Is Florida Golf Cart Insurance Worth It?

Driving a golf cart is a fun and convenient way to travel from hole to hole on the golf course or to a neighbor’s house. The experience is also exciting for adolescents 14 and older who cannot legally drive a car. 

But many people in the US are injured on golf carts, including over 6,500 children a year. The state of Florida even considers golf carts “dangerous instrumentalities,” meaning the driver of the cart must be extremely careful when operating it. 

You can still enjoy your golf cart rides as long as you’re aware of Florida’s golf cart laws and your surroundings. 

But one of the best ways to protect your children, those around you, and yourself when driving a golf cart is to purchase golf cart insurance. 

Find out if you need golf cart insurance in Florida, the types of coverage you can get, and what factors affect your policy. 

Do You Need Insurance for a Golf Cart in Florida?

Florida knows golf carts are more than just fast toy cars, which is why the state has a specific definition for them. You’re not required to have insurance for your golf cart in Florida as long as your cart meets the following definition: 

A golf cart is a vehicle designed for recreational use on a golf course that cannot exceed 20 miles per hour. 

But Florida does require low-speed vehicle (LSV) insurance. LSVs are street-legal motor vehicles with a top speed of between 20 and 25 miles per hour. 

Sometimes, an LSV can look identical to a golf cart, but its speed is the ultimate deciding factor for whether insurance is legally required. To drive an LSV in Florida, you need a minimum of $10,000 each in Property Damage Liability (PDL) and Personal Injury Protection (PIP). 

Although Florida doesn’t require golf cart insurance, it’s a smart idea to get coverage. We’ll talk more about why later in this article. 

Do Modifications Change the Insurance Requirement?

Depending on what modifications you’ve made to your golf cart, you may now need to purchase a Florida golf cart insurance policy. 

If you alter the golf cart’s motor to increase its top speed between 20 and 25 miles per hour, Florida now classifies it as an LSV and requires you to get a golf cart insurance policy. 

But, if you modify your golf cart by adding an overhead cover, you don’t need to accompany the upgrade with insurance.

Is Street-Legal Golf Cart Insurance Required in Florida?

• Headlights
• Tail lights
• Brake lights
• Turn signals
• Side and rear-view mirrors
• Seat belts for each seat
• Windshield 
• Reflex reflectors

If your street-legal golf cart cannot exceed 20 miles per hour, it does not require golf cart insurance in Florida. Otherwise, it does.

Why You Should Consider Golf Cart Insurance Coverage

Imagine you’ve just invested a few thousand hard-earned dollars on a stylish new golf cart. You’re excited to use it every weekend around the course and maybe throughout the neighborhood on a sunny Florida afternoon. 

But maybe another golf cart rear-ends you on a designated roadway. Maybe the sun gets in your eyes, and you crash into a tree. Maybe your teen takes it out for a spin and loses control around a sharp corner.

A study between 2007 and 2017 found that over 156,000 people went to the emergency room  because of a golf cart injury. Another study between 2010 and 2019 found that over 63,000 children and adolescents were injured due to a golf cart.

Golf cart accidents are surprisingly common, and, as of 2019, about one in five Florida drivers were uninsured. Even if a golf cart accident isn’t your fault, you’ll be unprotected if the other driver doesn’t have insurance. 

When it comes to injuries and damaged property, it’s better to have golf cart insurance than to get stuck having to pay out of pocket for an accident that seemed unlikely when the salesperson handed you the keys. 

What Does Golf Cart Insurance in Florida Cover? 

It’s important to understand how golf cart insurance in Florida covers you under different circumstances so that you know when you’re protected.

• Bodily injury: If you or someone else operating your golf cart injures another person, this coverage can help you pay their medical expenses and other costs. This coverage also applies to your injuries. 
• Property damage: This coverage can help pay repair costs for your property or someone else’s if you are legally responsible for an accident.
• Pain and suffering: This coverage can help pay the costs that come with emotional and physical suffering after an accident for you or someone else. 
• Collision: If you collide with another golf cart or object, this coverage can help pay for repair costs to your and the other person’s cart, no matter who is at fault. 
• Comprehensive: If it seems the world is out to get your golf cart, this coverage will help pay for repairs associated with damage from factors other than collision, like theft, fire, and weather.

A Note on Golf Cart Coverage: Golf cart insurance is meant to cover vehicles that can carry only four people and cannot exceed a speed of 25 miles per hour. But remember, Florida classifies a vehicle that can go up to 25 miles per hour as an LSV, at which point Florida legally requires you to get LSV insurance. 

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Golf Carts?

Assuming you don’t register your golf cart with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles, you can add your golf cart to your homeowners insurance. 

Homeowners insurance providers like OpenHouse allow you to easily include golf cart coverage when creating your policy. 

Does Car Insurance Cover Golf Cart Accidents?

Auto insurance may function similarly to a golf cart policy, but it typically does not cover golf carts in Florida because the state doesn’t classify them as automobiles. 

Can the Same Policy Insure Multiple Golf Carts?

Some golf cart insurance providers allow you to include multiple golf carts under the same policy. They may even provide a discount when you add another to your policy. 

How Much Is Golf Cart Insurance in Florida? 

Given a new golf cart’s cost, golf cart insurance in Florida is relatively inexpensive whether you buy a stand-alone policy or add coverage to your homeowners insurance. Coverage is about $75 a year to a few hundred dollars on the high side. 

• Insurance company
• Modifications to the golf cart that change its category (e.g., turning it into an LSV)
• Added coverage
• Golf cart’s age, model, and size
• Location in Florida
• Owner’s age and driving history

Cheap golf cart insurance isn’t always better, though. Always consider all potential risks when discussing your policy. 

Who Recovers Damages After a Golf Cart Accident?

When the negligence of a golf cart driver or owner causes an accident, anyone who endures an injury or damaged property can claim damages, including the driver (assuming they have golf cart insurance). 

If you choose not to purchase golf cart insurance, you may have to pay the victim of an accident you caused to cover damages. 

• The driver of the golf cart
• Passengers of the golf cart
• Occupants of another golf cart
• Pedestrians 
• Cyclists

What Damages Can You Recover After a Golf Cart Accident?

The damages a victim—even if they are at fault—can claim after an accident involving a golf cart are in line with the different types of coverage you can get with golf cart insurance. 

• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of income
• Golf cart repair costs
• Golf cart replacement cost

Putt Your Mind at Ease With Golf Cart Insurance

Many things are enjoyable with the potential to be dangerous—jet skiing, hiking, riding a bike, and, yes, even driving a golf cart. 

While not legally required, having golf cart insurance in Florida is a low-cost way to prepare for the worst while enjoying the best experience, especially if your children and other loved ones are passengers or drivers. 
Ensure you have the best protection for your situation by adding golf cart coverage to your home insurance policy with OpenHouse.