Charlie C

I'll be attending my first DE during the last week of July. I don't even want to ask my insurance agent if I'm covered. I assume not and I think I'd be asking for a higher rate if they were to assume I might be racing.

Is there any such thing as insurance that covers you for a specific event? I thought I had read something like that in PANO but couldn't find it.

Thanks,
Charlie

LVDell

From what I understand with my ins carrier is that as long as it as "education" with certified instructors and not organized racing you are fine (and it also has to be a Drivers Education titled event...NOT track day, etc.). Think of it as that school you took when you were 15 to get your DL but for adults.

leedav

I saw an ad in one of the magazines... It was in Christophorus or Anzeiger I think

TT Surgeon

I think most carriers will cover you at a "DE" event, I wouldn't bring it up or harp on it myself.

TD in DC

I would NOT assume that you will be covered at a DE event. You might, you might not. Even if they pay, your rates could increase or you could be dropped . . . or nothing could happen. The problem is that you cannot be certain beforehand.

The fact is that the chances of you cracking up your car at a DE are, from a statistical standpoint, are very low. I have PCA DE insurance through Laurel. Your rates are determined by the value of the car you set and the number of track days you purchase. If I were to crack my car up at DE, I would use track insurance so that I would NOT have to endanger my normal insurance. Now that I am no longer tracking my 996, I will NOT buy track insurance for the '44. I will "self" insure.

Ray S

Contact American Collectors Insurance at 800-360-2277 or download an application form their website directly at www.americancollectorsins.com

I am not affiliated but I use them for my DE coverage.

TT Surgeon

I know for a fact usaa will cover me at a DE, I asked. The problem with DE insurance is that all the ins co.s' share information, and if they somehow label you, it may effect your other rates and coverages. I'm probably just being paranoid.

TD in DC

Hey Chris,

I am not trying to be argumentative at all, and they very well may. However, it is also very possible that the people who tell you that you will be covered in the event of a DE incident may not be the people who end up making the final decision in the event that you have an on track incident. In fact, I have heard of a few incidents where USAA denied coverage for DE incidents (I do not know the exact details, so I do not know whether they are universally applicable). I have also heard of incidents that they have covered. My only point is that you cannot place any confidence in oral assurances of coverage because they are not legally binding.

I purchased my insurance from Laurel, which is a Canadian company and I am sure that they do not share my info with other insurance companies. There is no way that my insurance company will find out that I purchased DE insurance. Plus, DE insurance is specifically designed to cover DE incidents, so I am certain about my coverage rights.

Now, you are correct to be paranoid, but I think that you are directing your paranoia in the wrong direction. If you make a claim against your standard insurance for a DE incident and that insurance company gives you an adverse rating as a result, you can bet that it might hurt you with respect to other insurance companies. However, if you make a claim against your DE insurance IN LIEU OF making a claim against your normal insurance, there is absolutely no reason why they or any other normal insurance company would hold it against you. In fact, they will love you because you are paying them for NOT using their coverage. They might even send you a holiday card.

kurt M

I, on the other hand, know that USAA has paid out on the two DE wrecks that I know of where USAA was the insurer. Be sure that you check. USAA does NOT cover DE in all states. TDinDC is absolutly right, check very carefuly first. You might find that you are OK with your existing coverage and you might find that it is wise to add coverage. The risk for a time ot two is not high but for a high value car that is tracked often and hard it might pay off in the long run. For the record it is normaly covered unless it is excluded in print in YOUR policy. READ YOUR POLICY.

fast1

i wouldn't rely on what was told to me on the phone. I'd get a detailed description of my Insurance coverage and look carefully at the exclusions.

yetis

My college room mate was also my insurance agent at Chubb. Chubb will not cover any damage on the track. Whether its a DE event or you just spinning around on your own (you never know). He now wworks with AIG, so I will ask about their policy on the matter.

TT Gasman

I have USAA, I also asked them specifically about DEs a couple of years ago, again as long as it is not a competeition but a driver education event it is OK. There is no specific language in my policy about tracks or racing. My policy is in Texas, your policies may vary by state. Personally, I will not claim anything that happened on the track unless it was a major occurance and even then I would have to think about it. I have heard stories of insurance companies covering an incident then dropping the policy. I would rather pay out of pocket if I f'd up my own car rather than jeapardize my entire insurance coverage.

C4 Pazzo

My Kemper policy in Calif excludes 'speed competitions'. I interpret that to mean DE damage would be covered, but perhaps not time trials. Supplemental DE insurance would prevent a possible fight, though.

Ray S

I have USAA. Re-read your policy and/or contact them directly. They have put new language into their policy's and you are not covered.

You've been warned.....

kurt M

Perhaps IL is one of the "it is not covered" states?
This is not a clear cut answer kind of thing. Each owner has to check the policy in hand and decide the level of risk to take.
On one hand you are ether covered in print or you are not. On the other hand you run the risk of getting dropped if you file a covered claim. I have had the same policy with USAA since 1978 and they have been nothing but top notch to me over the years. I have a low value car and a solid record with USAA and chose to drive with the standard policy only. If I was a new driver with a new policy and had some spots on my record I would purchase added coverage.
In one of the cases I mentioned USAA paid out but declined to cover the replacement car which is a primarily track driven car. They did not drop the insured just did not cover the next Porsche. In the other, coverage was not impinged on in any way and the rates did not increase as the driver had many good driving years with USAA.

If you can afford it and can get DE insurance where you live, do so and sleep better. It will cover most of the costs of a major hit. With a 20% deductible you will still take a $ hit and be mostly out of pocket in a smaller claim that regular insurance would cover but you don’t run the risk of getting your day to day ins. dropped. Less risk exposure costs you more up front but might or might not save you $ and headaches later.