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A track day is an organised event in which non-members are allowed to drive or ride around established motor-racing circuits. Track days give drivers the opportunity to test the speed and handling capabilities of their cars in a safe, controlled, non-competitive environment away from public roads.
Most standard car insurance policies exclude track days because of the risks involved, so you’ll need to buy specialist track day car insurance if you want to take part.
Track day insurance is a specialist type of temporary car insurance. Race tracks don’t always insist you have track day insurance, but incidents that occur while you’re driving on a race track won’t be covered by your standard car insurance. This is because you’ll be driving at high speeds and pushing your car to its limits. You’ll also be surrounded by other drivers doing the same thing, so the risk of accidents, injuries, damage to your car or your car being written off is high.
Track day insurance just covers you and your vehicle – it doesn’t cover third parties. track day participants are liable for damage to their own cars (regardless of fault) and sign disclaimers to this effect before going onto the circuit. Track day insurance is normally bought as a separate policy from your standard car insurance. Claims on your track day policy won’t affect your no-claims bonus on your standard insurance.
Track day insurance is not normally compulsory. However, some organisers might insist you have cover. Either way, it’s a good idea, as your standard car insurance won’t cover accidents on a track day.
The risk of accidents or damage to your car is much higher on a track, as you’ll be driving at higher speeds, and other drivers will be doing the same. The other drivers might have varying levels of experience and approach to risk, and some cars on the track may have been modified to boost performance.
Track day insurance policies vary, but they usually cover the cost of repairing or replacing your car if:
Policies can also cover you for:
Generally, UK track day insurance will cover you for most UK tracks, including Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Thruxton, Oulton Park and Donington Park. Some policies cover events on airfields, too.
You should check the track you intend to attend is covered by your policy. Some policies are track-specific, as some circuits are more dangerous than others, so they cost more to insure. Some UK insurers also cover tracks in Europe, such as Nürburgring and Spa.
Common exclusions on track day insurance include:
The cost of track day insurance depends on various factors, such as:
As an example, MORIS.co.uk track day insurance starts at £63 per day, with discounts available if you’re buying more than a single day’s cover.
Its website details the following examples for a 40-year-old male who lives in London and has had no track day accidents or road convictions in the past five years. The cover is for a car manufactured in 2015 that takes part in a single track day at Silverstone.
| Make & Model | Market Value | Excess | Total Price (incl. tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Fiesta ST2 | £10,000 | £750 | £96.34 |
| BMW M4 | £32,000 | £1,792.00 | £217.70 |
| Mazda MX-5 | £19,000 | £1,130.50 | £145.37 |
You’ll need to go to a specialist insurer or broker for track day insurance. Specialists include:
Some track day policies include journeys to and from the race track, but other policies exclude them, in which case you’ll need to be covered by standard car insurance. If you own a sports car, you should look at sports car insurance, while classic car owners should consider classic car insurance.
If you’ve modified your car to boost performance at track events, you should make sure it’s covered with modified car insurance. You’ll need to tell your standard car insurance provider and track day insurance provider about the modifications.
Yes, you can add other drivers as named drivers to your track day insurance policy. There will likely be a fee for additional drivers that will depend on the additional driver’s age and driving experience.
If you drive your car on a race track, you won’t be covered by your standard car insurance. This means that, if you have an accident, you’ll have to pay for repairs to your car. If the car is written off, your insurance won’t pay out, so you’ll need to buy a new car out of your own money.
