Trackday insurance | GTAMotorcycle.com

Trackday insurance

Priller

Priller

Well-known member
I wasn't sure whether to put this in the Trackday or Insurance box, but figured this would be a better place to start...

I recently did a trackday with my Tuono (Two Wheel Tuesday at Grand Bend), and while I had a blast, the fear of binning an otherwise pristine bike definitely lengthened my braking markers.

Does anyone know of a company that will a) offer trackday coverage as part of their basic package, or b) offer coverage on a day-by-day basis specific to an event?

I'm with Intact at the moment, and from what I can tell, trackdays are excluded from coverage unless there is a rider training component.

Party to this, I'm also looking at getting a track bike (if anyone has an RSV1000R without fairings, I'm interested!), and I'm wondering what people do for coverage, if anything, on something that'll never see the street...

Thanks kindly in advance!
 
The only insurance I have ever heard of for a track or race bike is coverage for when it is not being ridden. Theft, etc. On track, you are on your own.
 
In all honesty... do you really want track insurance??

How much will premiums go up by if one was to go down only 2 times in a season...

Remember, all of this will be tagged," at fault" !
 
sid_for_speed said:
In all honesty... do you really want track insurance??

How much will premiums go up by if one was to go down only 2 times in a season...

Remember, all of this will be tagged," at fault" !
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It all depends if I make a claim, I guess. I'm not intending to treat it like a free repair service, just peace of mind in case I have a big moment. Having seen a buddy's Triumph 675 have its frame separated in three parts after a big off on the back straight at Portland (he was fine), it's just cover for if things were to go really sideways.

Ideally, I'm really looking for coverage like you can get in the US and UK (and for cars here), where you just buy it for the day. It's fairly common in the UK, but nobody seems to have heard of it here. I'd be willing to put down another $100 for the day if it meant I could ride my street bike hard instead of having to buy a track-only machine...
 
Definitely get in touch with your insurance broker/agent.
Record the conversation - to cover your own butt.

I have heard of people making insurance claims at the track -- as long as you're not officially racing. You can make it a training day. Make sure you get at least 1 session a track organizer approved instructor to further enforce the "training day" aspect.

There's a fellow I have met that does with his Ducati Superleggera. Insurance will cover it if he bins.

But again, call your agent/company. Record the call - especially if they approve. And then, GET IT IN WRITING.
 
Priller said:
I wasn't sure whether to put this in the Trackday or Insurance box, but figured this would be a better place to start...

I recently did a trackday with my Tuono (Two Wheel Tuesday at Grand Bend), and while I had a blast, the fear of binning an otherwise pristine bike definitely lengthened my braking markers.

Does anyone know of a company that will a) offer trackday coverage as part of their basic package, or b) offer coverage on a day-by-day basis specific to an event?

I'm with Intact at the moment, and from what I can tell, trackdays are excluded from coverage unless there is a rider training component.

Party to this, I'm also looking at getting a track bike (if anyone has an RSV1000R without fairings, I'm interested!), and I'm wondering what people do for coverage, if anything, on something that'll never see the street...

Thanks kindly in advance!
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I was told long ago. Don't take something on the racetrack if you aren't willing to leave it in the garbage bin at the end of the day!
 
Track insurance is for the spectators, you don't get squat if you crash your motorcycles racing them,
and best not get hurt doing it, because for the most part nobody is getting rich on race related personal injury claims either.
Carry your OHIP card with you while motorcycle racing, it's the only card you really need.

"There's a fellow I have met that does with his Ducati Superleggera. Insurance will cover it if he bins."
On a race track? Not if they know the details and if they do, they sure won't be offering him that coverage after he crashes once.

" I'm wondering what people do for coverage, if anything, on something that'll never see the street..."
Same thing I have on my chain saw. Somewhere between household contents coverage and nothing at all.
 
It would be nowhere near $100 a day (I would be excited about that price). You could get a rough idea of price by thinking about how many tracks days people do between "incidents" and the average cost to repair the bike after that incident. Now you have a baseline insurance cost per trackday. Add profit and admin to that. Now double or triple that final number as people will take more risks when it's not their money on the line. I would expect more than $1000 a day when you are done the exercise (probably something like 10 to 30% of the bike value per day). At those numbers, I suspect no one would buy it as you can just self insure and save some money (and you are more careful so you save even more).
 
Just so everyone knows I'm not dreaming the impossible dream, my private insurance in BC absolutely covered the bike (including rider gear) for track days as part of their comprehensive package for $500/yr (yes, I spoke with them; yes, they were unequivocal about it; no, it didn't cover racing; no, they only cover BC residents).

I can also find at least five companies in the UK that do single-day coverage for bike and rider, at least three in the US, and a couple Canadian companies that cover cars only. I don't have any hard numbers, but anecdotally I've been told the UK coverage costs between $200 and $500/day, depending on coverage options and deductibles. The intent is to protect against catastrophic damage, not replacing pegs and levers after a lowside, and the deductible would reflect that.

It's not like people are wadding bikes on the regular. Anecdotally, if I add up all the trackdays I directly know people have done, it's close to the hundreds. Only one has had a total loss crash. Another way to look at it: on any given trackday, there's up to 75 riders (sometimes more), and maybe one or two incidents, usually a minor lowside. Big ones definitely happen, but they also happen on the street.

