These days, golf carts are a common way to get around in gated neighborhoods and vacation spots. This is because golf carts can sometimes be driven on roads just like cars. To top it all off, you need liability insurance for your golf cart in some places, like Florida and South Carolina. Read on to find out more about how much the cheapest golf cart insurance companies cost.
Overview
If you own a golf cart, you probably don’t just use it to get around the course. This is how many golf cart owners use their cart as an extra way to get around their area, do some light shopping, or go to and from the golf course. But in some states or towns, you need insurance to drive your golf cart on the road.
Hence, getting golf cart insurance is a good idea, even if it’s not needed. From 1990 to 2006, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine studied injuries caused by golf carts. Their research found that nearly 150,000 of these injuries needed medical care in the emergency room. The study also said that every year there were more injuries.
Golf Cart Insurance
Comparing an average auto insurance policy to one for a golf cart shows many similarities. It protects the driver against legal charges for any harm done to others or their property while operating the cart, and it also offers the option of covering the cart itself. Both the insurance provider and the specific policy will determine the extent of any payouts.
In some instances, you can include your golf cart in your homeowners’ insurance coverage, but in others, you’ll need a separate policy. You might also have heard it referred to as “low-speed vehicle insurance,” although there are a few key differences.
Golf Cart Insurance: How To Get It
Talk to your insurance company about adding golf cart insurance to your home policy. Then the person from your insurance company will probably ask you some simple questions about your golf cart, such as:
- year
- make
- model
- serial number
Also, you might have to explain where you drive it most of the time.
What Does Golf Cart Insurance Cover?
Golf cart insurance covers a lot of the same things that regular car insurance does. One example of coverage is paying for medical bills, property damage, or fixing your golf cart if it gets cracked in an accident. With this insurance, you can usually get the following types of coverage:
#1. Damage to Property Risk Insurance
If your golf cart hits someone else’s property, like a neighbor’s fence, this will pay for it.
#2. Bodily Injury Liability Insurance
covers someone’s medical bills if you hurt someone in your golf cart in an accident. In case you are charged because of an accident, it also pays for your defense.
#3. Collision Insurance
This covers repairs if your golf cart gets broken in an accident.
#4. Comprehensive Insurance
If your golf cart is stolen or damaged by something like a fire, flood, hail, or something falling on it (like a tree branch), this will pay out.
#5. Medical Bills
If you or your passengers get hurt in a golf cart accident, this will cover your hospital bills.
#6. Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Insurance
This covers your hospital bills if you get into an accident with someone who doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance. In addition, you can change your insurance by:
- Hitting higher limits on your liability insurance
- Additional coverage options, like towable trucks or tow insurance
- Getting extra coverage for driving after golf in a limited-access neighborhood
Cost of Golf Cart Insurance
According to Progressive, a basic liability insurance policy for golf carts can cost as little as $75 per year. Though the cost goes up if you add extra insurance like collision and comprehensive coverage, hospital payments, coverage for uninsured motorists, or coverage for accessories, However, because of the way you use your golf cart, you’ll probably pay a different rate than other drivers.Â
There are numerous additional factors that can affect the cost of your insurance. In this case, if you pick a lower deductible but a higher coverage limit, your insurance might cost more than if you picked a lower amount.
Cost of Golf Cart Insurance: Factors to Consider
The exact cost depends on factors such as:
- Your age
- Driving history
- Where you live
- The type of golf cart
- Coverage types
Cost of Golf Cart Insurance: Effective Tips To Lower Costs
Your local insurance agent or experts can help you find discounts that will lower the cost of your insurance. You might be able to lower your insurance costs by doing things like
#1. Bundling a Product
A saving on your car insurance rate can be gained by combining home and car insurance. This perk is only available if you insure both your car and your golf cart.
#2. Complete Payment
You can be eligible for a discount if you pay your annual insurance costs all at once rather than making weekly payments.
#3. Get certified in Safety
Joining a qualified group or taking safety classes for driver training can help you save money.
Cheapest Golf Cart Insurance
Did you know that getting insurance to protect your investment is just as important as getting the right clubs and gear? The good news is that you can get coverage without spending a lot of money. It makes sense that most insurance plans are costly, which is why I wrote this piece about the cheapest golf cart insurance to tell you about companies that offer low rates.
Cheapest Golf Cart Insurance: Examples
Below are the best and cheapest golf cart insurance options.
#1. Progressive Insurance
Progressive is one of the cheapest companies for golf cart insurance because it offers many discounts and low average rates. They also have powerful digital tools and very good scores for their financial health. Progressive’s base rate for basic coverage is $45 a month, and the premium is $130.
