Anyone know of any insurance companies that provide additional
insurance coverage for driving schools and autocross?

Someone on another forum suggestion this one but I'd like to get some
comparison quotes.

http://www.americancollectorsins.com/de_quali.htm


It looks like my insurance company has just added a track/speed event
exclusion to my policy.

 

Why would you need extra insurance for Autox?

What are you trying to cover? Do you expect insurance that covers trying to drift around a corner, losing it, and slamming into a guard-rail? Not going to happen.....

....also, if you are competing in an event that has a PRIZE at stake, you will find that your LIFE insurance is also NFG!

S

 

I actually do expect my insurance to cover me during an autocross and also while at a driving school. In fact my insurance did cover me until the latest exclusion was added which:

"excludes bodily injury and property damage arising out of the participation in any prearranged or organized:
a. racing contest
b. speed contest, or
c. use of an auto at a track or course designed or used for racing or high performance driving,

or in practice or preparation for any contest or use of this type"

Even though autocross is defined as a "non-speed" contest by the SCCA, I'm not sure if my insurance company would agree.

 

they may or may not depending on the carrier and your history with them, but regardless they'll drop you like a hot potatoe afterwards and you'll be damaged goods (pardon the pun) with any othe carrier because they do share information.

Unfortunately serious wrecks can occur at even the most mundane autox, sometimes you have to use your judgement on how hard to push the car or yourself, maybe even decide not to run because I can tell you that it's not unusual for organizers not to consider course designs for unexpected rain coditions, making a dumb mistake, having the throttle hang up etc. Cars have been totalled at an autox and I hate to mentoin it, much worse too

so don't go out there being cavalier thinking nothing can happen because it can, has, and will again ... generally speaking though the risks are low and can be lower still with good, sound judgement

 

This is something I need to investigate further. I found out that Nationwide won't cover driver's events or timed events.

 

My understanding is that no standard insurance company will cover autocross, as it is a "timed event". However, if it is not written into your policy, you should be covered during a driver's education event. Now, "should" doesn't mean "will". You can't ask your agent, either, because then you can't claim nietivity and they'll tell you you're not covered whether it's written in or not. I don't want to know, so I'm not checking.

There IS driving school insurance available, but you'll probably pass out when you hear how much. It COULD be worth it if you were doing 10+ schools per year, but not for the 2 or 3 that I may manange. From what I hear, there's only 1 wall to hit at Putnam Park this weekend :D

 

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to research this a bit more and see what I can some up with.

I'm actually more concerned with liability coverage than collision coverage. I can always buy a less expensive track car and take that to the track.

 

After further research, I basically concluded that in my state, it is not possible to get a regular insurance company to cover me while doing a DE.

The American Collector's insurance that I quoted above provides damage repair for my vehicle for DEs and autocrosses.

As far as liability goes, most autoxes should carry something. Large national clubs like SCCA and NASA provide liability coverage which extends to drivers for all of their events (autocrosses and DEs). They also provide some additional medical coverage.

I've decided to take out a track policy with American collector's for my car just in case. It only costs $300 per year to insure a $20,000 RX-8 with a $4K deductible if anything happens on the track or a $1K deductible if something should happen in the paddock.

 

Some insurance policies will cover autocross. Generalizations ("all policies do", "no policies do") aren't helpful here -- you need to read the language of your specific policy. Policy wording varies between states even with the same carrier.

My understanding is that insurance on the event itself generally covers personal injury, not damage to cars.

Steve

 

On the bright side, this whole not having insurance thing for DEs and autocrosses has changed my perspective on the RX-8. I was thinking of replacing the RX-8 in a few years for a faster (but much more expensive) car but now I'll probably keep the RX-8 and run it into the ground. If I have a 20% deductible, I'd rather be on the track with a $20K car rather than a $60K car. Plus the annual insurance premiums will be 1/3 of the cost.

And once my RX-8 depreciates to the $10K mark or so, I won't feel bad about doing solo I events where I won't have any insurance.

 

Steve, how would you know about that? :p