Track Day Insurance

[Dr Gonzo]

After seeing a mate write off his car at an event, could anyone recommend a good place to get track day insurance?..

(This thread has cropped up from time to time - but I thought it would be handy to get the latest info!)

[paulmoonraker]

Competition Car Insurance - about 1% of cars value for cover.

[jonnyleroux]

Thoroughly recommend www.reis.co.uk - don't buy based on premium alone - these guys offer the best service overall even if they're not the cheapest.

[gtdc]

jonnyleroux said:

Thoroughly recommend www.reis.co.uk - don't buy based on premium alone - these guys offer the best service overall even if they're not the cheapest.

Totally seconded.

[Rakoosh]

I looked into this and I found that its actually relatively expensive to get ad hoc track day insurance. I was typically getting quotes in the 150 - 200 mark !

That said : reis, cci. henderson and other specialists will include 5-7 days of trackday cover with a regular policy so might be worth switching insurance if you need trackday cover?

Even if you are already covered and have to lose out a little on cancelling your current to switch over you might find it worthwhile especially if you think this is not a one off.

[paulmoonraker]

jonnyleroux said:

Thoroughly recommend www.reis.co.uk - don't buy based on premium alone - these guys offer the best service overall even if they're not the cheapest.

I found these to be uncompetitive at the lower end of the market (12K car value). However, that was some time ago.

[Mattt]

Mannings include trackday cover for TVRs, I guess they may do the same on other marques.

[V8mate]

Rakoosh said:

I looked into this and I found that its actually relatively expensive to get ad hoc track day insurance. I was typically getting quotes in the 150 - 200 mark !

That said : reis, cci. henderson and other specialists will include 5-7 days of trackday cover with a regular policy so might be worth switching insurance if you need trackday cover?

Even if you are already covered and have to lose out a little on cancelling your current to switch over you might find it worthwhile especially if you think this is not a one off.

What car was that for? Suggested above that it's a percentage of the car's value.

Adrian Flux - who provide my road cover - suggested about £75 a day for my old E36. Didn't bother in the end though.

[spyderman8]

I switched to Manning last year because of the included track day cover on my Boxster. The policy was only marginally more expensive than the Porsche Club policy I had before which only covered a few track days a year. If you can get a policy that includes track day cover, it will work out quite a bit cheaper over the year.

[mrmr96]

paulmoonraker said:

Competition Car Insurance - about 1% of cars value for cover.

+1. Premium is about 1% of value and excess is about 10%.

[GC8]

paulmoonraker said:

jonnyleroux said:

Thoroughly recommend www.reis.co.uk - don't buy based on premium alone - these guys offer the best service overall even if they're not the cheapest.

I found these to be uncompetitive at the lower end of the market (12K car value). However, that was some time ago.

Cover was included in their recent quote to me, for an MX-5 NB. The excess rose for TD claims, but that was it.

[fatboy21]

That's useful to read about but it's gonna be expensive to insure my R8 for one day. What with the tyre cost and the fuel - this is going to be one hell of an expensive day out.

Im going for my first time and its less about getting the fastest times I could get by pushing to the limit and more about using the day to learn about the car and how to handle it which I can't do on a public road. Therefore I'm pretty confident I won't total my car.

But what about someone else. Has anyone ever seen a crash where one car writes off another? What happens? Can someone actually smash into your car and then just buy you a coffee?

[V8mate]

fatboy21 said:

Can someone actually smash into your car and then just buy you a coffee?

Yep. Apart from the coffee. You're 100x more likely to damage your car by leaving the track than having someone else collide with you though.

Odd that you can afford an R8 but think that a trackday is expensive. I budget £500 per day on my old E36 across a year.

[paulmoonraker]

V8mate said:

fatboy21 said:

Can someone actually smash into your car and then just buy you a coffee?

Yep. Apart from the coffee. You're 100x more likely to damage your car by leaving the track than having someone else collide with you though.

