A golf cart insurance policy typically includes some basic coverages:
- Property damage liability coverage
- Bodily injury liability coverage
- Collision coverage
- Comprehensive coverage
These coverages may help pay to repair damage to your golf cart in certain situations. They may also help cover your expenses if you cause an accident that injures another person or damages their property.
“Do I really need golf cart insurance?”
Some states require golf cart insurance. In Arizona, for instance, golf cart owners are required by law to have liability insurance if they use the vehicle on roads.
Even though here in southwest Florida you’re not legally required to buy golf cart insurance, it may make sense for you to do so. Golf carts can get stolen or damaged, and they can also cause serious damage or injuries in an accident.
How can golf cart insurance help?
Here’s a look at how each coverage in a golf cart insurance policy works:
Property damage liability. If you are found legally responsible for an accident where your golf cart damaged another person’s property — their car or house, for instance — this coverage may help you pay to repair the damage.
Bodily injury liability. If you cause an accident with your golf cart that hurts another person, this coverage may help you pay for the other person’s medical bills and other related expenses.
Collision coverage. This coverage may help you pay for repairs to your own golf cart, regardless of who is at fault, if you collide with another cart or object in an accident.
Comprehensive coverage.If your golf cart is stolen or damaged by something other than a collision — fire or hail, for instance — this coverage may help pay to repair the damage.
There are other bells and whistles you may be able add to an insurance policy, too. For instance, you may want coverage for custom parts like headlights or a stereo.
And, you may be able to increase your liability coverage limits above what’s provided by a golf cart policy if you purchase a separate umbrella insurance policy.
As with any insurance policy, coverage limits will apply. A limit is the maximum amount your policy will pay toward a covered claim. You may also need to pay your deductible, which is your share of a covered claim.
Auto and home insurance may not cover golf carts
Some people mistakenly assume that their existing insurance will help cover a golf cart. Check with your agent to be sure, but most standard homeowners policies provide little coverage for golf carts — especially once you leave the borders of your property. Likewise, a standard car insurance policy typically will not cover a golf cart accident.
So, what kind of golf cart insurance coverage is available? One thing to ask your agent is that you may be able to add on an endorsement to your existing homeowners or car insurance policy to help better cover your golf cart.
Or, you may choose to buy a policy specifically for your golf cart. Golf cart insurance may be sold as an “off-road vehicle” policy. Or, some insurance companies offer policies that are designed for golf carts, covering you just about anywhere your cart takes you — or even during the off-season while it’s in storage. Contact us to speak to an agent so you can learn what kind of insurance is available for your golf cart.