Golf Cart Insurance: Everything you need to know

If you own a golf cart, you may be wondering, "do golf carts need insurance?"

Not only is it a good idea to buy golf cart insurance, but it may also even be required by your Homeowner Association (HOA) or state.

Whether or not you need it depends on where you ride and how you use your golf cart--like a riding mower, car or ATV.

If being a golf cart owner is on your agenda, you likely have some questions.

Here we've covered everything you need to know about golf cart insurance so you can make sure you're covered and get back to enjoying time on the green.

What is golf cart insurance?

Golf cart insurance is a type of insurance that covers damage or destruction to your golf cart and damage or destruction that your golf cart creates, depending on the insurance company and the coverage you select.

What does golf cart insurance cover?

In general, golf cart insurance covers:

• Property damage liability: applies to damage to another person's property
• Bodily injury liability: applies to injury caused to another person, including guest passenger liability in some instances
• Collision costs: applies to collision with another vehicle or object, regardless of fault
• Other (comprehensive) damage to your cart: think fire, theft, or anything other than a collision -- like wind damage or hail

Home, auto or golf cart insurance?

Determining which insurance coverage applies in the case of a golf cart mishap can be confusing. The table below summarizes various circumstances where damage occurs to people or things resulting from a golf cart accident and indicates each relevant policy.

Do I need golf cart insurance?

While your homeowners insurance might be adequate for basic use, a special golf cart insurance policy may be recommended for anything beyond that.

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.

You may be wondering if golf carts can cause enough damage to warrant paying for insurance.

According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 130 golf cart fatalities were recorded from 2013 to 2018.

Recently, several golf cart tales of woe have hit the news that we thought we'd share:

• Destruction 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 in damage. Imagine what new words you'd come up with if somebody took your golf cart for a joyride and tore up your neighborhood, leaving you responsible for the damages.
• Thievery in Florida! A golf cart was recently stolen. It was a blue 2016 Yamaha golf cart that currently sells for around $6,500. Imagine how much fun it would be to have your golf cart stolen and then remember, "Oh, yeah. I don't have golf cart insurance."
• Terror 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.

Golf carts are vehicles that need to be taken seriously.

How much is golf cart insurance?

Your golf cart insurance cost will vary by insurer and coverage needs, among other rate determining factors. Here is some general information on monthly costs:

• You may pay as little as $4 a month. If you add golf cart coverage to your current homeowner's insurance.
• You may spend about $12 a month. If you buy a standalone golf cart policy.
• You may spend about $33 to $100 a month. If you own a speed-modified golf cart where you're zipping about on roads, and it's practically your second car. It can run kind of high, depending on your driving record and other factors.

Golf insurance costs will typically be lower if the golf cart will be used exclusively off-road in which case many insurers, like The Hartford will offer 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 discounts or other ways to get cheap golf cart insurance?

Like with some other types of insurance, there are potential discounts you may be able to get with your golf cart insurance:

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 purchase golf cart insurance?

If you've assessed your golf cart and how you intend to use it and have determined you need golf cart insurance, there are a few ways to get it.

You may be able to insure your golf cart by adding it to your home insurance policy

Let's say that you do your due diligence and check to see if your golf cart is covered on your homeowner's insurance, and, nope, it isn't covered.

Well, 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.

You can also purchase a separate policy specifically for the golf cart.

You may have to insure your golf cart separately from your home insurance policy

Not every policy will let you add the golf cart as a rider to your homeowner's insurance policy. Sometimes, you'll have to get it separately. Think about Florida and Arizona, where the weather is warm where 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.

Check with your insurer or any major insurer to get a quote for your golf cart insurance.

Golf cart insurance for the savvy retiree

Golf carts can be a great way to navigate around a retirement community for seniors or an RV park for the snowbirds who head south for winter. But before you hop on, be sure to 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 an LSV) but have roadways specifically for golf carts. Other states, like Arizona and North Carolina have set minimum coverages required for any golf cart that will travel on public roads.

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

The bottom-line on 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