Star Insurance: track day insurance warning

[Star Insurance]

If your motorcycle is insured with Star Insurance and you wish to do a Training Track Day you need to notify Star Insurance or your Insurance Broker to have your insurance policy extended for each Training Track Day.

If no notification is received you will not be covered for the Training Track Day.

Regards,

Philip Newall
General Manager
Star Insurance - 0800 96 8000

[jetboy]

Hey guys, this is nothing major but for those of you insured with me who have any further questions feel free to contact me (either by PM or 0800 65 62 64).

Tim

[Moto-Dynamix]

It is fantastic that star and other Insurance companies do this for there cuctomer base, follow there requests all to keep it all going and healthy

[BIGBOSSMAN]

I've just been on the blower to my insurer, he told me that bike insurance companies are looking hard at the whole issue of track days. There have been a plethora of bins at track days recently, and this apparently is not offset by the premium income they receive.
So we could be in for a shock in the future - insurance cover for the day may not be so easy. That is unless there is some sort of training involved during to day, a la the recent AMCC day at Puke.
Watch this space...

[Sanx]

Philip,

Whilst the majority of us appreciate the fact we have track day cover, informing the motorcycling community just by posting on KiwiBiker is not really sufficient. I don't check this form very often - once a month, maybe - and just happened to see your thread.

There are plenty of people that do track days but aren't on KiwiBiker and would therefore be completely in the dark about this change. I have an email from you personally - sent 28/02/2007 - assuring me that I do not have to inform you of each and every track day. If I were to make a claim, unaware of your post on here, following a track day accident there is absolutely no way you could refuse to pay it based upon your announcement on here. If it were to go to court, you'd lose. Pure and simple.

I have also been told by my broker that, effective immediately, the excess on each policy will double for all track day accidents. I notice you didn't mention it in your post. Is this correct, or was it my broker getting the wrong end of the stick and does this change apply only to policies or renewals taken out after this date. If it is correct, then you really should be writing to each and every customer to inform them of the changes. If you don't, and the customer decides to take you to court over your refusal to honour the excess stated in the policy documentation then, again, you'll lose. Pure and simple. I've just gone through my policy (from a broker) and I can't see anything that allows Star Insurance to adjust my excess mid-term or adjust it without notification.

Philip, I understand this may have been forced upon you by the underwriters, but I believe you need to think through enacting these changes a little more; or at least show leeway to those customers who make a claim unaware of the new rules.

As an aside, have Star considered introducing a payment per track day, for instance. I (obviously) don't know the figures involved, but maybe $30 per day?

[Sanx]

Hmmm. Just had a phone call from a friend of mine after I informed him that he had to call Star about this Sunday's KiwiTrackDays day at Puke. He duly called Star, who promptly denied him cover saying it was 'too dangerous'.

What the hell's going on, Philip?

[boomer]

bwahahhahaa... im wondering if im with this crowd? i got insurance through the shop when i bought the bike and ive never received any paper work.. and i cant remember who it's with!!!!

If this is the way my insurance company works, they won't be my insurance company for much longer....


Thats a shocker! Hearing about policy changes through 'other's.. !!! thats abysmal !


eg. just like i heard about the puke 'open days' LACK OF coverage. After thinking i was covered... FOOKIN SHOCKIN !!!!

Get ya act together!

[boomer]

What a load of old B*&^*%^&!!!

Apparently said insurance company Will cover

• MotoTT, Kiwitrack days and AMCC track days at Taupo

AND they will cover

• AMCC at Puke

BUT they 'consider' covering a customer of

• MotoTT or Kiwtrack days at Puke... as they think its a dangerous track??

The Company's delusional! there's NO logic in that WHAT so ever!

[boomer]

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If your motorcycle is insured with Star Insurance and you wish to do a Training Track Day you need to notify Star Insurance or your Insurance Broker to have your insurance policy extended for each Training Track Day.

If no notification is received you will not be covered for the Training Track Day.

Regards,

Philip Newall
General Manager
Star Insurance - 0800 96 8000

ps.. you don't state how 'notification' is to be recieved or given...or when its required by. If i send you an email 1 minute before i'm going on the track, your statement above tells me i'm covered!!!

your a cowboy mate!

[Matt_TG]

The policy wording (here) does say under Section 3 that it doesn't cover racing, speed tests etc.

You would have to therefore seek an extension to cover any of that - if however in the past you had a blanket extension that covered all track days I would say that Star would have to personally inform you of any policy changes - as they then would be altering the terms of the contract and you'd have to agree with it to continue.

A post on an internet forum is not really a personal notice...

[Sanx]

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The policy wording (here) does say under Section 3 that it doesn't cover racing, speed tests etc.

But a track day is not racing or speed testing. Racing, by definition, is competitive. Track days are (officially) not. The particular paragraph lists a number of things but about the only one under which the insurance company might have grounds to deny a claim is "being used for ... off road recreational activity".

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You would have to therefore seek an extension to cover any of that - if however in the past you had a blanket extension that covered all track days I would say that Star would have to personally inform you of any policy changes - as they then would be altering the terms of the contract and you'd have to agree with it to continue.

I did have a blanket extension which specifically waived the requirement for me to inform them of each and every track day. I can't imagine I'm the only person that has such an email.

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A post on an internet forum is not really a personal notice...

It's not a notice that would carry any legal weight at all. Not every biker is on KB, and not every KBer reads the Track Day forums.

Still, there is a choice, people. Give Dave at KiwiBike insurance a call (0800 629 253). Better premiums than with Star direct, lower excess, and none of this crap (but you do have to inform Dave of every track day too).

[Matt_TG]

I agree, Sanx. They've gone about things arse about face. Bit of a PR disaster really.

[Steam]

I think banks and insurance companies don't have to notify you personally if they change things, they just have to make the information public, or do it in the newspaper or something.

[sunhuntin]

i was with star for two years. am looking at changing to kiwibike [gotta go and see em in np one day] since the quote from kiwibike was $200 LESS per year than what star was charging [same bike, same value]

[McJim]

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i was with star for two years. am looking at changing to kiwibike [gotta go and see em in np one day] since the quote from kiwibike was $200 LESS per year than what star was charging [same bike, same value]

Yeah but Kiwibike are a broker - your insurance may still be with Star. Equally it may not be. I insured through Kiwibike - just checked we are with Swann.

I'm a long way from Pukekohe now and I only ever rode OP bikes there. Hope you fellas get it all sorted out.