GEICO and racing?

[TITANS/Z]

I've got GEICO insurance and I'm wondering what their policy is for autocrossing and performance street school. In particular, I am wondering if they will cover the instruction at Thunderhill. Does anyone else here have GEICO?

For the racers out there, what insurance carrier provides full coverage for racing?

[fcalmes]

I have a feeling that no matter what insurance you have, if you are in competition and wreck you Vette, you're screwed. You might want to asked Rippied, I think he wrecked a couple of Grand Sports in competition.

[chrisj]

I am a member of the local sports car club and it draws many members from the university in town (especially since it is a university club). At an autocross in the spring, the faculty advisor - an avid autocrosser - smashed his camaro. Rumor was that he insurance paid to have it fixed.
Well, I saw the car this past weekend out carving up the cones again. So it is fixed. I will try to check into it and see if it was covered. Rumor has it that he got lucky and they covered it. It might take me a little while, but I will see what information I can piece together. He might have just gotten lucky. Who knows.

chris

[ZO SIC]

Sheesh, your insuring a $50,000 car with Geico? From what I have gathered the insurance "should" cover you if you were not taking part in a "timed event". So since Auto-X is timed your not covered. Since Drag racing is timed, your not covered. Open track days at ThunderHill and the such your not timed so you "should" be covered.

I've never heard much good coming from Geico though... I've always found that you get what you pay for mostly. Age old wisdom, but true. If you get killer rates on insurance they are going to try to lowball you on fixing the car... if they even honor it. Can turn ugly fast and take a long time to get your vehicle fixed.

I dunno... maybe Geico is better now?

[corvette dave]

I know several people who have wrecked their cars at performance driving schools. I was riding with some of them. Some were totaled.
All of the ones I know of got their car fixed and paid for by their insurance company. The key here is that they were at an instructional school and not a competitive event.
Read your policy but most if not all insurance companies will not cover damage from a wreck at any competitive/timed event. This includes autoxing, road racing and drag racing.

[01ZEE06]

As an Independent Insurance Agent, I've never heard of an Auto Insurance Carrier that didn't have the standard "Racing Exclusion." Racing does imply timed events, but theres more to it than just that aspect. You might convince an adjustor that you were at a driving school, but I doubt it. Doesn't one with a Z06 go to a driving school to learn how to drive fast? (i.e. that is tantamount to "racing," which the Insurance Company can set up their own definition, which doesn't nessecitate a timed event). The Insurance Company has the final say in that they can deny the claim. Then it's up to you to either sue in small claims court(In California, where I live, the maximum you can sue for in small claims court is $5,000.00), or file a regular lawsuit, or file a complaint with your State's Insurance Commissioner and hope they can do something, but I doubt that will work, as the Insurance Company will inform the Department of Insurance that you violated the Racing Exclusion by driving "fast" on a "track."

I wouldn't condone Insurance Fraud, and wouldn't do it myself, as I fear being locked up in a cell with "bubba," but I'll bet the guy you mentioned didn't explain the "accident" as it actually happened, but something like "my car was parked on the street over night, and someone did a "hit & run".....probabily drunk. I came out next morning to go to work, and there it was. I called the police and reported this dasterdly deed." Unless it's a real bad accident with police, ambulance and hospital records, AND/OR a lot of damage-like a total wreck, the Insurance Carrier PROBABILY won't do an "Investigation."

I don't care for Geico. Good rates, but they were PUSHING HARD for a national 55mph speed limit. Worst Insurance Company in my experience is Allstate.....there's a joke among Insurance Guys: Your in Good Hands with Allstate, but watch out for their Thumbs....." They have been consistantly rated as the worst auto insurance carrier by Consumer's Reports, which went so far as to state: After our analysis of Allstate, we can only conclude that you are NOT in good hands with Allstate."

FWIW, I've had Liberty Mutual for many years and they have Great Rates(#2 in Los Angeles County), and all my claims have been handled in an excellant manner....even when I rolled my '93 TT Supra at Willow Springs, I mean on the freeway by that hit and run drunk driver....oops

:eek: :(