Hello all, I am going to take my 2025 Z51 to the track for a drivers ed course at Roebling Road and I asked my state farm agent about it. Apparently state farm does not cover track days, even drivers ed, and made the statement "if there is a claim, they may cancel all your auto insurance." I have never heard of anything like that. I of course will get track insurance for the two days, but why would an insurance company cancel all your cars for a track day insurance claim? Anyone have any experience with this? Many thanks/ (PS , do many of your get track insurance for such an event? This will be a beginner class.)

 

Yes, get track insurance, I’ve used Lockton Motorsport insurance. Haggerty track insurance is another popular one. Don’t even have to talk to anyone. Fill out there forms on line and pay. I’ve never made a claim before and don’t plan on it. There is a phone number to call if you need to make a claim.

Another option is to buy an older car and track that. You can probably get a C5 for like 15,000 dollars in decent shape vs a 100,000 dollar C8. There is a 10-15% deductible with track insurance. You do your own math. Good luck, be safe.

 

Insurance... They do what ever they want sometimes. I had Gieco for 40+ years, never an accident, never a claim, and got a speeding ticket. They wanted to raise the premium on our 6 vehicles, did I say raise? DOUBLE. On the three cars and three motorcycles my wife and I had. Customer service did not care one bit. I moved everything to Flo, was a good bit cheaper than I had before the ticket.

 

What activities will be taking placed during this drivers education course. how much time do you see being on the track? i had a friend who took a 2 day course and they did not see any track time the first day as it was a lot of low speed and vision exercises. in that scenario you could probably get away with insurance for only the day where you will actually be on the racetrack.

 

Another reason to shop insurance every two years. Insurance companies earning customer loyalty is a thing of the past.

 

For one or two days of on track education I wouldn't bother. I've been to Ron Fellows twice. Owners school and the Level 2 classes. Never came close to getting into a situation where I would ever have needed it. I also track my personal C8 alot and don't bother with insurance. For me it's too expensive. I stay within my own capabilities especially on tracks with very limited run-out (like rock walls at Palmer Motor Sports Park). I've ended up in the grass twice in two full seasons without getting close to tire walls or anything that would cause damage.

If it makes you feel more comfortable by all means get it. It'll make your day less stressful. But I bet after the event you'll wish you didn't spend the money.

 

I'll second this, and add that the comfort factor can be huge in the first couple track days.

I used Haggerty for my first couple track days and have no complaints, thankfully I had no claims, either. After a few track days I was comfortable enough to feel like I didn't "need' to get track insurance anymore, but those first few days I feel like it was definitely worth the cost just for the peace of mind. Whether that's based on your comfort on the track, your financial ability to pay out of pocket (beyond the deductible) to fix anything broken as a result of an off/crash, or a potential requirement to have the car operating (for example if it's your daily driver, or maybe you have an HOA that will raise a fit over a busted vehicle sitting outside for a bit while you wait for parts or work on it) could all be significant enough factors to make the purchase worthwhile.

Regarding the threat of potentially canceling your other insurance if you make a track claim, I'm assuming they would lump the track claim into a "insurance fraud" category since all track/competitive use is likely specifically excluded by the policy.

 

That’s great but what if someone hits you?

 

In their mind they don’t want you as a driver if you have gone “racing”. You are too high off a risk if you have gone racing and crashed. They’d just rather part ways with you.

 

30 HPDE track days thus far and never came close. It’s not racing and point-by’s are a must. Like I mentioned, get it if it makes sense to you

 

My HPDE track days are over but in one of them years ago at Pocono Raceway the second group of cars were sitting on the approach road waiting for group one cars to do their cool-down lap and get off the track. Some moron in a Subaru decided he wanted one more hot lap and as he came up to the approach road ran off the left edge of the track, came back across the track out of control, slid across the grass into the first two parked cars (both high end cars, one a Acura NSX) and probably totaled both of them. Both drivers were out of their cars and chatting with other drivers as they watched this happen so no one was hurt but I'm sure their pocket books were if they didn't have insurance. So all I can say is you never know what might happen.

 

I agree. Track insurance makes sense if it's a uncommon thing, but if you're going to be out there regularly, a cheap track car makes more sense, something cheap enough that you'd be satisfied with walking away from its flaming wreck and not worrying about the cost.

It doesn't even have to be your fault. You could get hit by some tweaker in a Miata worth $2000 and lose your car with no recourse. You could lose the car when someone's coolant hose blows and makes a slick that sends you into a wall.

 

My first track day was with PCA. The old geezers were all going too slow for any issues, despite the absolutely terrible driving by a lot of them (one guy in a Boxster did some wild swerve turn around a unturn that I can't even explain).

My second track day (NASA) I watched at least 3 people wreck. One guy had a modified trans am and did a 360 spin coming out of a turn onto a straightaway and hit the car behind him.

My third track day I was almost the wreck (brakes went out but I was able to avoid the car in front of me and get off track without incident). Watched 2 other cars wreck.

After hat it's been a string of no wreck days, so that's been nice.

 

Almost sounds like the 15% that don't carry car insurance at all, just roll the dice and hope for the best.

 

I raced circle track for 20 years and have been in MANY wrecks most of them not of my own making. I started running hpde with the c8 because the car was warranteed and I could buy track insurance. I buy a yearly policy that covers unlimited days at just about every track in North America. The c8 is valued at 90k with a 4500 deductible and a 2 million liability policy with a 1k deductible. Last year I had a guy spin a 500k McClaren in front of me, stand on the gas and cover himself in smoke. i drove through the cloud and missed him by a foot. I drove over 20 hpde days last year and saw someone wreck at almost every event. On top of that I have pdr files of guys doing stupid stuff in front of me trying to "stay in front of the vette" seems to be a thing with some people. So when I go to the track I know that if I total the car I get a new one for $4500. If I get sideways and hit some guy in a new gt4rs and he sues me, it costs me 1k.
I saw a guy destroy a new gt500 mustang after two turns, no insurance. he cried. Year before last a guy ran a new BMW M5 straight into the wall at Charlotte. Destroyed it. The c8 is easy to total. they are basically glued together. you are also going to pay for any "repairs" to the racetrack, walls, signs, etc. at the racetrack should you cause an incident. remember no matter what the event, you are at a racetrack, **** happens, plan accordingly.

 

It's paying for a certain amount of financial protection. If you feel that you need it, get it.

 

https://www.rlicorp.com/personal-ins...-day-insurance

RLI is the underwriter for Lockton and Hagerty. Save some $ by cutting out the middle.

If you think you will track enough to use it, OpenTrack has a yearly policy that can be cheaper than 'a la carte' weekend policies.

https://www.opentrack.com/

 

Unless you feel comfortable walking away from a totaled $90k car or paying for a damaged track item, then get the track insurance

 

The difference is when I don't carry insurance on the track it only affects me vs not carrying it on the public roads where it'll affect others potentially. Apples and oranges. Like I said, if it makes you feel more comfortable by all means get it. If you can't afford the financial hit by having an issue, get it. A full year policy is~ $6000 per year. Your wallet, your choice. I think it's good to share experiences which a few have without the snarky comments.

 

30 years in the auto insurance claims business, including as a fraud investigator many years ago. Get track insurance. You spent a lot of money on your Z06, a few hundred bucks for track insurance is a no brainer IMO. Personal lines carriers like GEICO etc... don't give a crap about your car if you track it, they worry about liability to others if you screw up. Hence why it's excluded from coverage.