Road Racing Insurance cost 2025/6

Summary

A request was made for insurance costs for the 2025 and 2026 Isle of Man road racing events (TT, Manx Grand Prix, Southern 100), but the Department for Enterprise withheld all information citing commercial and economic exemptions.

Key Facts

• The Department for Enterprise holds the insurance cost figures but is not the policy holder for the events.
• The Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) is the policy holder for the TT and Manx Grand Prix.
• The Southern 100 Club is the policy holder for the Southern 100 event.
• Disclosure was refused under Section 30(2)(b) to prevent prejudice to the commercial interests and negotiating positions of the policy holders.
• The Department argued that revealing costs could lead to higher future premiums, negatively impacting the Island's financial interests.

Data Disclosed

• 2025
• 2026
• 27 January 2026
• 30 January 2026
• 5252565
• 4 pages
• 1 document

Exemptions Cited

• Section 30(2)(b) - Economy and commercial interests
• Section 30(1)(a) - Prejudice to economic interests of the Island
• Section 30(1)(b) - Prejudice to financial interests of the Island

Original Request

What was insurance cover cost by the Auto-Cycle Union for the TT, Manx Grand Prix and the Southern 100 in 2025 and for the upcoming 2026 events

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

1 | P a g e

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator 1st Floor, St Georges Court Upper Church Street, Douglas Isle of Man IM1 1EX

Telephone: (01624 686400) Website: https://www.iomdfenterprise.im/

Our ref: 5252565 30 January 2026

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 27 January 2026, which states:

"What was insurance cover cost by the Auto-Cycle Union for the TT, Manx

Grand Prix and the Southern 100 in 2025 and for the upcoming 2026 events"

Our Response:

The Department holds information on insurance cost figures for the purposes of budgeting and due diligence. However, the Department is not the policy holder. For clarity: ● For the Isle of Man TT Races, Classic TT/Manx Grand Prix, the Auto-Cycle Union (ACU) is the policy holder. ● The Department is the promoter responsible for the Isle of Man TT Races and Classic TT. ● The Manx Motor Cycle Club (MMCC) is the promoter for the Manx Grand Prix ● The Southern 100 Club is both the Race Organiser and Event Promoter for the Southern 100 and is the relevant policy holder for that event. Decision The Department is withholding the requested insurance cost figures for 2025 and the upcoming 2026 events under a qualified exemption: Section 30(2)(b) - Economy and commercial interests (commercial interests). Under the Act, information is qualified exempt where disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of a person (including the public authority holding it). The Department is fully aware that information disclosed in response to a freedom of information request is effectively a disclosure to the world at large rather than to an individual applicant.

Application of Section 30 (qualified exemption) and relationship between subsections - commercial interests The Department is relying on Section 30 as a qualified exemption. In this case, the harm arises principally under s30(2)(b) (prejudice to commercial interests), as disclosure of event-specific insurance cost information would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests and negotiating position of the relevant policy holders (ACU / Southern 100 Club) when seeking competitive insurance terms in future. That information could be used by counterparties in the insurance market (including competing brokers/insurers and other market participants) to the detriment of the policy holders when seeking the most competitive rates in future. The Department’s view is that maintaining confidentiality around these cost figures supports the ability of the policy holders to continue to secure best value, and therefore supports the long-term sustainability of events that deliver significant economic contribution to the Isle of Man. The Department also considers s30(1)(a) and s30(1)(b) to be relevant and engaged because the likely prejudice to commercial interests under s30(2)(b) would reasonably be expected to flow through to: ● s30(1)(a): prejudice to the economic interests of the Island, given the events’ role in delivering wider economic benefit, and the importance of maintaining their long-term sustainability; and ● s30(1)(b): prejudice to the financial interests of the Island, where increased insurance costs would likely increase the overall cost base associated with delivery and oversight of major events, creating pressure on public finances over time. Public interest test Section 30 is a qualified exemption, so the Department has applied the public interest test. In applying the public interest test, the Department recognises that “public interest” is not the same as what is merely interesting to the public; it is generally described as something “of serious concern and benefit to the public.” Factors in favour of disclosure ● Transparency and accountability: Disclosure could increase transparency around the costs associated with staging major motorsport events. ● Public understanding: Disclosure may help inform public debate about the overall cost base and financial pressures connected to delivering these events. Factors in favour of maintaining the exemption ● Commercial interests and procurement effectiveness (s30(2)(b)); ○ Disclosure would be likely to undermine the policy holders’ ability to secure the most competitive insurance terms by revealing current

pricing and creating a benchmark for future negotiations, reducing competitive tension and weakening bargaining position.

● Financial interests of the Island (s30(1)(b)) - taxpayer impact; In considering whether maintaining the exemption is necessary, the Department has had regard to the following: ○ Protecting efficient administration of government finances/minimising cost to the taxpayer: If disclosure results in higher future premiums (or less competitive terms), this increases the overall cost base associated with delivering and supporting these events. Over time, that would place additional pressure on budgets and could increase the call on public funds. ○ Recognising long-term costs to the taxpayer from disclosure (premature or otherwise): Even where information relates to prior or current periods, publication can shape market expectations and future negotiations by setting benchmarks. The resulting adverse pricing effect may not be immediate but could be enduring across multiple renewal cycles creating long-term cost consequences. ● Economic interests of the Island (s30(1)(a)) - sustainability and market confidence. ○ The events deliver significant economic benefit. If insurance becomes less affordable or less obtainable on competitive terms, this could threaten the long-term sustainability and deliverability of events, which would likely have a negative impact on the Island’s wider economic interests. ○ Maintaining the exemption supports the ability of policy holders to operate effectively within a competitive insurance and financial services market, where pricing and terms are commercially sensitive. Preserving market confidence and effective competition is in the wider public interest. Balance of the public interest Having weighed the factors, the Department considers that while transparency is important, the public interest in disclosure is outweighed by the public interest in maintaining the exemption. Disclosure would be likely to prejudice commercial interests and negotiating position, and that prejudice would in turn be likely to create adverse consequences for the financial interests of the Island (including increased long-term cost pressures) and the economic interests of the Island (through risk to event sustainability and economic contribution).

Please quote the reference number 5252565 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on. 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Freedom of Information Co-Ordinator