Canadians and Golf Cart Insurance
 

What do Canadian renters do about insurance when renting an uninsured golf cart? Thanks for any replys.

After almost one week of not one reply to my post I am getting the feeling that Canadian snowbirds aren't reading this forum or are driving around uninsured in rental golf carts.

I am a Canadian snowbird and a retired insurance broker. If you go back over the posts about this topic, there are a lot of opinions on coverage for rented golf cars. The auto policy states that anyone can drive your vehicle with your permission as long as it is not a rented vehicle. So, if that is the case, and if your house rental comes with a golf car, you might have coverage if they do not charge you for the car on top of the house rental. However, if something happens and when it is investigated, if the company can find any way that there is some charge for the car, buried in the contract, such as higher rent than houses of the same kind without a car included, they will walk away from the claim. This is a very tricky subject and until we bought a house and golf car and insured them both, I always assumed that when we were renting we were driving around without and insurance. I think you should also assume that because the chance that you are driving an insured golf car is slim, in my opinion.

I don't think anyone knows the answer. Most golf carts are insured by the golf cart owner. So whoever you have rented from should have the cart insured, not you. If you have rented a home then that homeowner should have insurance on the cart. I know lots of home owners who rent have had problems with this, but there are still companies that do insure them. So talk to your landlord first.

We are not Canadian but we do own a rental with a golf cart. I have conducted an exhaustive search for insurance that would cover the renters in the golf cart. The only company I found that offered golf cart insurance insurance at a rental was through Allstate. Then I heard through TOTV that Progressive offers golf cart insurance for renters and that the golf cart could be advertised with the rental home. The latter is not true.......I spoke to Progressive today. With Allstate, the insurance is not expensive but what is the point of having a golf cart with the rental if we aren't allowed to let possible renters know that we have it? We can't even post a picture of the cart with the house. The cart with the rental is a 2002 and we have decided to not replace the cart when the time comes......the liability is just too great when you realize that if there is a golf cart wreck that it will probably involve a death.

I guess the same thing as those from New England, Michigan, Ohio, or anywhere else.

There really aren't many deaths as a result of golf cart accidents and when there are it usually involves a car not another cart. Progressive actually has a form that specifically asks for the tenant information so they are added to your policy. Our lease specifically states the tenants have access to the golf cart at no additional charge. If need be I could substantiate this through emails that communicated the monthly rental charge without the cart and later added the cart when I learned I could insure the tenants. My lease also state the tenants are advised to obtain additional liability for both their personal items while they are renting as well as any liability or damage that might occur while using the cart. You have to work within your own circle of comfort. What you believe is the correct way to do things and go with that. You can only protect yourself so much from the craziness in this world by making what you believe to be are sound decisions and then go out and enjoy life. I will be enjoying a month in a log cabin in northern Georgia while some fine folks from Pa are enjoying my home in The Villages.

I know of a number of deaths involving a golf cart (no car) because the passenger or driver was ejected onto their head after a quick turn or hitting a curb. The agent at All in One Insurance agency (they sell Progressive) told me that if there was anyone with insurance for a golf cart in a rental unit they had been grandfathered in quite a while back. They no longer write those policies. Allstate is the only company who does.

Landlord first and Allstate second.

We have a huge Canadian club in The Villages with members from many, many provinces. I think last year we had around 600 members. So please don't forget to attend the monthly "Loonies and Toonies" meeting at La Hacienda on the second Wednesday of each month. Please PM me if would like more details.