Towing a track car - Insurance

[tsinc]

I've been driving my track car to and from circuit for a few years but I was fed up of doing it last year when I had issues at Anglesey and thought I wouldn't be getting home!

I've bought a trailer, passed my B+E and got myself a tow car, but I wanted to check what other people do in regards to insurance.

The track car is road legal, and insured, but if I was to declare it SORN and make it a track only car, what insurance do people normally take out? Do you have a third party fire and theft policy? Or do you have no insurance on the track car? (When I'm talking about insurance I don't mean insurance on track, just so there's no confusion)

If you have third party fire and theft, how are you covered for the car when it is on the trailer travelling to/from a circuit, or anywhere in general.

My current road policy on the tow car covers the trailer third party. I'm finding out if that includes the load of the trailer too or just the trailer itself. I do need need to check if that covers theft or not.

TLDR;
How do you insure track only/race cars at home?
How do you insure track only/race cars when travelling on a trailer?
(Not "how do you" as in how do you phone a broker etc, but how do you personally do it)

[smokey mow]

Search for motorsport storage and transit insurance.

I use it on my race car and it covers the car fully comprehensive at an agreed value whilst at home (storage) and also whilst in transit on the trailer to the circuit.

My policy is with REIS but all the usual motorsport insurers should be able to help.

[Order66]

tsinc said:

The track car is road legal, and insured, but if I was to declare it SORN and make it a track only car, what insurance do people normally take out? Do you have a third party fire and theft policy? Or do you have no insurance on the track car? (When I'm talking about insurance I don't mean insurance on track, just so there's no confusion)

SORN has nothing to do with insurance. You can insure any car with a V5 regardless if it is SORN or not - the insurance company doesn't care.

tsinc said:

If you have third party fire and theft, how are you covered for the car when it is on the trailer travelling to/from a circuit, or anywhere in general.

You aren't - 3rd party cover doesn't cover your car in any way regardless if it is being driven or trailered.

tsinc said:

My current road policy on the tow car covers the trailer third party. I'm finding out if that includes the load of the trailer too or just the trailer itself. I do need need to check if that covers theft or not.

Again, 3rd party cover insures the OTHER person in the event of an incident. If you bend your trailer and its contents then you are on your own, the insurance will not pay out a penny.

You seem a bit confused about what 3rd party insurance is. While you car is on the trailer (and properly strapped down) then it won't be hitting anyone (and even if it does, your tow car insurance would cover a 3rd party claim against your load hitting someone) so 3rd party insurance on it is irrelevant.

If you want the car itself covered you would need fully comp, and even then I'd be phoning the insurance company and directly asking them to confirm that if it is on a trailer and being towed then it is still fully covered under its own policy in the event the whole thing goes sideways (but don't be daft and say your are tracking it - it could be trailered to go and get repairs or be resprayed etc). Cars don't have to be taxed/MoTd to have insurance.

[radical78]

you get goods in transit insurance on the tow car and tell them your towing a trailer

[tsinc]

smokey mow said:

Search for motorsport storage and transit insurance.

I use it on my race car and it covers the car fully comprehensive at an agreed value whilst at home (storage) and also whilst in transit on the trailer to the circuit.

My policy is with REIS but all the usual motorsport insurers should be able to help.

radical78 said:

you get goods in transit insurance on the tow car and tell them your towing a trailer

Thanks, I'll look in to that.

[tsinc]

Order66 said:

Again, 3rd party cover insures the OTHER person in the event of an incident. If you bend your trailer and its contents then you are on your own, the insurance will not pay out a penny.

You seem a bit confused about what 3rd party insurance is. While you car is on the trailer (and properly strapped down) then it won't be hitting anyone (and even if it does, your tow car insurance would cover a 3rd party claim against your load hitting someone) so 3rd party insurance on it is irrelevant.