Odd that you can afford an R8 but think that a trackday is expensive. I budget £500 per day on my old E36 across a year.

Yes, and any insurance you take out only covers your car and not any third parties. Car collisions are rare, however, spinning off and hitting something is more likely. If your worried then an Airfield day may be better as there is generally much more run off and far less things to hit. However, Airfield days, with the concrete parts of the track mince tyres.

Including insurance a track day costs me about 550 including tyre and brake pad wear...

[mrmr96]

paulmoonraker said:

V8mate said:

fatboy21 said:

Can someone actually smash into your car and then just buy you a coffee?

Yep. Apart from the coffee. You're 100x more likely to damage your car by leaving the track than having someone else collide with you though.

Odd that you can afford an R8 but think that a trackday is expensive. I budget £500 per day on my old E36 across a year.

Yes, and any insurance you take out only covers your car and not any third parties. Car collisions are rare, however, spinning off and hitting something is more likely. If your worried then an Airfield day may be better as there is generally much more run off and far less things to hit. However, Airfield days, with the concrete parts of the track mince tyres.

Including insurance a track day costs me about 550 including tyre and brake pad wear...

There's a fair difference of opinion on what should happen if one driver writes off another drivers car.

Legally, each person pays for their own repairs. (The waiver you sign before going on track sees to that.) There may be an exclusion if gross negligence can be proven, but I'd say that's nigh on impossible.

The two "schools of thought" though are that:
i) Everyone knows the risks and should insure their own car if they want cover on track.
ii) The person who's fault it was should sort out paying to mend the other guy's car, as it's the gentlemanly thing to do.

My personal opinion is that I'm in "camp i)". I know the risks of taking my car on track. I know that if I stuff it I'd have to pay for a repair. I also know that if someone stuffed it into me, then I'd STILL have to pay for the repair as there's a good chance the other guy wouldn't want to or wouldn't have the means. So I "look after #1" and buy my own cover for my car. It costs me 1% of the cars value per event, money which I could save if I thought I wouldn't crash! However I could be the most carful drive in the world and that won't stop someone running into me - which is why I buy cover in spite of any confidence I may have in myself to keep my car out of trouble. I expect everyone else to do the same.

[V8mate]

mrmr96 said:

There's a fair difference of opinion on what should happen if one driver writes off another drivers car.

Legally, each person pays for their own repairs. (The waiver you sign before going on track sees to that.) There may be an exclusion if gross negligence can be proven, but I'd say that's nigh on impossible.

The two "schools of thought" though are that:
i) Everyone knows the risks and should insure their own car if they want cover on track.
ii) The person who's fault it was should sort out paying to mend the other guy's car, as it's the gentlemanly thing to do.

My personal opinion is that I'm in "camp i)". I know the risks of taking my car on track. I know that if I stuff it I'd have to pay for a repair. I also know that if someone stuffed it into me, then I'd STILL have to pay for the repair as there's a good chance the other guy wouldn't want to or wouldn't have the means. So I "look after #1" and buy my own cover for my car. It costs me 1% of the cars value per event, money which I could save if I thought I wouldn't crash! However I could be the most carful drive in the world and that won't stop someone running into me - which is why I buy cover in spite of any confidence I may have in myself to keep my car out of trouble. I expect everyone else to do the same.

Indeed. I cut my cloth according to my means - I can afford to fix the car I've chosen to take on track - and I am entirely disinterested in what folk in their GT3s etc get up to because I want no part of their repair bills.

[fatboy21]

V8mate said:

Indeed. I cut my cloth according to my means - I can afford to fix the car I've chosen to take on track - and I am entirely disinterested in what folk in their GT3s etc get up to because I want no part of their repair bills.

I think that's unfair.

