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AM I COVERED?
Your
automobile insurance carrier has recently excluded any on track activities from
coverage under your policy. Your specialty track/collector insurance carrier
has recently notified you that they are canceling your coverage/policy. You don't
want to take an unprotected risk driving at the track which could result in
financial ruin. You wonder: "Am I covered by any insurance if I
participate in our Club's on track activities, like our Driving Schools/Driving
Events?" The short answer is "Yes!" BMW
Car Club of America (National) has purchased a ten million dollar per event
general liability insurance policy. As a participant, member, instructor,
official, and/or volunteer at one of our Region's driving events, you become an
"additional insured" under that policy. Similar to an auto policy
which you might buy that would cover all the members of your household, you
would have the same benefits to the policy as the purchaser (policy holder).
The Puget Sound Region pays National for the right to use this insurance at our
sponsored events. This insurance doesn't only apply to track events, but to
tours, car shows, meetings, etc. Should something terrible happen at a Club
event that you attended, and you were sued as a result, you would have protection
under the National Policy as an "additional insured." Follow this link to a
summary of our coverage. However,
National’s policy will not protect you for your own on track property damage
loss and/or personal injury. Most likely, if you are not insured, if you or
someone else wrecks your car and/or get hurt, you will receive no compensation.
Unless you are one of the few whose auto insurer has not excluded coverage for
on track activities, or you have been able to find driver's education/specialty
insurance, any property loss and/or personal injury on track is most likely not
covered. Most insurance companies nationwide are excluding on track activities
from coverage. If your company hasn't excluded coverage yet, keep your eyes
open to new exclusions when your policy is renewed. Specialty insurers have not
made enough money in driver's education insurance, and are canceling this
coverage nationwide. In
addition to National’s policy, you get legal protection from the waiver you
sign as you enter the track premises. When you sign the Waiver and Release of
Liability, you give up the right to sue the Club and fellow participants.
Washington Courts have historically upheld waivers from adults engaged in risky
sporting activities. The
good news is our Board of Directors has taken every effort to anticipate these
risks in Club driving events, and to reduce them to an acceptable/safe level. I
personally feel safer driving on track with our Club than I do on the public
roads. Although I haven't done any research, I believe statistics would back
this conclusion. Bottom line, read your auto policy carefully to see if you
still have coverage for on track activities. If you don't, you must weigh your
comfort level driving a car you can't afford to lose. Rest assured the BMW CCA
general liability insurance coverage should protect you from the perils of
litigation if the unimaginable happened. I guess I'm more worried about getting
a car ready to drive at the track before our first driving event!
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