Underwriters could impose new caps on their exposure to Formula One following Ralf Schumacher's crash at 200mph during the US Grand Prix.
The Williams driver fractured two vertebrae as a result of the crash in June. It is unclear when he will return to racing, having missed this weekend's British Grand Prix.
According to a report, brokers have estimated that the potential payout, had the crash ended his career, could have exceed £10m, all of which would have fallen to a small number of underwriters.
The report said drivers had been asked to contribute more to their insurance pool in recent years, which could be revised again in the wake of Schumacher's accident.
Marsh Formula One specialist Duncan Fraser said the problem was that there are only a limited number of underwriters in the market.
He said they could now call for more insurers to enter the market, or place caps on their exposure in order to limit the impact of future claims.
Drivers usually have their own insurance policies, as well as being covered by their team's insurance, said the report.
Depending on the success of the driver, pay-out can be up to £1m per race missed following a crash, with policies usually having a limit on pay-outs of 52 weeks.
The news also follows a serious accident involving Renault driver Jarno Trulli at the weekend, attributed to a rear suspension failure. Trulli escaped unhurt after crashing at 168mph during the British Grand Prix.
