Drivers Ed. events / insurance

JoeF · 12-12-2001, 08:50 AM

I just found out my insurance policy does not cover me while participating in track or drivers ed events. Does any one know of a company that does? Do most folks drive at DE events without Insurance?

Mike Feinstein · Mike Feinstein's Garage

Good question!!! I'd like to know too. I'm participating in my first DE next month. Without insurance I will be MUCH more cautious...and probably won't have as much fun. I'll check with Geico and see what's up.

MRM · 09:16 AM

Driving without track insurance is very risky. If your car gets damaged you have the choice of paying for it yourself or committing insurance fraud by reporting the accident as having happened somewhere else. There have been a few threads on this subject. Some degenerate into a debate on whether you should engage in insurance fraud, and I do not mean to reignite that debate.

Let me just say that track insurance is relatively cheap and easily available. You can buy it through your local PCA chapter or the track itself. Call the track ahead of time to see if you can buy it there and only for the day of the race. Check with

Hagerty Classic Insurance
PO Box 1302
Traverse City MI 49685-1302

www.hagerty.com

They might have track only coverage as well as regular coverage.

89911 · 12-12-2001, 09:20 AM

Driver Education events are just that....driver education classes. My insurance actually gives me a discount for attending these. As long as these are non timed events with classroom instruction, your insurance should cover you, or I would suggest switching to one that does!

Mike Feinstein · Mike Feinstein's Garage

Yikes! Geico does not cover you for any event that occurs on a bona-fide race track. Auto-X is covered, DE is not. I will check with Road Atlanta as suggested above. Fraud is not an option. I am not a proponent of the congugal visit.

Thanks,

avi8torny · 12-12-2001, 09:42 AM

I believe State Farm covers DE's. I checked at length with my agent and there is no language to the contrary.....I was also told after one mishap, you will get a rider that excludes you from coverage again. You are obviously there to learn......not drive outside your or your cars ability. But you already knew that.

tdowling
87 911

jkcrewsn · jkcrewsn's Garage

I am sure not all insurance companies are created equal. I have heard a couple of things concerning this. One is that if you have NO racing equipment on your car...lap timer, etc., you would probably be covered. Possibly only once, however. Obviously checking with your insurance company would be the best bet. Just a little trivia concerning Geico.... I read where they donated radar guns to a bunch of different police departments. I am assuming it is so they can charge their customers more money when they get speeding tickets. I choose not to deal with a company like that, no matter how "cheap" they are.

gaijinda · 12-12-2001, 09:59 AM

Hey avi8tor: Aren't you the guy seen at many metro pca events with your targa often on 2 wheels??? And there was that certain spin at Pocono...
Drive within abilities indeed!
BB

avi8torny · 12-12-2001, 11:19 AM

Gaijinda,
The light you see under my tires at DE is part anomaly and part illusion. You see,...it is caused by the refraction of light particles off a petroleum based surface and can only be viewed from behind.

Were did you say you were when you saw this?

And it wasn't a spin, just a 360 degree coefficient of friction surface test. It passed with flying colors(blue smoke)!!!

tdowling
87 Targa

Z-man · Z-man's Garage

A "friend of mine" wants to know if anyone knows what NJM's (New Jersey Manufacturer's Insurance Co.) policy is on DE events.

Anyone know, so I can tell my...er...friend?

-John Smith.

gaijinda · 12-12-2001, 12:08 PM

Avi8torny:

Are you a flying attorney or something? The fact is I never saw your 360. I was corner working on the other side of the track.
I heard it over the radio: "This is corner 5". "Car 880, red targa is spinning". "HANG ON a minute!, car 880 spun 360 degrees & has kept going."

What did you grow up watching Starsky & Hutch??

Somebody oughtta' tell State Farm.

BB

JoeF · 12-12-2001, 01:03 PM

Z-Man,
I just spoke with the insurance chairman at the PCA. He has informed me that He is currently working on getting some kind of approval from the State of NJ to offer a program to NJ residents to cover them at track events. Right now this policy is not available to NJ residents as it is only offered to residents of any place in the free world.