vacation rental including golf cart - are you insured?

[Tom52]

I am working on a January thru March 2019 house rental in Florida that includes use of golf cart. This is in The Villages where probably 80% of people living there travel extensively with golf carts, often sharing the streets with automobiles. You can read about some of the frequent accidents involving golf carts on TalkofTheVillages.com.

When the rental agreement arrived there was a separate document that basically releases the homeowner for any and all responsibility for any damage or injury caused by me as the renter while using their golf cart. Before I signed the document I checked with my local insurance broker to see what, if any, coverage either my car insurance or homeowner's insurance would give me. There is no coverage in this circumstance. My next question to our insurance broker was could I buy coverage. My insurance broker could possibly offer a temporary liability policy, but it would not cover damage to the golf cart.

I then contacted an insurance agency in The Villages and asked if there was such a policy that a renter could purchase similar to what a person can buy when they rent a car for a car rental agency. I was told there is no such policy I could buy unless I owned the golf cart. The agent said they sell such insurance to the local homeowners that rent their houses that includes use of golf cart to protect both themselves and the renter.

The homeowner seems reluctant to add such coverage to protect them and the renter as they are concerned about potential lawsuits for amounts in excess of the coverage offered by these policies.

I then checked with two of the larger golf cart rental companies actually located in The Villages, neither offer the renter the option of insurance similar to what can be purchased for a car rental.

As it turns out a huge number of people driving around in The Villages, if they are renters of a golf cart probably have no insurance coverage in case of acccidents.

I will have to decide what I want to do in my particular situation, we would sure enjoy the use of the golf cart, but I do not want to take the total risk. Consider this only as a FYI in the event you ever consider a vacation rental that includes use of a golf cart. You may want to check to insure the owner has coverage that protects both them and you as the renter.

 

[Sunset]

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The homeowner seems reluctant to add such coverage to protect them and the renter as they are concerned about potential lawsuits for amounts in excess of the coverage offered by these policies.

...

Don't they realize they will be sued along with you, for simply providing you the golf cart to run over other people.

Great information, as I was considering doing a rental there to try out the Villages.
I never would have thought of it.

How about you simply getting umbrella liability insurance so you are covered for all the things that might happen, which your homeowner insurance or auto insurance does not cover. Example: while walking you stop to tie your shoelaces and someone stumbles over you and breaks their arm falling down.

 

[Senator]

Your renter or car insurance will probably cover you. And buy an Umbrella policy too.

 

[Luck_Club]

Asking for permission is always harder than asking for forgiveness. I would not give it too much thought or worry, but I carry umbrella coverage.

However, renting from someone who has the foresight and pettiness to transfer such a small risk to the tenant is likely to be the same type of landlord that will charge you for every little nit picking thing they can find for damages.

 

[Tom52]

Your renter or car insurance will probably cover you. And buy an Umbrella policy too.

I will have to check into an umbrella policy, I have already confirmed car insurance does not cover me. I would be totally at risk.

 

[Teacher Terry]

How do you find rentals in the Villages?

 

[Tom52]

How do you find rentals in the Villages?

Villagershomes4rent.com

You need to be looking now for next winter, availability is getting scarce already.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Thanks! It sounds like a fun way to spend a few months.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Once you filter for pets only 4 homes allowed them. The prices were around 3500.

 

[Senator]

I will have to check into an umbrella policy, I have already confirmed car insurance does not cover me. I would be totally at risk.

Your homeowners/renters insurance may cover you. Typically car insurance covers you if you are driving another vehicle you do not own, which is true in your case.

 

[Sunset]

Your homeowners/renters insurance may cover you. Typically car insurance covers you if you are driving another vehicle you do not own, which is true in your case.

Since golf carts may/probably are not road legal, they would not qualify as another vehicle.

Also OP will be driving off-road, as there are in many places special pathways to go along, so while OP is not on dirt paths, OP will not be on the road. Auto insurance tends not to cover off-road activities.

 

[MRG]

Oh it's a golf cart what could possibly go wrong?

I was on disability for three months due to a little golf cart accident.

 

[Tom52]

Your homeowners/renters insurance may cover you. Typically car insurance covers you if you are driving another vehicle you do not own, which is true in your case.

