Q:Question I live in a community where golf carts are a commonly used form of transportation. My high-end golf cart is not just for golfing, but for running errands and visiting friends. I’m starting to think I should insure the thing, but not sure where to start. Is there insurance that can provide coverage for my golf cart?

We posed this question to Bob Herzog, a Farmers Insurance^® agent based in Pleasanton, California. Here’s what he had to say about insurance coverage for golf cart owners.

A:Answer As a golfer myself, I must admit, I’ve had a lot of fun behind the wheel of a golf cart. But I’ve heard enough real horror stories involving golf carts getting damaged or lost -- I know of two instances where a golf cart was parked on an incline and ended up rolling into the water -- I now take their coverage seriously.

In some cases, you may be able to cover a golf cart under your home or auto insurance, if the policies extend coverage to the cart. However, when you consider the potential hazards your golf cart faces, a homeowners or auto insurance policy may not provide coverage, or may not provide the coverage you want, for the golf cart. And if you are relying on the cart to get around, your coverage should reflect that.

Today’s new, souped-up golf carts are modeled after specialty cars and have some tweaks to their speed capacity, requiring different insurance options. If you have a golf cart model with a speed modification, or one that you have licensed for use on a public road—such as driving around a neighborhood—then you may need a specialty policy for low speed vehicles. In fact, your state may require your cart to be insured like a traditional auto, not to mention any community clubs or homeowner associations, which also may have their own minimum insurance requirements.

Is there special coverage for golf carts?

Yes, some insurers offer specialized coverage for recreational vehicles and, specifically, for golf carts. At Farmers, we offer golf cart insurance through Foremost, with policies designed to provide coverage for your golf cart in the event of accidents, collisions or damage from a third party. You can even choose the limits of your liability.

Talk to your agent and find out about the laws where you live so you can tailor your coverage to include your golf cart and get the insurance you want. In the two accidents I mentioned earlier, where the golf carts were parked and rolled into the water, home insurance and auto insurance would not have covered the damage. Thankfully, the golf cart owners in those cases had comprehensive and collision for recreational vehicles, and the losses were covered.

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