Golf Cart Insurance
Finding the right coverage has never been easier.
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Maggie Tiede is a writer and blogger based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Maggie has worked as a freelance writer since 2013, when she began reporting on politics, local events, health, and human interest for the Grand Rapids Herald-Review.
Reviewed by
Jeff Green has held a variety of sales and management roles at life insurance companies, Wall street firms, and distribution organizations over his 40-year career. He was previously Finra 7,24,66 registered and held life insurance licenses in multiple states. He is a graduate of Stony Brook University.
Golf carts are often used for transportation, such as around small towns, retirement parks, and gated communities. Driving any vehicle can be risky, and golf carts are no exception. Golf cart accidents can result in property damage, injuries, and medical expenses.
Golf cart insurance is available to protect you, your passengers, and your electric vehicle. Some insurers provide golf cart insurance under exclusive policies; others include golf carts in riders under homeowners or auto insurance policies.
A local independent insurance agent can help you find the best plan for you. They can help you compare plans and find the best balance of cost and coverage for your needs.
Accident Statistics for Golf Carts
- 40% of golf cart accidents involve a person falling out of the cart
- 10% of golf cart accidents involve rollovers
- Each year in the U.S., approximately 15,000 golf cart-related injuries require emergency room treatment
What Coverage Do I Need for My Golf Cart?
Like any other vehicle, a golf cart collision can result in property damage and injuries. Golf carts tend to be easier to steal than the average car. Though they are relatively small, these vehicles can be expensive whether you choose an electric-powered or gas-powered golf cart.
There is a theft risk when you leave personal possessions such as a wallet, phone, camera, or purse in your golf cart, so it is important to have adequate coverage if they are stolen.
Your personal items are typically covered under your homeowners insurance policy. Be sure to check with your agent to ensure your belongings are covered.
Your golf cart insurance policy can include any or all of the following:
- Liability: This covers accidents, injuries, and property damage that you may cause to another person on the golf course or in another vehicle.
- Collision: This covers accidental damage resulting from a collision, regardless of whether you are responsible or another driver is at fault. If you are using your vehicle on a golf course, at a resort, or in a private gated community, you may be covered for collision under the management or ownership, like a condominium association, that has jurisdiction over the gated community. However, if you are going to drive your golf cart on public roads, you will need your own policy.
- Comprehensive: Comprehensive coverage, also called "other than collision," covers your golf cart for other types of loss. For example, your comprehensive coverage will typically protect you from theft, weather damage, and fire.
- Medical payments: If you are in an accident, medical payments coverage will help to cover the costs of medical treatment and hospitalization for you and anyone else riding in your cart. This is excellent coverage to have in place, given that there is always a chance that a passenger in your golf cart may not have adequate health coverage.
- Uninsured or underinsured motorists: This provides compensation if you or your passengers are injured in an accident and another car or golf cart driver is at fault who does not have adequate insurance. It will also compensate you for property damage caused by an uninsured driver.
- Transport trailer: If you use a non-motorized trailer to transport your golf cart, this coverage will compensate you if it is damaged.
- Roadside assistance: This coverage will provide you with towing services if your golf cart has a breakdown.
- Miscellaneous: You can also typically amend your policy with riders to cover any additions made to the golf cart, such as solar panels, alloy wheels, and other enhancements.
Do Homeowners or Auto Insurance Cover a Golf Cart?
It is important to know what your home and auto policies do and do not cover, as each policy is unique. Most homeowner insurance policies exclude coverage for motor vehicle liability. However, home policies will often list two exceptions to this exclusion:
- Motor vehicles designed for recreational use off public roads
- Motor vehicles not owned by the insured
So, a standard homeowners policy may cover golf cart damage or injuries on a conditional basis. Be sure to review your policy with a knowledgeable insurance agent.
An independent agent in our network can help you identify whether additional golf cart insurance is a good purchase for you to make based on your situation and golf cart use.
Personal auto insurance policies may or may not cover golf cart risks and liabilities. A typical auto insurance policy provides liability coverage for any automobile you own or use. However, the scope and meaning of the word “auto” can be disputed.
Thus, whether you have coverage for your golf cart can be up to the discretion of your insurance company at the time of a claim. Your auto policy may exclude liability coverage for vehicles designed for off-road use. Therefore, understanding the details of your auto insurance policy is crucial.
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What Else Should Golf Cart Owners Consider?
If you own a golf cart, another important thing to consider is whether anyone else will be driving it. If you may lend it to another person or have someone else in your family drive it, make sure those drivers are covered under your policy.
You can usually add an endorsement to either your home or auto policy to cover golf cart use and your liability risks. Again, it is important to talk with an insurance professional and carefully go over your existing policies to ensure that you are fully covered for your risks.
Using an independent insurance agent is usually the easiest way to find coverage. This is because, unlike other agents, they can compare plans from a variety of providers in order to find you the best plan.