My homeowners insurance DOES NOT cover a golf cart rental unless I purchase a special rider. However, to add the rider you have to furnish the make, model and VIN type number. This was already confirmed with my insurance company. Car insurance I have (Progressive) definitely DOES NOT give any coverage for me driving a golf cart I am renting.

 

[Tom52]

Since golf carts may/probably are not road legal, they would not qualify as another vehicle.

Also OP will be driving off-road, as there are in many places special pathways to go along, so while OP is not on dirt paths, OP will not be on the road. Auto insurance tends not to cover off-road activities.

In The Villages golf carts are driven on the same neighborhood streets as automobiles. On the more heavier feeder streets through the neighborhoods golf carts travel on the same streets as automobiles but there are separate lanes for golf cart use. On the main roads, typically the four lane roads there are separate paved golf cart paths running along but separated from the automobile traffic.

No where will I be driving "off road" since I do not play golf. By the way, the golf carts are set up a bit differently than a true golf cart. They will go over 20 miles per hour, they are supposed to be top speed limited but is common that owners remove the speed limiter so they go faster. Souped up golf carts + traveling on streets with automobiles + a lot of old sight impaired seniors with an attitude = high incidence of accidents. Just as a reference I was talking to the homeowner I will rent from. He was telling me the story about his landscaper in The Villages who hit someone with his golf cart, the person was killed as a result.

 

[Senator]

My homeowners insurance DOES NOT cover a golf cart rental unless I purchase a special rider. However, to add the rider you have to furnish the make, model and VIN type number. This was already confirmed with my insurance company. Car insurance I have (Progressive) definitely DOES NOT give any coverage for me driving a golf cart I am renting.

Sounds easy. Buy the rider or self-insure.

Adding a golf cart endorsement to your homeowners insurance is the cheapest coverage - as low as $50 a year.

A standalone golf cart policy runs about $12 a month if you drive it to and from the golf course or in a golf course/retirement community.

https://www.insurance.com/other-insurance/golf-cart-insurance.html

 

[Tom52]

Sounds easy. Buy the rider or self-insure.

Sounds easy but again, the only way to get a rider on a homeowners policy for a rented or loaned golf cart is to get the specific details about the specific golf cart being insured, doable if owner cooperates. But what about all the people who go to a golf cart rental shops in The Villages? It would be fairly difficult to remotely get specific detail about your rented cart and set up a rider with your insurance company over the phone. Probably never happens. Even then, you only have liability coverage, nothing that covers damage to the rented golf cart. It is not possible to buy any insurance that covers damage to a golf cart unless you own it.

It is a known fact that there are literally hundreds of uninsured golf carts on the streets of The Villages. The people probably think they will be covered by homeowners or auto insurance policies but they are not. An umbrella policy is useless in these cases

The reason for my original post was only to bring to the attention the fact that anyone considering renting a golf cart that will be used in the streets in a retirement community should do their due diligence. In my particular case the homeowner I will be renting from has agreed to add insurance that will cover his renters.

 

[Senator]

Sounds easy but again, the only way to get a rider on a homeowners policy for a rented or loaned golf cart is to get the specific details about the specific golf cart being insured, doable if owner cooperates. But what about all the people who go to a golf cart rental shops in The Villages? It would be fairly difficult to remotely get specific detail about your rented cart and set up a rider with your insurance company over the phone. Probably never happens. Even then, you only have liability coverage, nothing that covers damage to the rented golf cart. It is not possible to buy any insurance that covers damage to a golf cart unless you own it.

It is a known fact that there are literally hundreds of uninsured golf carts on the streets of The Villages. The people probably think they will be covered by homeowners or auto insurance policies but they are not. An umbrella policy is useless in these cases

The reason for my original post was only to bring to the attention the fact that anyone considering renting a golf cart that will be used in the streets in a retirement community should do their due diligence. In my particular case the homeowner I will be renting from has agreed to add insurance that will cover his renters.

Once you get there, get the information and email it to your insurance agent. I make changes by email all the time. Or find a new agent.

