[Adger Smith]

Chip,
I can't say what will happen today, but can tell my experience with IHRA (Wisenburg) in Sept. '99. Plus some of my thoughts.
That was the first year that IHRA raised the coverage cap for racers to $350,000. From (I believe) $10,000. thanks, Bill Bader & Staff!!
My personal insurance coverage was supposed to have an amended policy that covered me when I was Flying and Racing. I had paid extra for about 10 years for this coverage. 3 years before the accident I had discussed my policy with my agent. It had been getting increasingly higher. I was interested in a little cost control. He said he would handle it and I took him at his word, never reading my policy for 3 years, but paying about the same premium. After my accident I found he had dropped all the attachments for my racing and flying.
1. I was in a very bad crash at Cordova Sept 5 '99 and required Life Flight.
no coverage by Wisenburg or personal insurance.
2 Since my agent had duped me I had no personal insurance when at the races or flying.
3. Wisenburg stepped up and paid almost $330,000 to put me back together. That included initial trauma hospital and stay at University of Iowa hospital for 5 major surgeries. It also included an extended stay at a local rehab hospital here in Texarkana and the University of Texas Research an Rehab hospital in Houston. Wisenburg was the best insurance company to work with that I've ever had a claim or case. An absolute pleasure. They took care of me. Of course there were limitations and things I had to pay for, but I'm in better health, both physically and financially, because of them. They even helped with a Dr. that was WAY over charging and another Dr. that I thought was detrimental to my recovery/health.
My 2 life flights. one to the original trauma center and the other to The University of Iowa totaled about $8,500.00 I had to pay those out of pocket.
Other out of pocket medical expenses totaled nearly $20,000.00
Added up that is nearly $360,000.00 spent on me after my racing accident.
As far as Life insurance is concerned...I haven't got a clue because I didn't have it and still don't. I feel that by investing that money & and more) in assets and my self there will be enough to take car of my family when I die.
I know I have posted about the insurance, but I think it is one of those things that is necessary.
I appreciate it being available to us.
I just don't like what looks like abusive price gouging done to Sportsman racers to help with the free ride non sportsmen are getting. I also don't appreciate my money being used to pad or build some other fund/account to be used for "future medical issues/claims" That could sound like my own money might be used against me in a medical loss claim. It is my opinion that who ever is covered by insurance should be paying their own way. I guess you can say that I don't believe in any form of socialism.
I've got more... I could write a book about this, but I've already said enough...