Golf Cart Insurance in Florida

Does Insurance Cover Golf Cart Accidents in Florida?People injured in golf cart accidents may have several types of insurance available to cover their medical bills, pain, suffering, and other damages. Namely, golf cart accidents may involve homeowners insurance, renters insurance, or motor vehicle insurance. Golf cart accidents may also involve general liability or commercial liability insurance policies at golf courses, country clubs, or other entities where golf carts are operated.

Several factors can determine what types of insurance coverage are available in a golf cart accident. For example, the location of the accident may make a commercial policy available to the injured person.

Another factor would be the person or entity responsible for your injury. When a person or entity is negligent and that negligence causes you to suffer an injury, that negligent person or entity’s insurance policy may be available to compensate you for your damages.

Does Car Insurance Cover Golf Cart Accidents?

Typically, car insurance does not cover golf cart accidents. Golf carts are uniquely dangerous. What I mean by that is that golf carts do not have the same safety equipment modern cars have. For example, people fly out of a golf cart when it rolls over because there are usually no doors or there are flimsy doors. Additionally, golf carts don’t usually have airbags or good seat belts.

Insurance companies recognize that golf carts are dangerous, and so your car insurance policy may not cover golf cart accidents. However, your auto insurance policy may be unique, and so it’s always a good idea to read your insurance policy to understand what types of accidents are covered and, more importantly, what types of accidents are not covered.

Is a Golf Cart Covered Under Homeowners Insurance?

Homeowners insurance may cover golf carts. However, there are limitations. For example, homeowners insurance will typically only cover accidents that occur on a golf course or on the insured person’s property. Moreover, homeowners insurance may not pay for your medical expenses, and it may not cover injuries to other people. So, if you cause a golf cart accident and hurt someone, your homeowners insurance may not cover that third-party’s injuries, which means you may be personally on the hook for those damages.

What Type of Insurance Could I Get That Would Cover Golf Cart Accidents?

There are several types of insurance that could help pay for injuries, pain, and suffering caused by a golf cart accident. As we mentioned before, your car insurance likely does not cover golf cart accidents. Thus, it’s a great idea to understand what coverages are available to you and to purchase some type of coverage to protect you in case of a golf cart accident. That way, you won’t be stuck paying for damages out of your personal bank account. Now, let's talk a little more about specific types of coverage that could help in the event of a golf cart accident.

Liability or Bodily Injury Coverage for a Golf Cart Accident

Bodily injury coverage, sometimes referred to as “BI,” protects you if you injure someone else in a golf cart accident. If you have auto insurance, your insurance company has probably sold you BI coverage or offered to sell you BI coverage. Thus, you’re probably at least partially familiar with bodily injury coverage.

Basically, bodily injury coverage helps to pay the medical bills of anyone injured in an accident when the insured person is found to be at fault for the accident. For example, if you get into a golf cart accident and the other driver was negligent, whether the driver was driving an automobile or a golf cart, you may be able to access the at fault driver’s bodily injury insurance coverage to pay for your medical bills.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage for Golf Cart Accidents

Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) is a type of insurance coverage that protects you when you’re hurt by someone who does not have liability insurance.

For example, let’s say you get into a golf cart accident, and the at fault driver has no bodily injury or liability coverage. However, you purchased $10,000 in uninsured motorist coverage. Now, as a result of the golf cart accident, you need $10,000 worth of medical treatment. Your uninsured motorist coverage will kick in and pay the $10,000 in medical bills.

Underinsured Motorist Coverage for Golf Cart Accidents

Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) is a type of insurance coverage that protects you in case the other driver does not have enough insurance coverage to pay for all the damage you suffered.

For example, let’s say you get into a golf cart accident, and the at fault driver has $10,000 of bodily injury coverage. Let’s also say that you have $10,000 in underinsured motorist coverage. Now, you need to have $20,000 worth of medical treatment as a result of the golf cart accident. The at fault driver’s bodily injury coverage will pay the first $10,000 in medical damages. Then, your underinsured motorist coverage will kick in and pay the remaining $10,000.

Florida Golf Cart Insurance Requirements

Florida law requires golf carts that qualify as “low speed vehicles” to be insured with $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and $10,000 of property damage liability (PDL) coverage. Personal injury protection coverage pays medical bills up to $10,000, regardless of who was at fault for the vehicle accident. Therefore, personal injury protection can be extremely helpful to someone injured in a golf cart accident.

You may have heard about “PIP” coverage before. Not only is it required for a golf cart that has been converted to a low speed vehicle in Florida, but it is also required for every Florida vehicle. Florida is a no fault state and requires PIP, but PIP is not required in every state. For example, South Carolina is an at fault state, and it does not require PIP coverage. Therefore, if you were injured in a car accident in Florida, PIP coverage should be available to help pay for up to $10,000 of your medical bills.

If the golf cart is not a “low speed vehicle” under Florida law, personal injury protection is not required, nor is property damage liability coverage. Thus, the classification of the golf cart is an important fact in any type of Florida golf cart accident.

Contact an Orlando Golf Cart Accident Lawyer for Your FREE Legal Consultation

If you suffered an injury as a result of a golf cart accident, you may be entitled to compensation. You may not be the type of person that likes a Walmart-type, impersonal business. You may not like talking to people at call centers or talking to legal assistants or some other staff member when you have a question for an attorney. We get that, and we understand you. In fact, we built a business around you.

If we can take your case on, you will get your attorney’s cell phone. When you have questions, you’ll get answers as soon as possible. With us on your side, you can rest easy and let us handle the insurance company while you focus on your recovery. We understand that your case is your only case.

Everything starts with your risk-free legal consultation, where one of our Orlando golf cart accident attorneys will personally set aside 30 minutes to hear what happened to you and discuss the details of your case. After that, we can work together to determine which steps to take next. You can call us to schedule your consultation at (321) 352-7588. Alternatively, you can contact us on our website, and we can schedule a consultation over email. We’re here when you need us. Reach out to us when you’re ready.