Do you need insurance to ride at the track?

[jhaag]

personal experience:

i "totalled" my sv a gratten a few years ago. i had progressive at the time and got, first my balls busted by Monte for crashing an sv, then compensated for my bike, helmet and leathers for my crash, from progressive. but, when talking to the adjuster he said, "so, you were racing around the track...", and i interrupted, "oh, no, sir. i was at an orgainzed track day working on my riding skills. there were instructors riding with me, etc, etc."

my ins booklet stated the they did not cover timed events, competition and things of that sort.

but, you should read, carefully, your ins booklet so as to be sure that you are covered the same way. they (ins co's) may have changed their verbage by now.

[mattm]

jhaag is right. Read your policy. I am an instructor with NASA for 4 wheeled track events and the insurance companies have gotten smart about this. Most auto policies state that you are not covered "on a racing surface." This WILL be included in the language on a motorcycle policy now or in the near future. It may be there already and if it isn't it WILL. Either way, if you get them to pay a claim and they know where it happened, you will probably be dropped at the next renewal. This crap has been happening on the car side for awhile and some companies have filled the void for track insurance at a reasonable cost. The rule for track driving (and the reason I don't drive a Z06) is that if you can't afford to walk away from it, you can't afford to take it on track.

All the talk about "fell off the trailer" is insurance fraud. Insurance fraud is serious and if caught you would be in serious trouble. Some insurance companies send people to take pictures at tracks. This is rare, but the evidence of your track day is all over the net through multiple photographers and your insurance company MAY check it out.

I see this all the time with my students at the track. Kids with leased EVOs, WRXs and S2000s. When these kids gets fast enough they usually learn that it costs to play and move into a cheaper race car. Those that don't learn will end up owing on a car that they can no longer drive.

In the cars, the first several times on track are the safest as they are going the slowest. Self preservation instincts take over and keep the speeds slow, but with experience comes speed and the danger increases exponentially. Just be careful and READ your policy carefully as almost every insurance company excludes coverage on a "racing surface" anymore. Also, do not engage in insurance fraud as that could put you in jail for awhile and that is no fun.

As far as injury is concerned the general rule is that everyone assumed the risk and covers themselves. If you blatantly put someone into the wall they may decide to come after you. If you drop oil that someone wrecks on, then that is part of the assumed risk deal. In the car world if you absolutely caused the damage because of a boneheaded move in a driver education event then you should help defray the costs to the best of your ability. However, everyone on track assumed the risk and sometimes shit happens and nobody is at fault. This is more of an honor thing and is dealt with between the people involved at the driver education level.

To the OP your agent can fight for you with your insurance company but obviously those conversations have not gone well. I would discontinue all discussions with that agent and read your policy as it most likely excludes any accident on a "racing surface." Look into alternate insurance if you don't want to take the risk as they are already telling you that they will not cover you and nobody organizing the event will convince them to cover you. This used to be covered but the insurance companies have paid out too much and are clamping down on this claim in a big way.

This is not to discourage you from a track event. You absolutely should do one on the bike AND in your car as it will make you better. However, you should not assume that your insurance company will cover you no matter what the organizer of the event says.

Edited September 7, 2009 by mattm