Does Arizona Car Insurance Cover Golf Cart Accidents?

If you have been injured in a golf cart in Arizona, you may have wondered, “Does car insurance cover golf cart accidents?” It depends. Arizona classifies golf carts as motor vehicles with separate insurance requirements. Golf cart owners must have golf cart liability coverage to drive on public roads.

If a golf cart driver causes an accident, those injured may be entitled to seek compensation from the at-fault driver’s golf cart liability insurance. However, if an automobile driver causes a collision with a golf cart, the golf cart accident victims may be able to make a claim against the driver’s auto insurance. Financial liability depends on who was at fault.

Contact Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C., to have a knowledgeable Arizona golf cart accident lawyer review the details of your accident, determine liability, and discuss your legal options. An attorney can help you file a golf cart accident claim and guide you through the insurance claims process.

What Is Golf Cart Insurance?

Golf cart insurance is similar to car insurance in Arizona.

The three main types of golf cart insurance are:

• Liability Coverage – Golf cart owners are required to have liability insurance. It covers injuries sustained by other people, including golf cart passengers, pedestrians, and drivers and passengers of other vehicles. It also covers damage caused to other people’s property during a collision. If a golf cart driver crashes into you, you can file a claim against their liability insurance.
• Collision Coverage – This insurance covers damage to the covered golf cart caused by an accident. If you own a golf cart, you can file a collision coverage insurance claim with your insurer to seek compensation for repairs.
• Comprehensive Coverage – This insurance covers damage to the golf cart caused by something other than a collision. For example, if you own a golf cart, you can file a comprehensive coverage insurance claim if a storm or vandalism damages your golf cart.

Golf cart owners can typically purchase these types of coverage individually or as a package.

Is Golf Cart Insurance Mandatory in Arizona?

In Arizona, golf cart insurance is mandatory for owners who wish to drive their golf carts or other low-speed vehicles (LSVs) on public roads.

Golf cart liability insurance is required with the following minimum coverage amounts:

• $25,000 per person for bodily injury
• $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
• $15,000 per accident for property damage

Golf carts offer very little protection to passengers. If you sustain serious injuries in a golf cart accident, the vehicle owner’s liability insurance may not be enough to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses. The risk increases if multiple accident victims are splitting the insurance payout. A golf cart accident attorney may be able to identify additional insurance policies that are applicable or file a golf cart accident lawsuit against the owner.

How Much Does Arizona Golf Cart Insurance Cost?

Golf cart owners must comply with registration and insurance requirements to operate a golf cart on public roads.

According to Progressive Insurance, golf cart insurance may be available for as little as $75 per year. However, higher policy limits or policies with additional types of coverage, such as collision and comprehensive coverage, will cost more. Typically, a golf cart owner can expect to spend a few hundred dollars on golf cart insurance. That’s far less than the cost of being involved in a motor vehicle accident without insurance.

Will Homeowners Insurance Cover a Golf Cart Accident?

Homeowner’s insurance usually will not cover a golf cart accident. When a golf cart accident occurs away from your property, your homeowner’s insurance is not applicable.

However, there may be specific circumstances under which your homeowner’s insurance would cover an accident that occurred on your property.

A golf cart accident attorney can help you explore your options for seeking compensation. If there is no exclusion barring you from filing a claim with your homeowner’s insurance, you may be able to file that in addition to a golf cart insurance claim.

If I Am a Snowbird, Will My Golf Cart Insurance from My Home State Cover Me in Arizona?

If you spend the winter months in Arizona to get away from the cold weather elsewhere, you may wonder if your golf cart insurance from your home state will apply to an accident in Arizona. The answer depends on the company through which you purchased your insurance. Contact your insurance company to confirm whether your coverage is applicable in Arizona.

Arizona requires that all liability insurance be purchased through a provider authorized to do business in the state of Arizona. If the insurance provider you use for your golf cart insurance in your home state isn’t approved to do business in Arizona, or if the insurance you purchased in your home state doesn’t meet Arizona’s coverage requirements, it will not be applicable.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to pay for two golf cart insurance policies year-round. If you aren’t driving your golf cart for an extended period, such as while it is in storage, you do not need to have liability insurance for it. You may temporarily discontinue your Arizona golf cart insurance by notifying the Arizona Motor Vehicles Division. You only need to pay for insurance during the part of the year when you will be using your golf cart.

Are a Driver’s License and Registration Required to Operate a Golf Cart in Arizona?

To operate a golf cart on public roads in Arizona, drivers must have a valid driver’s license and register their golf cart with the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division. The golf cart must have certain safety features, such as working headlights, tail lights, and a horn. If you are driving a golf cart on private property, you do not have to meet these requirements.

Contact an Arizona Golf Cart Accident Lawyer

If you were in an Arizona golf cart crash, contact Mushkatel, Gobbato, & Kile, P.L.L.C., to schedule a consultation with an experienced golf cart accident lawyer. Our full-service law firm in Sun City provides personalized service in the areas of personal injury law, estate planning and litigation, divorce, guardianship/conservatorship, special needs and benefits planning, and real estate law.

We have more than 50 years of combined legal experience, and we’ve developed a reputation among our clients for providing the personalized service of a small firm with the resources of a large firm.

Visit Our Arizona Golf Cart Accident Law Offices