> > While reviewing my high auto insurance police costs, I noticed this
> > addendum to the policy:
> >
> > "It is agreed there is no coverage while an insured motor vehicle is
> > engaged in a prearranged race or SPEED CONTEST."
> >
> > Do you think that this wording excludes autocross?
> >
> > BTW the insurance carrier is State Farm.
=======================================
A lot of it has to do with your relationship with your individual agent.
I had State Farm for years and after one of these kinds of threads, I asked
him about my coverage. But only after I did a little spy-work and called a
dozen or so other State Farm agents and asked them about Solo coverage. I
did it sneakily, under the guise of "Say, I'd like a quote on this car. And
by the way, I'm considering participating in one of these (Solo2) kind of
events. Would I be covered in case of an accident?" All but one agent said
they thought I would indeed be covered. By the way, NEVER, EVER use the "r"
word. Not even once.
So, I called my agent. After reading him verbatim the language defining
autocross events from the Solo2 rule book, he said that I would be covered
in a worst case autocross scenario. I then kind of pushed my luck and
inquired about HPCCC-type events. I explained that they were high
performance car control clinics, similar to lapping day events, with
"gentleman's" rules in that there was no passing allowed save for on the
straights and only when waved-by, licensed instructors, no times as it
wasn't a race, speeds limited to 85 mph, SCCA has years of good safety
record, yadda yadda yadda. He said that since it was a "school", and not a
"race" (i.e.., there are no posted times for the "students"), that I would
be covered as well should something go horribly awry.
Now, the single most important thing is how well your agent likes you. If
he/she likes you, they will make the extra effort to word the claim
delicately to their underwriter so that it stands a much better chance of
being paid.
Of course there's also the old rule which states that one should never race
a car that one cannot afford to leave crumpled-up on the side of the track.
Which is excellent advice. But not everyone wants to drive a 20 year old
$500 clunker on the track when they have a fancy-schmancy new hotrod in the
garage.
Bottom line, very carefully ask your individual agent if you would be
covered. There is simply no way we can tell you if they will cover you.
Eric Linnhoff
www.geocities.com/eric10mm/KnuckleDragger
"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a
relief denied even to prayer."
Mark Twain
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