If you have an ATV, then you need ATV insurance. Even though you don’t ride your ATV on a highway or public road, you could still be liable for injuries or need coverage for losses. Sometimes, insurance companies include ATV insurance under their motorcycle insurance. Others may offer it as a separate policy. Discover more information about ATV insurance, what it covers, and what it doesn’t.
What Does ATV Insurance Cover?
ATV insurance coverage varies between companies. Most will at least cover basic property damage and personal injury liability. Coverage may also include some of the items listed below.
Collision
Collision covers damage to your vehicle should you or your authorized rider hit something or the ATV rolls over. Like collision for auto insurance, this insurance is usually extra. However, if you finance your ATV, your lien-holder may require it.
Theft
Theft is part of optional comprehensive coverage that lien-holders often require. It covers you not only for theft but also for flood and fire. Your insurance may offer additional insurance for anything you store on your ATV. ATV insurance often covers additional items like accessories and your trailer, too.
Medical
Another optional coverage is for medical bills. You may use this to cover your health insurance deductible, for example. However, you may not need this if you have low-deductible health insurance.
Uninsured or Underinsured Coverage
Uninsured or underinsured coverage protects you if someone hits you and has either no insurance or not enough insurance. In some cases, this type of insurance has strict limits and exclusions for ATV accidents.
What Does ATV Insurance Not Cover?
Like most other types of insurance, your coverage has certain exclusions. For example, you won’t have coverage for certain activities or behaviors that cause unnecessary losses. Below are some examples.
On-Road Use
Most companies limit coverage for off-road use only with few exceptions. They probably will not protect you if you ride on a street or highway or cross it illegally.
Reckless Riding
Your insurance company will also not cover you if your ATV sustains damage or you receive injuries from reckless behavior. Reckless behavior includes excessive speed and jumps, among other unusual activities.
Illegal Activities
Insurance won’t cover losses that occur from illegal activity. An example of this includes failure to follow clearly posted park rules if you ride in state or national parks.
Racing
If you participate in ATV races, then your regular ATV insurance won’t cover you for these events. However, that doesn’t mean you are out of luck. You may still purchase coverage for these events. However, you are unlikely to find it from a conventional insurance company.
Unusual Uses
Your insurance company will likely restrict coverage to specific uses. The most common uses insurance companies cover are for recreational activities and transportation across your property. You may not have coverage if you use your ATV for farm or industrial work. Let your insurance company know if you need to use your vehicle for these purposes.
When Is ATV Insurance Required?
Whether ATV insurance is required depends on your state’s laws. However, if you ride in a state or national park or recreation area, you are likely required to have insurance. At the very least, you must have liability insurance. However, you do not usually need ATV insurance if you only ride on your own land. You may want to have ATV insurance on hand anyway because of the other protections it provides.
ATV insurance is easy to obtain, and many big-name insurance companies offer coverage. However, coverage types are different between companies. Kenneth Rhodes & Associates Inc can sort through the insurance companies to find the coverage that’s right for you. Give us a call, and let us match you up with a company that can meet your needs.