Whether you use your ATV or UTV for fun, chores, or getting around in the snow, you need the right insurance to protect yourself. ATV and UTV insurance gives you the protection that you need.
What Does ATV/UTV Insurance Cover?
ATV/UTV insurance covers all-terrain vehicles, utility vehicles, and similar vehicles such as golf carts and trail bikes. For other types of vehicles, such as golf carts, the insurance company may have the policy under a different label like golf cart insurance. However, your needs and how the policies work will all be similar.
Does Home Insurance Cover Your ATV/UTV?
Home insurance provides limited protection for ATVs and UTVs in some situations, while some policies may exclude ATVs and UTVs altogether. The most likely things to be covered are your liability for an accident occurring on your own property or damage to your ATV or UTV while it’s parked in your garage. Incidents away from home or accident damage to your ATV or UTV in any location are much less likely to be covered. You’ll need to dig into the fine print of your home insurance policy to see what coverage you may have.
Does Auto Insurance Cover Your ATV/UTV?
Auto insurance generally won’t cover your ATV/UTV. First, you’d usually need to name every vehicle that you own on your policy. Second, auto insurance is generally for vehicles that are registered to drive on any public road. Even though your ATV or UTV insurance policy will work similarly to auto insurance, it’s still in a separate category and policy.
What Does ATV/UTV Insurance Cover?
Like other insurance policies, what your ATV/UTV insurance covers depends on the options that you choose. These are the most common.
Liability Coverage
If you strike and injure a person while riding or get into an accident that causes property damage, liability protection can help pay for the cost of compensating them. This coverage can be useful even if your home insurance provides some liability protection, because ATV/UTV-specific coverage offers broader protection, and there’s less chance of your claim falling under an exclusion as it might with home insurance.
Liability coverage is often broken into bodily injury and property damage liability. These are sometimes referred to in shorthand as simply bodily injury or property damage, so it’s important to remember that they cover others, not your own injuries or damage. You can also sometimes add liability coverage for a passenger that would protect you if your passenger gets hurt and sues you for driving unsafely and causing the injuries.
Collision and Comprehensive Coverage
Collision and comprehensive coverage protect your ATV or UTV itself. Collision protects you if you collide with another vehicle, tree, building, or other objects while riding. Comprehensive protects against theft, vandalism, and damage from non-accident causes like a tree falling over in a storm. If you are riding out in nature, you should know that many insurance companies put hitting an animal under comprehensive coverage rather than collision coverage.
Medical Payments Coverage
Medical payments can help cover medical bills for you or a passenger while you’re riding. It doesn’t matter who was at-fault or if there was any fault. You may not need this coverage if you have good health insurance, but it can cover things your health insurance excludes, limits, or charges a deductible for.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Since ATV and UTV insurance is often optional, there’s a chance you may get into an accident with someone who doesn’t have enough insurance. Even if they do have insurance, their limits may not be high enough to cover your expenses. If they were at-fault, you could always take them to court, but that takes time and money with no guarantee that you’ll win or that they’d have any money to pay you. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage works as if they were the other driver’s liability insurance when they don’t have enough.
What Happens if You Ride Illegally?
Many ATV and UTV riders like to bend the rules a little about where they ride. You might cut through an empty lot, use a public road not designated for ATVs and UTVs, or not strictly adhere to the permitted locations and times in a public park. As with any insurance policy, there is a risk that anything that happens during any illegal use of an ATV or UTV falls under a policy exclusion.
The same thing applies if you’re required to take Wisconsin’s ATV safety course but don’t or allow someone who’s underage to drive. Ride smart and ride safe.
Is Racing Covered?
Just like with car insurance, racing comes with special restrictions. As a general rule, expect racing to not be covered even if it’s an informal race with just one other ATV or UTV. If you do participate in races where they’re allowed, you can obtain special racing coverage.
Are Modifications and Extra Equipment Covered?
You can usually cover modifications and extra equipment by declaring them in your policy. Some smaller items may also be included with your basic coverage. If you ever need to file a claim, you’ll need proof of the value of the modifications or equipment.
What Discounts Are Available?
ATV and UTV riders may be eligible for a number of discounts. These may include bundling with your auto insurance or other policies, having a safe riding history, taking safety courses, or having certain safety equipment.
Get a Quote for ATV/UTV Insurance
Your independent insurance agent can help you select the right coverage options and then find the best quote from multiple insurance providers. Adam Johnston Insurance serves the Janesville, WI, area. Contact us now to request more information or to get started.