Golf Cart Insurance in Ohio: Don’t get cheated out of great coverage and pay the same price!

​There are plenty of companies in Ohio that insure golf carts, but there are no two policies alike when it comes to the coverage being offered. Although just about all golf cart insurance policies are inexpensive, there’s a big difference between a good policy and a lousy one as far as what it covered. Even if you selected the highest coverage available, your policy could still be missing out on important coverage that a good policy offers.




     Golf cart insurance policies generally fall into two categories: a standalone exclusive golf cart insurance policy, and a golf cart insurance policy that is attached to a homeowners insurance policy. Generally, a standalone exclusive policy offers much better coverage than an attached policy for about the same price.  But there are exceptions to both of those. Not all attached policies are bad, and not all standalone policies are good.  That’s why it’s important to check to see how well your golf cart insurance policy stacks up versus the better policies.




     To distinguish between a good golf cart insurance policy and a lousy one, I have come up with key points consisting of both things to look for and also things to avoid.  Once you get familiar with these key points, it will be much easier to tell a good golf cart insurance policy from a bad one.  So let’s get started.


Avoid unreasonable boundary restrictions.


     As I mentioned before, there are good policies and lousy policies (and there are also some golf cart  insurance policies that are really lousy!).  Be careful of policies that limit where you are covered on your golf cart.  Some policies will not cover your golf cart away from your property.  Some policies will not cover your golf cart if you happen to cross a public street and have an accident.  And some policies won’t cover you playing golf on a course!  How crazy is that?  Make sure you stay away from these types of policies that have such restrictions.  A good golf cart insurance policy offers much more reasonable coverage.



 Medical coverage. 


      Like auto insurance, any golf cart insurance policy offers liability coverage and physical damage coverage (comprehensive and collision).  But some golf cart insurance policies don’t offer any medical coverage whatsoever if you were to get hurt while driving or riding in your golf cart.  A good golf cart insurance policy will offer both medical payments coverage and uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage.  Both of those coverages are cheap on a golf cart insurance policy, and they’re more than well worth having.



GAP or Total Loss Coverage. 


     This only applies to brand-new or almost brand new golf carts.  If your golf cart is new enough to qualify for either gap or total loss coverage, I believe it is a no-brainer, must have coverage!  This is especially true if you’re financing your golf cart.  Just like cars, once a new golf cart leaves a dealership, it automatically depreciates.  GAP or Total Loss Coverage will help prevent you from being under water on a loan if there ever happened to be a total loss.  While GAP and Total Loss Coverage have some minor differences, they’re nearly the same.  A good golf cart insurance policy will offer of one or the other.



 Trailer coverage.


     If you use a trailer to transport your golf cart, it’s also a good idea to add coverage for the trailer as well.  The cost to replace a trailer isn’t cheap, but insurance coverage on a trailer is cheap.  A good golf cart insurance policy will offer trailer coverage but a lousy one won’t.

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Other things to keep in mind:




Do not select levels of coverage with the same mentality as you do auto insurance.




     Some people simply match levels of coverage on their golf cart insurance that they have on their auto insurance policy.  This is a mistake because it can cause you to miss out on some great opportunities.  The premium for coverage on an auto insurance policy is not calculated the same way that a golf cart insurance policy is.  You’ll find that the price for coverage on a golf cart is much less than the same coverage on an auto policy.




Before you select the level of coverage for your golf cart insurance, always inquire on what the next better level of coverage is going to cost. 


Sometimes you will find that on a golf cart insurance policy, the extra cost for a higher level of coverage can be for peanuts are almost next to nothing.  Here are three primary questions you should know the answers to before you buy your policy:

• How much more will it cost for the next higher level of liability coverage?

 

• How much more will it cost for the next higher level of medical payments and uninsured motorist coverage?

 

• How much more would cost for the next lower deductibles on comprehensive and collision coverage?

     Just by asking those three questions, you may be very surprised at how much better coverage you can get for very little more premium.




Road use coverage




     As you know, golf carts are primarily intended for off road use.  However, on occasion you may have to cross a public street.  Or you may just want to take a leisurely ride on slow streets in residential areas.  That is not a problem with a good golf cart insurance policy.  You would be covered for that as long as road use is only occasional.  But be sure to look closely at your policy to make sure you do not have any crazy restrictions that would exclude coverage from these types of activities.




Coverage for golf carts that are licensed for road use




     Many small towns are starting to pass ordinances that allow golf carts to be licensed and registered for road use.  Once you do this with your golf cart, it becomes a whole different ballgame as far as golf cart insurance is concerned.
    The bad news is that most golf cart insurance companies will not insure a golf cart that is licensed for road use.  So your choices become much more limited….  The good news is that there still are companies who will insure your golf cart even if it is licensed for road use (as long as your cart doesn’t exceed a speed of 20 mph).  Fortunately, I was able to find a company that does insure golf carts licensed for road use, and don’t charge extra for it.  You just have to look a little deeper.  This used to be a very rare problem, but it’s becoming more and more common as more cities continue to pass these ordinances.




Summary:




It can be very difficult to tell a good golf cart insurance policy from a lousy one.  But just by reviewing these points above, you now know what to look for and want to stay away from.  For those of you who would like, I will be happy to run you a quote on your golf cart insurance with several of the better companies.  And as always, I handle all quotes personally and privately.



Get a Golf Cart Insurance quote with Lyles Insurance  

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