Nürburgring and crashing?

Plug

I'd love to go someday but if a car crashes will insurance cover it? I heard that its classed as a public toll road
Anyone know whats the deal with it?

Anan1

You'd really have to ask your ins co that one, to be sure.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Anan1 wrote: »

You'd really have to ask your ins co that one, to be sure.

Beat me to it!

cianclarke

Plug wrote: »

I'd love to go someday but if a car crashes will insurance cover it? I heard that its classed as a public toll road
Anyone know whats the deal with it?

Not really sure. All I can say is do it, seriously.. Probably one of the most fun things I've ever done

(My plan was that at even a hint of a crash I was taking the next flight to Mexico. Or somewhere.)

L-M

I think i remember reading some where on here before that your insurance is void if you're on a race track etc. Do a search on here and it should come up.

mumblin deaf ro

Check with your ins company. My policy - which is a pretty standard one - excludes any race days etc, and I have heard that if you have an accident at the Nurburgring that the ins company won't pay out if there is any evidence of the lap being timed (i.e. racing), e.g. stop watch on your cold dead arm.

kfdb

Plug wrote: »

I'd love to go someday but if a car crashes will insurance cover it? I heard that its classed as a public toll road
Anyone know whats the deal with it?

Its common for UK insurers (and German car hire firms!) to exclude the Nurburgring with various clauses. As I understand it, in a crash where 3rd party liability cover is exercised (e.g. you cripple someone else or stick your rental Lupo into their GT3), the insurance company invariably pay out.

They then take whatever action they can to recoup their costs from you. If you are involved in an accident or misbehaviour, the Polizei will be called and they look for proof of coverage on the German public highway.

Short of mating with a GT3 or setting fire to a bus full of kids (school tours regularly drive the ring in 53 seater buses!), the scariest cost is track damage or closure. If you belt the barrier, leading to a two hour closure and a minor Armco dent - you can be looking at a bill for several thousand Euro. Your insurance company *won't* cover this.

I've seen some pretty awful crashes there and been in the area after two deaths - watched one airlift from trackside where the biker didn't walk again.

All that said, its an amazing place for any petrolhead (even a diesel head!).

K

frag4

try www.rent-racecar.de they hire a selection of BMWs set up for the ring starting at €350 for the first 250KMS and a euro a lap after that
Tution cost around €30 a hour.

the excess is €5000 on the insurance they supply. All you gotta do is flt over.

ciarsd

I'd be more concerned with the costs for repairs to the armco etc around the Ring!

* Base fee for attendance of armco truck: €150
* Removing damaged armco: €10/metre (x2 or x3 or x4 for multiple-height sections)
* Replacement armco: €31/metre (x2 or x3 for double/triple height)
* Removing damaged armco posts: €5.10 each
* Replacing armco post: €39 each
* Safety car attendance: €82 per 30 mins (car + 2 people)
* Circuit closure: €1,350 per hour
* Recovery truck: €190 (inc VAT)
* Hospital stay & air ambulance: Let's just say, do NOT go there without travel insurance! (Though a European Health Card - which replaced the E111 - may cover the hospital bit.)

Everything except the recovery truck is then subject to 19% VAT.

That price list is a few years old at this stage so is merely to give you an idea.

rebel.ranter

It's something I would really like to do, but knowing my luck I would end up meeting the Armco or the rear end of a GT3. Wouldn't mind a spin in the 'ring taxi, maybe not a match for driving it yourself though.

leon8v

Had a lap in the ring taxi with Sabine at the wheel on one of last years trips. Unbelievable.
While crashing is something you need to give consideration to, dont let it rule your trip. If you drive within your limits and your cars limits you wont have anything to worry about. As has been pointed out, its track damage and closures that potentially cost the most. You dont want to leak any fluids onto the track either, you could write off a GT2 coming behind without ever even seeing it. The chances of you hitting a GT3 are higher in the car park than the track as you wont see them for long enough to hit them.
If you crash bad enough to cause major armco damage and a track closure then there is a pretty good chance that insurance wont be the first thing on your mind, it will more than likely only be an after thought when you are coming to in the local A&E. I have been there a few times now and anyone who drives sensibly on the track within their limits and cars limits generally dont have any problems other than wanting to get back there as soon as possible. Remember its a race track and is designed for high speed so you wont find any potholes etc. More than likely your first lap will scare the crap out of you anyway so you wont need to worry about lap times on your first trip.
One thing to note however, and its not something I ever want to put to the test though is that, if you are unlucky enough to go off, the recovery truck will take you off the track straight away and leave you outside the ring. I know someone who this happened to, no major smash, just slid into the gravel, but report from recovery guys did not say it happened on the nurburgring. As I said wouldnt like to put it to the test but if nothing other than your own car involved, who is to say you didnt go into a ditch on the road near it!! Am sure it has been tried and tested and you will not get someone giving you the results over the net but you never know.