tlark

Am Collector only insures in 13 states, anyone else given me an idea of whom to call thats reasonable ?

Rick964

Anybody know if American Collectors considers time trials the same as DEs? Their application form mentions that high-speed reacing is not covered.

Brian_77_3.6

Larry,

This is from American Collectors web site. For DE coverage you do need to be " Currently insured with another carrier for liability".

Qualifications

Your vehicle may qualify for Driver’s Ed insurance if it is:

A Porsche, BMW, Corvette, Viper or similar performance vehicle
Stored in a locked garage or trailer when not in use
Not driven by anyone with less than 10 years driving experience during a Driver’s Ed event
Currently insured for liability with another company

Larry Herman

Interesting Brian. In my dealings with them, they only ever talked about insuring the vehicle for collision, and the topic of alternate liability coverage never came up. BTW I had a policy with them for last year, and probably will do so again this year. But I wonder how they would then cover cars that are not registered or street driven, and therefore cannot get standard automotive liability insurance.

And Rick, they do not cover time-trails as that is definitely considered a competition event. You are racing against the clock.

PatK-Mpls

I know of a situation where the person's policy excluded timed events and the following occured: In year 1, the person engaged in a autocross that was timed - no damages, nothing noteworthy. In year 2 (actually more than a year), the person had an accident while on track at a PCA DE. The insurance company denied the claim, their basis being that the person had engaged in a timed event at one time and therefore the de was considered 'practice' for timed events.

Brian_77_3.6

This same senario happened to one of our club members. The insurance companies will search the web and all public records to find an event where you are listed as a participant in a timed event and then deny the DE claim. Our member did beat it but it took three years of litigation and some hefty legal fees which he got back from the court ordered settlement but had to put out of pocket up front for the legal fees.

mitch236

The truth is that you can, in most cases, force the insurance company to pay if you were in DE and can prove it. However, good luck finding insurance once your policy expires. These companies do share information about problem drivers and you will be placed in that catagory. Get DE insurance. It is well worth it.

chrisp

Based on anecdotal information I would second Brian_77_3.6's point. They're keeping a list and checking it twice. I've heard some pretty crazy stories about what information companies have about their customers based on what they found on public forums.

James-man

I find it curious that with a 20 year old relationship with an insurance carrier, and having NO claims during that time, insurance would drop you for your first claim even if it is for DE.

I can appreciate the thinking behind being dropped for a 2nd DE incident/claim as that reveals pattern behavior and increased risk. I can also understand after a first DE claim having the insurance carrier wanting to change the policy to exclude DE events and then sell a rider for additional coverage.

First offense just doesn't seem quite right. Anyone here have experience of having insurance dropped for a DE incident and, what other strikes against you do you also have on your record such as speeding violations or road collisions?

Jerseybean

Does haggerty cover DE? I read the policy, it states no racing of any kind...

tlark

This is the grey area with many a policy thats been discussed before. The launguage used will say "timed or competitive event".

DE is neither although its done on a track which leads to the smoking gun thought from the insurance company where they will not cover you, or if the do in that 1 cicumstance they can and will drop you thereafter.

Bull

Ah, American Collectors Ins. Ever so frustrating to have them located in Cherry Hill, NJ....but unable to write DE Insurance in NJ!!!!!

Jerseybean

We all need to club together to buy a place in PA so we can get DE insurance. What's the going rate for an apartment in the pocono's these days.

SundayDriver

There is really no grey area in these policies, but it can often take a fight. An insurance policy is a "contract of adhesion". This means that since you have no opportunity to negotiate the contract, that any grey area must be interpreted in favor of the policyholder. Insurance companies can and will balk and refuse to pay, but unless the policy clearly excludes a DE, they are obligated to pay.

IMO, as DE's get more popular and there are more claims, more policies will exclude these events. But that takes time and happens on a state by state basis as each state insurance commission must approve policy language.

Brian_77_3.6

One good practice is not to ask the agent if DE or any type of driving school is covered by the policy. Agents are nothing more then a salesperson and are not equiped with adequate information to give you an accurate answer. Mine always needs to talk to underwritting and then get back to me for any answers to my questions. Get a copy of the policy and read it yourself.