Mark CSL
21-07-2009, 11:02 PM
Brits making the pilgrimage to drive the Nurburgring Circuit in Germany are being offered a new one-off insurance policy that could save thousands of Euros in the event of an accident.
http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/20312/968ringCrahs-t.jpg (http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/20312/968ringCrahs-L.jpg)
Nurburgring accidents can be expensive
According to Ken Harris of Nurburgmotorsport, Brits are being faced with unexpected bills of 2-3,000 Euros on a weekly basis after coming unstuck on the tricky North Loop and damaging the Armco barriers. 'The track belongs to Nurburgring GmbH, and the tradition is that you're not allowed to leave after an accident until you've paid for any damage,' says Ken. 'That means we see people scrabbling around trying to borrow credit cards off friends or raise cash in other ways, and it can be a major problem.'
The policy Ken has negotiated with Allianz costs £99 for a day and eight laps, but you also have to have your car examined in advance - a half-hour inspection for which Ken's company charges another 35 Euros.
http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/20312/tn_Nurburg2-t.jpg (http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/20312/tn_Nurburg2-L.jpg)
Time to reach for that credit card..?
'Insurance is not an issue for German drivers, because the North Loop is officially classified as a public road so German insurers will typically pay up to cover this type of accident damage,' Ken tells PH. 'However, if you phone up a British insurance company and say you're driving the Nurburgring they'll say it's excluded because they regard it as a race track.' 'Until there is a test case with a court judgement, the British insurers will simply keep refusing to pay up, which is why we have made this arrangement with Germany's largest insurer - the first of its kind that is available to UK drivers,' says Ken.
See www.nurburgmotorsport.com (http://www.nurburgmotorsport.com/) for more information.
http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/20312/968ringCrahs-t.jpg (http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/20312/968ringCrahs-L.jpg)
Nurburgring accidents can be expensive
According to Ken Harris of Nurburgmotorsport, Brits are being faced with unexpected bills of 2-3,000 Euros on a weekly basis after coming unstuck on the tricky North Loop and damaging the Armco barriers. 'The track belongs to Nurburgring GmbH, and the tradition is that you're not allowed to leave after an accident until you've paid for any damage,' says Ken. 'That means we see people scrabbling around trying to borrow credit cards off friends or raise cash in other ways, and it can be a major problem.'
The policy Ken has negotiated with Allianz costs £99 for a day and eight laps, but you also have to have your car examined in advance - a half-hour inspection for which Ken's company charges another 35 Euros.
http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/20312/tn_Nurburg2-t.jpg (http://www.pistonheads.com/pics/news/20312/tn_Nurburg2-L.jpg)
Time to reach for that credit card..?
'Insurance is not an issue for German drivers, because the North Loop is officially classified as a public road so German insurers will typically pay up to cover this type of accident damage,' Ken tells PH. 'However, if you phone up a British insurance company and say you're driving the Nurburgring they'll say it's excluded because they regard it as a race track.' 'Until there is a test case with a court judgement, the British insurers will simply keep refusing to pay up, which is why we have made this arrangement with Germany's largest insurer - the first of its kind that is available to UK drivers,' says Ken.
See www.nurburgmotorsport.com (http://www.nurburgmotorsport.com/) for more information.