I get that Ontario has a weirdly insular vehicle insurance system, so I'm not holding my breath, but it's really not a crazy concept in the rest of the world. I guess mostly the problem is a lack of volume to allow the math to work for someone to offer it as a specialty item, and a base industry that has zero incentive to offer added services.

Guess it's time to start shopping for a junked SV650...
 
There was a case with a 911 that went to the supreme court. car rolled at a mosport trackday and ultimately Aviva had to pay out the insurance claim. "Carnell vs. Aviva Canada" - Good summary: Court decision re insurance coverage at the track - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums.

The only track specific policy I have heard of is for exotic cars thru this company - Track Day Insurance | Coverage Info. they cover $35,000 - $150,000 cars. Premiums are $230.00 - $985 /day as a comparison. My guess is that it isn't economical / too small scale and no insurer wants to bother with it.
 
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r3r3r3 said:
There was a case with a 911 that went to the supreme court. car rolled at a mosport trackday and ultimately Aviva had to pay out the insurance claim. "Carnell vs. Aviva Canada" - Good summary: Court decision re insurance coverage at the track - Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums.
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That's really cool. I thought the insurance exclusion was use on a track, not "racing". I wonder if insurance companies have updated their policy wording now? With that interpretation set in case law, pick the right track day organizer that runs the correct set of rules and you are good to go (although the at-fault crash will put a hurting on your insurance rates).
 
GreyGhost said:
That's really cool. I thought the insurance exclusion was use on a track, not "racing". I wonder if insurance companies have updated their policy wording now? With that interpretation set in case law, pick the right track day organizer that runs the correct set of rules and you are good to go (although the at-fault crash will put a hurting on your insurance rates).
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Maybe I'm being overly cynical, but I suspect that if they initially refused payment but you forced the issue, they may then pay out but cancel your policy. Which then makes it much more difficult and expensive to get subsequent insurance elsewhere (considering that when getting a quote they always ask up front if you have ever had your insurance cancelled)...
 
Stuff heard through the grape vine (never personally experienced any of this, thankfully)
- Insurance companies sending people to car track-day events (may have been drag strip) and writing down license numbers. As a result ... lots of the car people take off or cover up their license plates and put a piece of masking tape over the VIN. Won't help if they really go after you but it avoids them being able to do it by casually walking around.
- Insurance companies denying coverage (cancelling policy) on the grounds that the car has been illegally modified. This was a big issue a few years ago in the rally-car community. They have (had?) a situation where the rally cars had to drive on the road between stages, and thus had to be licensed and insured for driving on the road ... except that in order to satisfy rally-car tech inspection and be safe while racing, the cars need roll-cages and 5-point harnesses (which are not DOT approved!) and so forth. Can't have it both ways.

My race bike is completely separate from my street bike and never the two shall meet. Insurance agent hypothetically points to street bike and asks "do you use that on the track", answer, legitimately, is NO and there is nothing they can do to prove otherwise because it doesn't happen, has never happened, and will never happen. Insurance agent has no authority to point to the race bike and ask what that's for, because there is no insurance policy in effect for it, nor is one needed.
 
Yeah I wouldnt take a tuono to a track day, not unless I'll be going easy

Better to just get a dedicated track bike
 
Resurrecting this thread.

Has anyone taken out 'personal injury' insurance? Is this necessary? Is this possible?

This is specifically related to Racer5.
 
Soulcatcher668 said:
Resurrecting this thread.

Has anyone taken out 'personal injury' insurance? Is this necessary? Is this possible?

This is specifically related to Racer5.
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I dont think this is neccesary, as ya'll will be riding around on little 125s, crashes do happen but ime there arent injuries, scuffed leathers and possibly a sore ego worse case scenario, also I wonder if racer5 insurance covers bodily incidents of the students?
 
bigpoppa said:
I dont think this is neccesary, as ya'll will be riding around on little 125s, crashes do happen but ime there arent injuries, scuffed leathers and possibly a sore ego worse case scenario, also I wonder if racer5 insurance covers bodily incidents of the students?
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@Evoex was talking about a rider that crashed at his day. Broken ribs and an arm I believe.

I thought this would be a more common thing. The insurance, not the crashing broken rib thing.
 
Soulcatcher668 said:
@Evoex was talking about a rider that crashed at his day. Broken ribs and an arm I believe.

I thought this would be a more common thing. The insurance, not the crashing broken rib thing.
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Collarbone and a few ribs as I recall.

As long as you feel you can reel it in when you`re tired and maybe skip sessions to rest then I don't think you'll need it at Racer5.

That said, things do happen.
 
It's definitely possible to hurt yourself on the 125s. I broke a collarbone and shoulder blade during an endurance race. Apparently you have to really eff up to break your shoulder blade. The nurses were all very impressed.

I went through my workplace general health insurance for that. Although after this discussion, it looks like maybe you could be covered under the statutory accident benefits of your regular car insurance. The legal logic is convoluted and there's not a clear-cut answer.

In any case, Racer5's insurance is to cover them in case of liability. From what I understand, it could be used by the government to recover OHIP costs, or to pay out if someone sued Racer5. It would not be your first avenue of compensation.
 
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