If you want the car itself covered you would need fully comp, and even then I'd be phoning the insurance company and directly asking them to confirm that if it is on a trailer and being towed then it is still fully covered under its own policy in the event the whole thing goes sideways (but don't be daft and say your are tracking it - it could be trailered to go and get repairs or be resprayed etc). Cars don't have to be taxed/MoTd to have insurance.

Thanks.

When I'm talking about 3rd party I'm meaning to utilise the "theft" part, not the what happens in an accident part. I want the car insured when it is at home in the garage and then when it is on the trailer on the road.

I've asked my insurer to check if the track car is fully comp under it's own policy when being transported on the trailer. I was hoping that I could change the fully comp policy to something like a goods in transit and have it covered when at home in the garage.

Edited by tsinc on Saturday 17th February 11:30

[QBee]

Keep going with this, and let us know what you find out/do.

For other trailer users' info:

I tend to take my road legal and registered, fully-comp insured, two-seater car to track days on a trailer, towed behind my Saab estate, so that:
1. I am not stuffed for getting home if it breaks or I bin it,
2. I can carry a full spare set wheels and tyres, tools etc and
3. I don't have to "enjoy" a 300-400 mile round trip to/from the track in a noisy, draughty, cold track car with stiff suspension and no working radio.

My insurers, Classic Line, have said the track car is fully covered as normal whilst on the trailer, so long as I don't leave the car anywhere on the trailer - if I get out of the tow car and leave it, even just for a meal at the motorway services, the two-seater must be unloaded off the trailer and left parked and locked. Insurers are worried about the trailer and car being nicked together, and I see their point.

[Pdelamare]

QBee said:

My insurers, Classic Line, have said the track car is fully covered as normal whilst on the trailer, so long as I don't leave the car anywhere on the trailer - if I get out of the tow car and leave it, even just for a meal at the motorway services, the two-seater must be unloaded off the trailer and left parked and locked. Insurers are worried about the trailer and car being nicked together, and I see their point.

How practical is this though, presumably you just accept that the car is uninsured for theft whilst you're having a comfort break at the services?

[QBee]

Pdelamare said:

QBee said:

My insurers, Classic Line, have said the track car is fully covered as normal whilst on the trailer, so long as I don't leave the car anywhere on the trailer - if I get out of the tow car and leave it, even just for a meal at the motorway services, the two-seater must be unloaded off the trailer and left parked and locked. Insurers are worried about the trailer and car being nicked together, and I see their point.

How practical is this though, presumably you just accept that the car is uninsured for theft whilst you're having a comfort break at the services?

I agree it isn't perfect.
If you are on your own in the car, then you always have the option of unloading it.
Just better to be aware of the risks.

You could also attach some sort of security device to foil thieves. Wheel clamp or similar.
When leaving it unattended for hours, I always use a heavy duty chain and padlock to attach my horse trailer to the tow car, as it had an angle iron style tow hitch mounting that made this easy to do. It seemed to be sufficient deterrent, as I still have the £6,000 horse trailer.
But I always made sure as far as possible that there were other people around where i parked.

[tsinc]

I've had a quote back for a "storage and goods in transit" policy, as recommended, for under £300. That covers just under £20k of trailer and track/race car when stored at home or whilst on the trailer.

I'm going to be getting more quotes to see how competitive that one is but considering that policy is around the same price as my annual track car road tax, it is tempting. The annual saving on not paying for a road insurance policy would pay off the trailer in a few years.

[dhutch]

Never really looked into how I'm covered mid tow.

However I stored the kitcar in a covered box trailer on my drive for a while and the insurance confirmed it was full insured for theft just as if where on the same drive not in the trailer. Obviously policies vary.

Daniel

[checkmate91]

Bit late to this but go speak to a broker. Sounds like you need goods-in-transit cover if not covered by your tow vehicle insurance, laid-up cover when not being used and, possibly but perhaps not, track use cover when being used on track. SORN means you cannot use the car on the carriageway, trailer sorts that and tracks are private land so no worries there.

I have a 20th century mini which I want to recommission and use for track use only, will need to run through scenarios similar to yours myself with my broker to be clear about what I need vs what I can self-insure against...