Gorsline Has Drivers Covered

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y., June 10 - No matter what series they compete in, many of the drivers who race at Watkins Glen International, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and other premier race courses around the world do so covered under insurance policies prepared by John Gorsline of The Gorsline Company, located in a quiet section of Rochester's Corn Hill.

Most race car drivers wouldn't even be able to get insurance if it weren't for people like Gorsline, who has been providing life, health and disability insurance for individual race car drivers for over 35 years by working with established underwriters such as Lloyds of London, etc.

It's still not inexpensive, but Gorsline provides a vitally important service to drivers and their families. And to most of the drivers, Gorsline is not just an insurance agent; he's also a confidant and a friend.

"We provide custom-designed insurance packages for all of our drivers," Gorsline said. "When someone comes to us with a problem we work day and night to
find a solution, whether it's medical needs or medical transportation, etc.
We'll do whatever it takes to rehabilitate the driver to get them back in the car
quickly, from getting medical specialists all over the world involved with the
driver's care to taking care of all the details for the driver and family. 
Most insurance companies and agents don't do that. They just don't care."

Premiums can range from $5,000 to up to a quarter of a million dollars
annually. Coverage goes up to $50 million.

"I love the people I work for," added Gorsline, who is always dressed very
professionally and is often one of the few men in the pits who is wearing a
sports coat. "I don't have to go to 50 races a year, but I do because I want my
clients to know I care. I am lucky to have a great support team in Rochester. My
vice president of operations, Sue Rhodes-Greene, takes care of everything
behind the scenes. Others involved are our colleague Geordie Robertson; David
Benedict, our director of advanced case design; and KAFL Insurance Resources,
which provides the life insurance product for our special clients."

Gorsline is very cognizant of confidentiality issues. He won't provide the
names of his clients, but his office walls are covered with autographed photos
of some of the most famous drivers in America.

He is also extremely selective about the drivers that he'll insure. "We look
at the driver's history," Gorsline explained. "We consider how long they've
been driving, how well they've been driving, their crew chiefs, their teams.  We
look at their personal lives, including things like if they're going through
a divorce or a business downturn that might affect their driving.

"We look at where they are emotionally too. Are they depressed? Are they
angry? Do they smoke, drink or do drugs? All of those things are factors that
underwriters look at when determining the risk."

He has insured approximately 400 drivers over the years, and has had only two
driver fatalities. "Driver safety is always a prime concern," Gorsline noted.

"With the introduction of the SAFER barrier system by the Indianapolis Motor
Speedway and the HANS device, premiums have not risen like other forms of
high-risk coverage, and underwriters are much more willing to take on risks."

Gorsline's first race was at the age of 6 when his father took him in a 120
Jaguar to Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and he is very
excited about the Indy Racing League's first event there, slated for Sept. 25.

"The highlight of our summer, and now the fall, are the special events at the
Glen," Gorsline said. "You can't ask for better racing, and more importantly
it's almost in our backyard!"

Gorsline started out in the insurance business more than 40 years ago.
Rochester's well-known Joe U. Posner was his mentor. "I worked with him six days and
two nights a week for years, working with Rochester attorneys, accountants
and doctors," Gorsline recalled.

It was only natural that Gorsline's love for the sport and his profession
would cross paths, which it did when a friend called him wanting him to insure
his son, an amateur race car driver. At that time insurance underwriters lumped
race car drivers in with crop dusters, and the rates were astronomical.

Gorsline got busy. He did exhaustive research to compile facts and figures to
replace the old statistics the underwriters had been using, and to teach them
that some drivers were acceptable risks.

He hasn't stopped.

"My business philosophy is that if something is wrong, improve it," Gorsline
said. "Don't sell people what you want, sell them what they want. And every
day be gracious, humble and helpful.

"The biggest thing in building this business has been that we don't do
transactions; we build long-term relationships," he added.

Despite traveling the world to different races, Gorsline says he loves
Rochester. He's lived in the same house in Corn Hill for the last 36 years. He also
races himself now and then in various vintage events.

One thing for sure, when the green flag drops, no one wishes for a safe race
more than Rochester's John Gorsline.

For more information:
Linda Mansfield, Restart Communications
and the Indy 500 News Bureau.
E-mail: LindaKMansfield@cs.com