#2. Auto-Owners Insurance
With many discount options, this insurance business has some of the cheapest golf cart insurance. Auto owners provide liability coverage for bodily injury, liability coverage for all damages, liability coverage for hospital costs, and other types. In addition, they offer an accident forgiveness choice and a monthly average rate of $27 for minimum coverage and $108 for premium coverage.
#3. Nationwide Insurance
The minimum coverage rate from this insurance company is $47 per month, and the premium coverage rate is $139.5 per month. Along with lower rates, Nationwide also has many deals and programs for their members that can help them save even more on their car insurance.
#4. Allstate Insurance
This company’s basic coverage costs $46.5 a month on average, and the annual premium is $203. Also, if a driver stays accident-free for six months, they can get a bonus check in their golf cart insurance coverage. The program Drivewise also gives drivers rewards for completing safe driving tasks.
#5. GEICO Insurance
Even though GEICO insurance is one of the cheapest, it also offers standard coverage choices. Their monthly premium is $108, and their minimum service costs about $30. Additionally, GEICO provides membership savings and programs to assist drivers in selecting the best products for their golf carts.
Florida Golf Cart Insurance
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles says that a golf cart is a motor vehicle that is designed to be used on a golf course for sports or fun and can’t go faster than 20 miles per hour. This means you can only drive them on roads that are marked for them and have a 30 mph speed limit.
The Insurance Research Council also said that Florida had the sixth-highest number of uninsured drivers in 2019. Twenty.4% did not have insurance at the time. This means that if your car gets into an accident with another car, the other driver might not have insurance. Even if you weren’t at fault, you wouldn’t be safe.
Within Florida, golf cart insurance can be had for as little as $75 a year. You can pay more for insurance if you choose a different company, make changes to your golf cart that change how it is classified, or add extras to your policy. Therefore, as a responsible owner, you should know how much it costs on average in Florida and what kind of coverage you need.
Furthermore, in Florida, you only have a certain amount of time to file a case. People who were hurt in a golf cart accident must file a claim or insurance claim no later than two years after the accident in Florida. This is because you might not be able to get money for your injuries and other losses if you don’t file within this time frame.
Florida Golf Cart Insurance: Requirements
Many golf cart or low-speed vehicle owners in the villages and across Florida are wondering about what kind of insurance they need. As a result, questions about golf carts and low-speed vehicle insurance are often not answered until after an accident. Below are a few of their requirements:
- Golf carts are not required to be titled, registered, or insured in Florida.
- Golf carts can only be driven on roads that are designated for golf carts with a posted speed limit of 30 mph or less.
- You must be at least 14 years old to drive a golf cart on designated public roads.
- If your golf cart is an LSV, it must be registered, titled, and insured with personal injury protection insurance and property damage liability insurance.
- You must have a valid driver’s license in your possession.
South Carolina Golf Cart Insurance
The law in South Carolina calls golf carts “low-speed vehicles.” When they use them on public roads, they have to follow the rules set by the state. The Department of Motor Vehicles needs to know about your golf cart if you want to use it on public roads. You’ll also need insurance that meets the minimum liability coverage standards in your state.
Also, whether you buy a new or used golf cart, you may need to get insurance if you live in an area or neighborhood with a homeowner’s association. This is something that many HOAs require, and if it turns out that your golf cart isn’t protected, you could be fined.
South Carolina Golf Cart Insurance: Cost
Insurance costs for golf carts in South Carolina depend on the coverage limits, model, and use of the vehicle. If you only use it on a golf course or private land, you can add it to your homeowner’s insurance at a modest cost.
However, golf carts on public highways require a modified auto insurance policy with liability coverage, which can be more expensive. Instead, an insurance professional can help you compare coverage and choose the perfect golf cart insurance policy to estimate costs.
South Carolina Golf Cart Insurance: Requirement
In South Carolina, you will need
- A golf cart permit to drive on public roads.
- You can only drive your golf cart within four miles of your home or business on roads with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less.
To obtain a permit, you will need
- A completed golf cart permit registration (SCDMV form GC-2)
- Proof of liability
- A valid driver’s license.
- A $5 fee.
If your golf cart operates at speeds of 25 mph or less, you will need a slow-moving vehicle emblem to drive on public roads.
Does an umbrella policy cover a golf cart?
Some umbrella policies may provide coverage for low-speed vehicles and golf carts, while others may specifically exclude them.
What is not covered by an umbrella policy?
It does not cover damage to your own home, car, or possessions.
How cheap is umbrella insurance?
It starts at around $200 per year for $1 million of coverage.
Conclusion
A golf cart insurance policy is needed to protect us in case something goes wrong. In addition, golf cart insurance can be used as a way to trade or save money for later use. Prior to that, this piece was written so that people could find the cheapest golf cart insurance because of how important it is. To avoid problems in the future, I strongly advise that you get golf cart insurance from any of the companies we’ve already talked about.
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