Insurance Concerns

[CloNeGTS]

Hey,

I know Scott talked a little about this when his wife was in that accident on course a while back. I believe he mentioned he ended up lossing coverage from his company after the accident if I remember right.

But I have a few questions that I hope you guys can answer.

1. My auto policy reads as follows under exclusion #13

'Liability arising from the sponsoring or taking part in any organized or agreed-upon racing or speed contest or demostration in which your insured car has active participation..'

I realize in the rule book Solo II is defined as a 'non-speed' contest, but I have to believe any insurance company would consider that just a play on words. Does anyone have actual FACTUAL information on what insurance companies think Autox is ok and what, if anything, SCCA suggests as far as allowing us to partake in their events without being a group of people breaking contract with our insurance companies? Are their any cases anyone is aware of that involve this matter? I am insured thru Farmers. Are their certain companies that are known to allow Solo II participation if some don't?

2. What happens in the event that I injure someone on course? Say my car goes off course and kills some bystander. Obviously, SCCA has insurance against a suit. What about me? Especially if my auto insurance says "you were racing, we're not covering this".

Again, I don't want people's opinions. This is hard legal stuff I want to know. I'd rather hear from people that have been involved in this for a while first before having to call up SCCA and ask them.

I think this is something everyone involved in Autox should consider very thoroughly. My father is a risk management consultant and just mentioned it to me the other day and I'm a little concerned. It would be very possible for someone like me to enter an event, have something go wrong, get denied coverage on my policy and get sued. End result: a damaged car and possibly lossing everything I have in a lawsuit over wrongfull death. Not something you plan on happening, but I'd like myself (and everyone else I race with, including you guys) to be safe.

Thanks for the feedback in advance.

[erok]

Last weekend this was brought up at an autox school I went to. Apparently, any SCCA sanctioned event is covered by the SCCA insurance policy. I was told the policy covers liability for any damages caused by any participant or bystander who has signed the entry waiver. One example they gave was of a person who was watching the event from the atop an RV in the parking lot and fell off and broke her arm. Her medical bills were covered by the SCCA policy. Obviously it gets complicated and there's nothing to really prevent a lawsuit in cases of negligence, but the school organizers felt like the SCCA coverage was critically important and effective on the rare times it had been called into play.

[Phil C]

I'd call your insurance agent and ask, I know my Grange agent told me that any officially sponsored autocross would be specifically covered under our policy as a "driver training event". However any event on a road course, like a day at Nelson Ledges or Mid-Ohio would not be covered, hence I've never done one because I can't afford to crack up my daily driver. In the last two years I've seen three cars hit something (other than a cone) while autocrossing. The only one who has ever returned to autocross, and the only one who I think would be allowed back, was covered by State Farm without any problems even though he told his agent it happened at an autocross. The Lotus looks as good as it did before going into a curb right rear first. I think a lot has to do with your agent more than the company.

[autxr]

The SCCA waiver certainly will not cover damages to your vehicle, other than that, the policy is a good one at the SCCA events.

It's hard to say about what the insurance agents think. After USAA decided to get on their high horse I called around to several agents and specifically asked if they knew what "autocross" is. They were all clueless, and no matter how you describe an autocross it sounds like racing to an insurance agent. None would touch it.

I will probably give a great deal of business to the first agent I find that is actually a nice person AND knows what an autocross is. If they don't know, they should offer to come out and see, just to get my business. Most folks that know what autocross is would have no problem covering it.

Ironically, I did call USAA and ask them about doing a high performance driving school at a race track. I described it and they said it would be covered, no problem (though they would only cover it once).

Anyhow, I've read my Progressive auto policy and there is NO mention what-so-ever of ANY auto sport, high speed low speed, autocross, wheel to wheel, etc. NO mention.

This means they pretty much have to cover it once. It does not mean they can't drop me after the fact (like USAA).

Scott

[CloNeGTS]

Thanks for the info guys. It's good to have a discussion on something that is probably often overlooked in the sport.

[CamaroFS34]

Originally posted by autxr
The SCCA waiver certainly will not cover damages to your vehicle, other than that, the policy is a good one at the SCCA events.Actually, I think if the damage is due to another accident, it is covered. Blue Ridge Region had an incident where an F440 lost a wheel. The wheel bounced across the road separating the lot where the course was and the lot where paddock was, dented the front fender and hood of a guy's VW GTi, and finally came to rest some distance away. Hal, the VW owner, got an insurance check for the damage to his car. He didn't fix the car, but used it to put a down payment on a tow vehicle. ;)

Karen

[autxr]

This one time, at an autocross...


A dumpster lost control and hit my car while my wife was driving...

It got away though, hit and run is how it should have been reported...

Scott

[CloNeGTS]

lol