 

[Sunset]

In The Villages golf carts are driven on the same neighborhood streets as automobiles. On the more heavier feeder streets through the neighborhoods golf carts travel on the same streets as automobiles but there are separate lanes for golf cart use. On the main roads, typically the four lane roads there are separate paved golf cart paths running along but separated from the automobile traffic.

...

Seems like we are using different terminology for the same thing.
If I am not on the road driving, then I'm off the road driving, which is why I called it off-road, but certainly not on dirt roads.
These special separate pathways for the carts seem to be only in places to get carts off the road.

 

[Tom52]

Once you get there, get the information and email it to your insurance agent. I make changes by email all the time. Or find a new agent.

I want coverage for damage to the golf cart as well as liability coverage. Your suggestions don't work for me, but I give you credit for your determination to point out flaws to my reasoning ability.

 

[Senator]

It looks like you found solution.

I want coverage for damage to the golf cart as well as liability coverage. Your suggestions don't work for me, but I give you credit for your determination to point out flaws to my reasoning ability.

You can always garage the golf cart that came with the house, and rent a different golf cart. I am sure the golf cart companies have figured it out.

Refuse to sign the liability waiver and rent a different place.

Form a LLC and have the LLC rent the house and golf cart.

Or you can use the Villages insurance company. as posted below. Have the owner get a policy and you pay for it.

3 Things you should know about Golf Car Insurance
1 – Your homeowners insurance covers all of your golf car use. FALSE.

A typical homeowners policy covers a golf car “to and from the golf course”. Riding it thru the town square or to the grocery store is not covered and you have significant exposure to liability for injury to others.

Example: A lady stepped off the curb in the town square right into your path and you ran over her foot. Her $16,000 in medical bills are not covered by your homeowners policy.

2 – You can rent your home and include the use of your golf cart. TRUE!

The Villages Insurance is excited to announce that we are now able to offer coverage for homeowners who include golf cars for their tenants use.

3 – Golf car insurance is not worth the money. FALSE.

Look, we don’t want you to be insurance poor; we just want to make sure that you are protecting your assets. Golf car insurance is relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of being liable for injuries to another person. Premiums average from $80-$120 a year for a typical golf car.

Golf Car Insurance - The Villages Insurance Partners

Or do what everyone else does.

 

[Tom52]

It looks like you found solution.



You can always garage the golf cart that came with the house, and rent a different golf cart. I am sure the golf cart companies have figured it out.

Refuse to sign the liability waiver and rent a different place.

Form a LLC and have the LLC rent the house and golf cart.

Or you can use the Villages insurance company. as posted below. Have the owner get a policy and you pay for it.



Or do what everyone else does.

Again, Senator, you are not telling me anything I have not found out by my own research. If you would care to read my last two sentences in my post #16 above you will see that I did just get agreement from the homeowner to buy the type of insurance you reference in your last post. I have no problems at this point. Hopefully anyone who is interested in a golf cart rental that is used in traffic will realize the potential for liability and make an informed decision.

I will say again that you should not assume that golf cart rental companies include, or even offer, liability and collision type coverage that protects the renter, they likely do not.
This was confirmed when I contacted two of The larger rental companies, The Villages Golf Cars 352-751-6750 and 1st Car Rental 352-638-0351

 

[Walt34]

Souped up golf carts + traveling on streets with automobiles + a lot of old sight impaired seniors with an attitude = high incidence of accidents.

Yeah, I can see how that could happen. The run starts at :20.

 

[imoldernu]

Still own my place in Lake Griffin Harbor 13 miles south of The Villages. My golf cart is up on blocks and the batteries are dead. Never even thought about insurance.
As to golf carts being street legal, it's required in our Woodhaven Campground, which means the carts must have insurance.

https://golfcartresource.com/illinois-golf-cart-low-speed-vehicle-laws/

Here are the rules for Florida.

Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

 

[HadEnuff]

I am in the same boat as OP. I have recently arranged for a rental in The Villages for Jan-March 2019, and it comes with a cart and legal documents absolving them of any responsibility. My plan is to not be negligent in my driving, and not crash the cart.

I've been to The Villages several times, and to be there without a cart just isn't worth the trip.

 

[Tom52]

I've been to The Villages several times, and to be there without a cart just isn't worth the trip.

Agree 100%