in their entire documents it only mentions Nurburg then realistically you can track it wherever and then have a fun legal battle if they don't cover you. Just make sure you've had a legal professional look over it before doing anything what some would percieve as stupid as insurance companies are notoriously slimey bastards.

Trackday insurance usually costs no less that £150-300 a day, however if you mention you MAY or are LOOKING AT doing a trackday POTENTIALLY and were asking them about it BEFORE enrolling on it - then you wont get the policy cancelled, as you're only asking a question, not telling them you're going on it.

Equally, silverstone wasn't the same as most other track days, we were in our (for the most part ;) ) own cars, with professional race instructors, and very few people on the track (5-15 a go), with nobody driving like it was serious competition for the most part - other than Gibbo - or so he says - It was more driving your car on a track - day.


IIRC there were people with Directline who went on the track day, you can - totally, just, do the track day, and if you mash up your car, it's you fault, you pay for the fixes, the insurance won't know unless they're some MI5 CIA bastards.

 

[Jimboy2]

No insurer will cover you on the Nurburgring. I think it's down to it not being a track as such.
It's a unrestricted public road. Not sure you can even get one day cover from a third party either.

Have also heard of insurance companies taking a nice day out to spectate at track days.

 

[bennno]

For Nurburgring you just need to read the small print of your policy document, some insurers call it out as an exclusion and others do not.

 

[Cati]

track days - there are plenty of insurers out there, try REIS or APLAN. Basically a % of your cars value - high excess but well worth it considering you could not only harm your car but someone elses pride a joy..... and yes they do sue you if you bang into them. Take a look on Pistonheads !

 

[Centurion07]

No insurer will cover you on the Nurburgring. I think it's down to it not being a track as such.
It's a unrestricted public road. Not sure you can even get one day cover from a third party either.

Have also heard of insurance companies taking a nice day out to spectate at track days.

This^ basically.

The Nuburgring is a derestricted toll road and although some people treat it like a race track, it most definitely is not, hence insurers making a specific exclusion for it. On any other track it would be classed as a trackday day regardless of the purpose and again, insurers usually exclude any track activity.

As for insurance companies actively looking out for track day participants/accidents....I have it on good authority they don't do that. Sure, if you happen to have an accident "just outside the gates" of a circuit they may ask a few more questions, but they're not actively perusing forums looking out for trackday participants.

 

[stiggy]

Also bear in mind that even specialist trackday insurers will likely insist on other conditions - day organised by an ATDO (Associated Track Day Organisers) etc. (of which Ford would not be one).

 

[Cati]

Also bear in mind that even specialist trackday insurers will likely insist on other conditions - day organised by an ATDO (Associated Track Day Organisers) etc. (of which Ford would not be one).

they would as silverstone track day events would be organising it.... i called REIS before I declined due to coming to my senses so soon after the op and they did not have a problem, insurance was 70 notes

 

[Cati]

This^ basically.

The Nuburgring is a derestricted toll road and although some people treat it like a race track, it most definitely is not, hence insurers making a specific exclusion for it. On any other track it would be classed as a trackday day regardless of the purpose and again, insurers usually exclude any track activity.

As for insurance companies actively looking out for track day participants/accidents....I have it on good authority they don't do that. Sure, if you happen to have an accident "just outside the gates" of a circuit they may ask a few more questions, but they're not actively perusing forums looking out for trackday participants.

also because the costs are stupidly high - if you have a smack you have to pay for cost for road to be closed, clean up, any repairs to the road, loss of earnings for the track. If your car dumps it's guts or you dump your bodily fluids and someone crashes on them, you are liable for all the above, their damage any pain, injury, loss of sexual function, whiplash, death and ingrowing toe nails. If you want to do the ring - have no money ( cant pay wont pay defence) or hire a ring car - fully comp insurance provided or be a ring god called sabine...... the only down side to being sabine is that I will stalk you on this forum.

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