[JoMar]

Originally Posted by obxgal

Makes you wonder why when your on the "lifestyle" visit the villages still includes a golf cart.

Self insured, deep pockets, subsidiary companies, not really a rental but a marketing program maybe?

[784caroline]

If the Villages rented you a home and included the golf cart it would be covered under a commercial policy.

[Erika]

Originally Posted by gap2415

It is safer to use a rental cart service like most of us up here decided to do. An accident claim is much more expensive. I noticed if renters get their own rental cart, they often rent them for shorter periods.

When we looked into renting a cart last winter through a golf cart rental service in TV, we were told by the owner that we could not get insurance. He said that it's not the same as renting a car. In order to rent the cart we had to sign a contract acknowledging that we would be liable for any damage to the cart or in the event of an accident, any and all expenses involving personal injury. We declined.

Does anyone know if bodily injury and vehicle damage insurance can in fact be purchased when renting a cart? We called our car insurance company and they do not offer that service.

[goodtimesintv]

Originally Posted by obxgal

Makes you wonder why when your on the "lifestyle" visit the villages still includes a golf cart.

When we did the lifestyle preview stay, TV had us sign a waiver form saying we assumed liability for the cart provided, for personal injury, accidental death/dismemberment etc.

The cart rental dealers do that too.

[ricthemic]

Anybody using your golf cart with your permission including friends and neighbors you, the owner, are 100% responsible in Florida.

[Villageswimmer]

Originally Posted by ricthemic

Anybody using your golf cart with your permission including friends and neighbors you, the owner, are 100% responsible in Florida.

Yes, but so long as it's not a business relationship (rental), your insurance would extend to them according to our State Farm rep. To be safe, best to check your own policy.

Bottom line is that it's very risky to include a golf cart with a rental property.

[Fred R]

Originally Posted by ricthemic

Anybody using your golf cart with your permission including friends and neighbors you, the owner, are 100% responsible in Florida.

Do we know that to be true, even if a friend is permitted to use it with no exchange of monies? Where is that in statute?

[bimmertl]

Originally Posted by Fred R

Do we know that to be true, even if a friend is permitted to use it with no exchange of monies? Where is that in statute?

Florida has a "dangerous instrumentality" doctrine that applies to motor vehicles which include golf carts. It makes owners liable for actions of users of the motor vehicle/golf cart.

Judge-Made Law: Florida’s "Dangerous Instrumentality" Doctrine | Abnormal Use

[rustyp]

Isn't a different type of home owners insurance policy required to rent your home? If so don't these policies look more like commercial policies and thus may cover a variety of liability issues not common to residential policies?

[l2ridehd]

There is a solution. I formed an LLC and sold the golf carts to the LLC. Yes the LLC can be sued by a renter but for only the asset value of the LLC.

[Fred R]

Originally Posted by bimmertl

Florida has a "dangerous instrumentality" doctrine that applies to motor vehicles which include golf carts. It makes owners liable for actions of users of the motor vehicle/golf cart.

Judge-Made Law: Florida’s "Dangerous Instrumentality" Doctrine | Abnormal Use

This is helpful...Thanks

[Erika]

Did you sign the waiver? It means that if an accident between you and a pedestrian, or another driver of a golf cart, car, bicycle,etc. is deemed to be your fault, you will be financially responsible for any and all injuries and vehicular damages. I really don't understand why anyone would take that chance if they are aware of the extent of the liability to which they are agreeing in the waiver/contract. I do hope that insurance will be offered in 2016 so that we can rent a cart without those concerns during the winter.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

There is a solution. I formed an LLC and sold the golf carts to the LLC. Yes the LLC can be sued by a renter but for only the asset value of the LLC.

That seems like a good move but I would hate to have my LLC become the precedent case. I've had a couple of LLCs in the past. I hope you've consulted an attorney, and absolutely hope nothing but the best for you.

[Shadow8IA]

I spent months researching this last year. My home insurance in Iowa would cover me in a gated community and on any golf course. But the gated community was only good in the one area we lived in. Once you go out of any gates your no longer covered. There's a very fine line on what they covered and it would be up to the adjuster to determine after a claim. The Villages is a community with gates NOT a gated community. There was something about if it was all one association it would be covered. I contacted someone at The district office at The Villages who felt it would fall under that but I was glad we had no problems in the 90 days we rented the cart.


When we rented the cart we had to sign a waiver saying we were responsible. He said he didn't care abuut the cart just couldn't be held responsible for liability.

Now we bought a house and our cart insurance says we can let friends and family drive it but we can't rent it. You also can't rent a house and lend the cart out free.

[l2ridehd]

Originally Posted by dbussone

That seems like a good move but I would hate to have my LLC become the precedent case. I've had a couple of LLCs in the past. I hope you've consulted an attorney, and absolutely hope nothing but the best for you.

I did. McLin Burnsed has an attorney that specializes in corporations and I had him open, set up and handle all annual reporting for the Florida LLC. The LLC owns golf carts for my two rentals and my own two personal golf carts. And tenants sign a separate golf cart lease they made for me from the LLC. So yes it is possible if the LLC is sued I could lose all 4 golf carts plus the liability limit the LLC is insured for, but no more. It manages the risk.