In many parts of Florida, golf carts aren’t just for the golf course: they’re a normal part of getting around town. People in the Sunshine State have been using golf carts for short trips close to home in retirement communities, beach towns, and golf communities all over the state. Because they’re so much smaller and aren’t used for longer trips, many people never think about insurance. If you don’t have insurance for your golf cart, however, an accident could lead to serious financial consequences.
Are Golf Carts Required To Have Insurance?
The short answer is that it depends on how the golf cart is classified. Golf carts that are used on golf courses, for example, typically don’t need insurance, although it’s recommended to cover any damage that occurs. If you’re using it on the roads, however, it may qualify as a low-speed vehicle (LSV), in which case insurance is required.
What Is a Low-Speed Vehicle?
Under Florida law, an LSV is different from a standard golf cart, even if they look like the same thing. Legally speaking, a golf cart is a cart used to get around a golf course, while an LSV is a vehicle that:
- Can travel between 20 and 25 miles per hour
- Is equipped with certain safety features, such as headlights, brake lights, turn signals, seat belts, and a windshield
- Is registered with the state
- Has a VIN
Are All Golf Carts Required To Be LSVs?
In Florida, golf carts don’t have to be LSVs even if they’re used on roads as long as the local government has designated that road as usable by regular golf carts or it’s a road within a golf community designed for cart traffic.
If a golf cart is not an LSV, then there are limitations even on roads, such as:
- Driving only during daylight hours
- Driving only on approved roads
Even if you’re just driving down the street to the grocery store, for a golf cart to be legal on a regular road, it must be an LSV.
How Can You Tell Your Golf Carts Should Be an LSV?
If you’re not sure whether your golf cart needs to be an LSV, ask yourself the following questions:
#1: How fast can it go?
How fast you actually drive it doesn’t matter. If it’s capable of going 20-25 mph, then Florida law considers it to be an LSV.
#2: Where do you drive it?
If you only use it on a golf course or within a golfing community or on roads you know are designated for golf carts, you may not need it to qualify as an LSV.
#3: Has your golf cart been modified?
Speed modifiers, higher-powered motors, and added safety features mean that your golf cart would be considered an LSV by Florida law.
Modifications and the speed the golf cart is capable of determine whether the state of Florida considers it to be an LSV. Where you drive it determines whether or not it legally must be an LSV to be roadworthy.
If your golf cart can go 20 mph or faster and you drive it on regular roads, it needs to be classified and insured as an LSV.
Low-Speed Vehicle Insurance Requirements in Florida
LSVs are considered motor vehicles and are legal to drive on roads that have a speed limit of 36 miles per hour or less. Once a golf cart is classified as a low-speed vehicle, Florida requires the owner to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL) insurance, just like a regular passenger car.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
PIP insurance is a policy that helps to pay for medical expenses and other related costs after an accident, no matter who was at fault. It’s designed to provide quick benefits following an accident to cover:
- Medical care
- Lost wages
- Injury-related out-of-pocket expenses
The idea is that you can get through the period immediately following an accident, before fault has been found and damages awarded.
Property Damage Liability (PDL)
PDL insurance is a policy designed to cover damage caused to someone else’s property in the event of an accident. This could be damage to another vehicle, a building, fences, signs, or another structure. PDL insurance doesn’t cover damage to your own property, including that to your golf cart. It just means that you won’t be personally liable for the costs of damage to someone else’s property.
Do Golf Carts Need Regular Car Insurance?
Owners of golf carts, even ones that qualify as LSVs, aren’t required to have what you would think of as regular car insurance. This includes bodily injury liability, collision coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and comprehensive coverage. While these coverages are not legally required for LSVs, they are often recommended, especially given how exposed drivers and passengers are in low-speed vehicles and how limited the required coverage can be after a serious accident.
You Don’t Have To Face a Golf Cart Accident Alone
Golf carts and low-speed vehicles may feel like a simple part of everyday life in Florida, but accidents involving them can lead to serious injuries, unexpected medical bills, and confusing insurance questions. If you or someone you love was hurt in a golf cart or LSV crash, you shouldn’t have to navigate the legal and financial aftermath alone. Our Florida personal injury and car accident attorneys understand how these cases work and can help you explore your options, deal with insurance companies, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free consultation. You won’t have to pay a dime unless your case is successful.