First your earlier point. The day is not expensive but tyres are £1000 for a set (6mm of tread equals 3x airfield days?) and I will get through two tanks of fuel. The insurance at 1% of value. I think it will cost me over £750 for the day. I think that is a lot of money even though I can afford an R8. I also think taking the Missus and one youngster to the cinema costing £50 is expensive and I don't expect someone to say that a bloke with a Gant jacket thinks the cinema is expensive. I am a down to earth guy and not a rich kid.

Second on issue of affording to replace. I totally get your position but please step back and look at it from my point of view. I also have a Cayenne on order and was considering ditching the R8 and getting a cheaper hothatch or atom for track days or keep the impractical R8 and get a 4 year old Freelander to lug the family about. Now as a car person, I ask you that if I do this, simply because I worry about a lack of respect on the track for expensive metal, then the only people with super cars will be the trust fund kids who cruise them through the city centre. So many owners of R8 or 911 etc. are accused by enthusiasts of not using the car for what its made for ie. track days and instead they sit them in the garage. Unless I get you wrong, you are kind of suggesting that people with an R8 are rich folk who get the damage they deserve from bring such a car to a race track. My view is that I am an ordinary bloke who wants to drive a fast car at a track. GT3 and Caymans are made to drive on tracks as are 911's and R8's

Edited by fatboy21 on Sunday 15th January 12:52

[mrmr96]

fatboy21 said:

The insurance at 1% of value. I think it will cost me over £750 for the day. I think that is a lot of money even though I can afford an R8.

You'd be best off ringing up for a quote then.

Call them tomorrow: http://www.competition-car-insurance.co.uk/contact...

[E36GUY]

mrmr96 said:

You'd be best off ringing up for a quote then.

Call them tomorrow: http://www.competition-car-insurance.co.uk/contact...

Another vote for Competition Car Insurance

[framerateuk]

fatboy21 said:

I think that's unfair.

First your earlier point. The day is not expensive but tyres are £1000 for a set (6mm of tread equals 3x airfield days?) and I will get through two tanks of fuel. The insurance at 1% of value. I think it will cost me over £750 for the day. I think that is a lot of money even though I can afford an R8. I also think taking the Missus and one youngster to the cinema costing £50 is expensive and I don't expect someone to say that a bloke with a Gant jacket thinks the cinema is expensive. I am a down to earth guy and not a rich kid.

Second on issue of affording to replace. I totally get your position but please step back and look at it from my point of view. I also have a Cayenne on order and was considering ditching the R8 and getting a cheaper hothatch or atom for track days or keep the impractical R8 and get a 4 year old Freelander to lug the family about. Now as a car person, I ask you that if I do this, simply because I worry about a lack of respect on the track for expensive metal, then the only people with super cars will be the trust fund kids who cruise them through the city centre. So many owners of R8 or 911 etc. are accused by enthusiasts of not using the car for what its made for ie. track days and instead they sit them in the garage. Unless I get you wrong, you are kind of suggesting that people with an R8 are rich folk who get the damage they deserve from bring such a car to a race track. My view is that I am an ordinary bloke who wants to drive a fast car at a track. GT3 and Caymans are made to drive on tracks as are 911's and R8's

Edited by fatboy21 on Sunday 15th January 12:52

I think you missed his point.

He's saying he wants no involvment with the GT3's ect simply because he would not be able too afford their repair bills. If I was on a track and someone in an old Nova crashed into me, would I expect them to be able to pay for the repairs for my Megane? No! I'd be annoyed that they hit my car yes, but in the end it was my choice to risk it. As you said, that's what these cars are for right?

However, I keep an eye on people on trackdays and if someone is driving too aggressively I simply avoid them and let them pass. If they're holding me up and won't let me pass because their ego is too big I'll just pull in and try again in a few minutes. If they keep playing up then it's worth mentioning it the marshalls- as he's probably doing the same to other people up aswell.

On the insurance note, I'm with Greenlight and they will insure up to 5 trackdays a year for £50 each. Your excess goes up to £2000 on those days, but changes are if you've had a smash bad enough to have to claim then it'll cost a lot more than £2000 without insurance.....