Ring Insurance - recommendations

[Sevenman]

This is an often asked question, but no posts I have found seem to have comprehensive answers.

I am planning to go on a Ring trip as part of a small group later this year.

Since I was last there (2003), its popularity has grown, and many insurers specifically exclude it from their policies - including mine (confirmed having spoken to broke and underwriter).

As far as I can tell, in German law it is a public road, and therefore you need to have insurance. I am not too worried about keeping my fully comp level of cover. While it would ruin my year, I could afford to live without my car and pay for some Armco, however I also need 3rd party liability insurance to :

a) Not be breaking German law
b) Protect myself should I be sued for anything

I should point out that I am a sensible (Saab) driver, with enough experience to know where my on-track limits are, but the two points above mean I don't want to go out without 3rd party cover.

Adrian Flux was suggested, they say they provide no cover on the ring. I have tried Moris and Competition Car Insurance - they don't cover this sort of thing, and it seems that most track companies are more for covering damage to the driver's car, which I don't need. Also given that I am in the area for 5 days, but only plan on doing 12 laps or so, it could be expensive.

I could change my insurance provider before the trip since my existing policy will be coming to its end.

If anybody can provide suggestions of a good company to use, then assuming their cost for my modified Saab isn't excessive, I would be much happier driving safely in the knowledge I am covered.

[croftsj]

Try these guys, may take a day or so to get a quote back.

http://www.morispayment.co.uk/trackday.asp?prefix=...

Your regular insurer should cover you 3rd party on the Ring as long as you have European cover for the period. As far as German law goes I think (and I could be wrong here) the Ring is a private toll road in the eyes of the law. The German police investigate all accidents at the Ring and regularly impound vehicles and drivers!

Do check your policy documents as many insurers although not specifically naming the Ring do exclude private toll roads to cover their arses in these cases.

[anonymous-user]

Very few people will be willing to say X insurer covers the 'Ring because they soon won't if it becomes publicised. If you phone up every insurer asking "Do you exclude the 'Ring?", they will all say yes. If they don't, they will probably add it as a specific exclusion on your policy and it may well soon become a general exclusion.

Get the quotes and read the policy documents - they'll either be available online or their sales people should post them out if you're interested. Various terminology I've seen to exclude it has been specifically "Nürburgring Nordschliefe", or the more general "de-restricted toll road".

There is a train of thought that says that an insurer can't pick and choose which roads they insure you on and which they don't, however I have also heard that those insurers that do exclude have refused to payout and the ombudsman has sided with the insurers.

[nickbell3]

Everyone should just read the small print and deal with it in their own way. Continual posting of this "tired" subject will spoil our trips very soon.

[Sevenman]

Thanks for the replies.

Looks like there isn't an easy solution, so may ask for policy documents from a few insurers, or more likely, pull out of the ring trip. Plenty of other tracks I haven't been on before, admittedly none as interesting, but none as hazardous either.

[tertius]

Sevenman said:

Thanks for the replies.

Looks like there isn't an easy solution, so may ask for policy documents from a few insurers, or more likely, pull out of the ring trip. Plenty of other tracks I haven't been on before, admittedly none as interesting, but none as hazardous either.

Or rent a dedicated track car locally when you are there. There are various local companies that do this, including:

The Ringhaus, Ron Simons Racing, rent-racecar.de.