Golf cart insurance: What does it cover?

What is golf cart insurance?

Golf cart insurance is a lot like an auto insurance policy. It provides liability protection for damage or injury caused while driving and can also include coverage for the cart itself. The coverage depends on the insurance company and the type of policy.

You can add a golf cart to your home insurance policy in some cases, and in others, you may need a standalone policy. It may also be called low-speed vehicle insurance, although some differences exist between these two types of insurance.

What does golf cart insurance cover?

Golf cart insurance coverage options include:

• Property damage liability: Pays for damage to another person's property.
• Bodily injury liability: Pays for injuries caused to another person.
• Collision: Pays for damage to the golf cart from a collision with another vehicle or object, regardless of fault.
• Other than collision (comprehensive): Covers fire, theft, and weather damage; most types of non-collision damage.
• Guest passenger liability: Covers injuries to passengers riding in your golf cart.
• Medical payments: No-fault coverage for injuries while using the golf cart.
• Accessories coverage: Covers upgrades you have made to your golf cart, like adding a stereo or custom steering wheel.

How to insure a golf cart: Coverage options

Determining which insurance coverage applies to golf cart accidents can be confusing. The table below summarizes how golf cart insurance applies in various circumstances.

Do I need golf cart insurance?

Your state or homeowners association (HOA) might require golf cart or low-speed vehicle insurance. Otherwise, whether or not you need it depends on how you use your golf cart; either way, it's a good idea to protect yourself and your investment.

While your homeowners insurance might be adequate for basic use, a special golf cart insurance policy is recommended for anything beyond that. An accident in a golf cart can be serious, and you'd be on the hook without liability coverage.

Identify your user profile in the table below and review its unique insurance requirements.

In many golf communities, the HOA requires golf cart owners to purchase specific insurance for golf carts and name the HOA as an additional insured.

Can golf carts cause enough damage to warrant paying for insurance? Unfortunately, yes.

According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 31 golf cart and low-speed vehicle fatalities were recorded in 2021, the most recent data.

Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics found that over 6,500 children under the age of 18 are injured by golf carts each year.

Here are some examples of golf cart accidents that have made the news:

• A teenage joyride in Minnesota. Six golf carts were taken for a joy ride by teenagers throughout the Blueberry Pines Golf Course in Menahga, Minnesota. The teenagers did over $40,000 of damage. 
• A stolen golf cart in Florida. A golf cart was stolen from a health clinic in Florida.
• A DUI on a golf cart in Texas. In Abilene, Texas, the police cited a guy for drinking while driving a golf cart. Fortunately, he wasn't severely injured and didn't harm anyone else. The damage could have been much worse.
• A runaway golf cart. At the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, an unattended golf cart disrupted the tournament by rolling right into a lake. 

Golf carts are vehicles that need to be taken seriously and can cause a lot of damage. They're also valuable, and without insurance, you'll have no way to replace your cart if it's stolen or rolls into a lake.

How much is golf cart insurance?

Golf cart insurance costs vary based on the insurer and coverage needs, among other rate-determining factors. Here is some general information on monthly golf cart insurance costs:

• You may pay as little as $6 a month if you add golf cart coverage to your current homeowner's insurance.
• You may spend about $7 a month if you buy a standalone golf cart policy.
• You may spend about $100 a month if you own a speed-modified golf cart. If you're zipping about on roads, your state's DMV might consider it a second car. So, the costs can run high, depending on your driving record and other factors.

The cost of golf cart insurance is lower if the golf cart is used exclusively off-road, in which case you can buy ATV insurance. For on-road golf carts, some insurers, like Progressive, offer a modified motorcycle insurance policy or, like The Hartford, a modified low-speed vehicle (LSV) policy.

Are there golf cart insurance discounts?

There are several discounts for golf cart insurance, but they vary by insurance company.

As always, you are likely to pay less if you are willing to take on a higher deductible (the portion of a claim you pay before your insurance pays the rest).

How do I buy golf cart insurance?

If you need golf cart insurance, there are a few ways to get it.

First, contact your current insurance company. You may be able to insure your golf cart by adding it to your home insurance policy as a rider. If not, they might be able to offer you a quote for a standalone policy.

You should always compare quotes from multiple companies if you’re looking to buy standalone coverage. This will ensure you get the best price. Once you narrow down which policy you need and shop for a good rate, you can purchase the policy the same way you would any other insurance.

Is my golf cart covered by home insurance?

Your golf cart isn’t automatically included in your homeowners insurance. Many homeowner's insurance policies allow you to add golf cart insurance as a rider. If you can add the golf cart to your homeowner's policy, that's often the least expensive route.

But if your golf cart isn’t covered by your homeowner's insurance, or even if it is, a standalone policy may offer more and better coverage.

If you live in a place like Florida or Arizona, where the weather is warm and riding around in a golf cart, even on public roads, is almost a way of life. In fact, in Arizona, if you drive a golf cart on the road, you are required to have liability insurance on your golf cart.

Which insurance companies sell golf cart insurance?

If there are golf carts abound where you live, you likely have several insurance options. A few of the insurance companies that offer this type of coverage include:

• Progressive
• Allstate
• Nationwide
• The Hartford
• Geico

Make sure to shop around for the cheapest golf cart insurance.

How can I save money on golf cart insurance?

Here are a few tips to save money:

• Keep your golf cart off-road
• Look for multi-policy or bundle discounts
• Stay accident-free
• Avoid any unnecessary claims
• Look for safety and driver training courses

Golf cart insurance for retirees and snowbirds

Golf carts can be a great way to navigate a retirement community for seniors or an RV park for the snowbirds heading south for winter. But before you hop on, check out the insurance requirements for the state you'll be driving it in.

Some states, like Florida, don't require insurance on golf carts (unless they are low-speed vehicles) but have roadways specifically for golf carts. Other states, like Arizona and North Carolina, have set minimum coverages required for any golf cart traveling on public roads.

If you won't be driving the cart on public roads, getting some insurance coverage for an off-road vehicle is still a good idea. And whatever you do, don't drive an uninsured cart on a public road without insurance, especially if your state requires it.

Should you buy golf cart insurance?

It may seem like yet another thing you need to pay for, but the bottom line is that golf cart insurance is something to consider if you own a golf cart. Most major insurance providers offer golf cart insurance or golf cart riders to your existing home insurance policy at a reasonable cost.

Ensuring you're covered is essential and will result in less time spent worrying about damages and more time enjoying the golf course.

Frequently asked questions about golf cart insurance

What's the difference between golf carts and low-speed vehicles?

In general, a golf cart has a lower maximum speed than a low-speed vehicle or neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV). While the maximum speed on a golf cart ranges between 15 and 20 mph, A low-speed vehicle can go up to 25 mph. Low-speed vehicles have more of the features of cars, like turn signals, lights and seatbelts. Some insurance companies cover both with the same type of policy.

Is there special coverage for golf carts?

Many of the major insurers offer special coverage for golf carts. Typically, this insurance policy is a modified form of motorcycle or ATV/off-road insurance. The coverages are modified to meet the needs of golf carts specifically.

Will my car insurance cover my golf cart?

No. Standard car insurance policies don't cover golf carts.

What if I get into a golf cart accident and the other driver doesn't have insurance?

With most golf cart policies, you can get uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This is the type of coverage you'd need if you were in an accident and the other driver was at fault but did not have their own insurance. If you caused the accident, your policy will cover you.

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