Golf Carts and Low-Speed Vehicles

Golf carts are a big part of life in Cascata, so let us start here.

Standard golf carts

Florida law treats a golf cart as a vehicle with a top speed of 20 miles per hour or less. A standard golf cart used under the state’s golf cart rules does not need to be titled or registered. It also does not need PIP or PDL coverage.

Not required does not mean not risky. A golf cart can still hurt someone or damage property. Many auto policies exclude golf carts or limit coverage once the cart leaves your property. Some homeowners policies offer a little help, and some do not. A separate golf cart policy is often the cleanest way to cover liability, theft and damage.

Low-speed vehicles

If a cart has been modified to go faster, usually in the 21 to 25 mile per hour range, it may count as a low-speed vehicle, or LSV. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, an LSV must be titled, registered and insured with at least $10,000 PIP and $10,000 PDL. The driver also needs a valid driver license.

If you bought a cart that was “upgraded” by a previous owner, find out how fast it really goes and how it is titled. We can help you figure out which kind of policy fits.

Teens and carts

Florida has age rules for driving golf carts on public roads, and communities often add their own rules for private streets. Check your HOA guidelines. Then check your insurance. If a young driver crashes a cart into a neighbor’s car, you want to know ahead of time who pays.

Florida’s Car Insurance Rules

For cars, Florida requires $10,000 in PIP and $10,000 in PDL on every registered vehicle. PIP is the no-fault part. It covers 80 percent of reasonable medical costs up to the limit, regardless of fault, plus some lost income and a $5,000 death benefit. You must get initial treatment within 14 days of a crash. Without an emergency medical condition, PIP medical payments max out at $2,500.

PDL pays for damage you do to someone else’s property. It does nothing for your own car.

The state does not require bodily injury liability at registration for most drivers. That gap is why liability limits deserve a close look on every policy. You can learn more on our liability coverage page.

Insuring Newer Cars

Because Cascata was built recently, many residents moved in with new or nearly new cars. Here is what to think about.

Check your lender’s rules. If the car is financed or leased, collision and comprehensive are almost always required. The lender may also set a maximum deductible.

Know how actual cash value works. If a new car is totaled, insurers usually pay what it was worth right before the loss. That can be less than your loan balance. Gap coverage fills that hole. Ask whether your lease already includes it.

Plan for repair costs. Sensors, cameras and special paint make even minor repairs pricey. Pick a collision deductible you could pay this week if you had to.

Keep comprehensive for weather. Hail is rare here, but heavy rain, flooding and storm debris are not. Comprehensive handles those losses.

See our full coverage auto insurance guide for how these pieces work together, and our collision coverage page for help with deductibles.

When the Car Is Paid Off

Many Cascata residents bought new cars when they moved in. In a few years, those loans start to end. When you make the last payment, the lender’s rules go away, and you get to decide what coverage to keep.

Start by asking what the car is worth today and whether you could replace it without help. If you could not, keep collision and comprehensive. If the car has lost most of its value, you might raise the deductible or drop collision and keep comprehensive. Either way, remove the lender from the policy once the title is released, and drop gap coverage if you were paying for it.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

When another driver causes a crash and has little or no insurance, uninsured motorist coverage helps pay for your injuries. In Florida, you have to reject it in writing if you do not want it. We usually suggest keeping it, but we will show you the cost either way.

Everyday Driving From Cascata

Most trips from Cascata start on Nob Hill Road. Hillsboro Boulevard is a short drive south. To the north, Loxahatchee Road marks the line with Palm Beach County. University Drive is the main route south toward Coral Springs and the Sawgrass Expressway.

That mix of quiet community roads and busy main roads is worth thinking about when you set limits. A low-speed tap in a parking lot is one thing. A crash on the Sawgrass at highway speed is another. Your policy should be ready for both.

Guests, Visitors and Borrowed Cars

Cascata’s clubhouse and pool draw friends and family on weekends. Sooner or later, someone asks to borrow a car. In Florida, insurance generally follows the car. If a friend drives your car with your permission and causes a crash, your policy is usually the first one to respond. That means their mistake can show up on your claim record.

Before you hand over the keys, think about who is driving and how much coverage you carry. If a relative stays with you for months and drives your car often, they may need to be listed on the policy. Ask your carrier how they treat regular drivers who are not family members.

The same idea applies to golf carts. If a visiting child takes the cart out and hits a parked car, you want to know whether your cart policy covers that driver. A quick call before the holidays can save a lot of trouble later.

Households With Several Vehicles

A Cascata home might have two cars, a golf cart and a teen driver on the way. That can mean three or four separate policies if nobody is paying attention. We look at the whole picture:

1. Which vehicles are on which policy.
2. Whether limits match from one vehicle to the next.
3. Whether any car is missing comprehensive or collision that a lender requires.
4. Whether the golf cart has any coverage at all.

When a teen is close to driving age, read our teen driver auto insurance page. It covers how to add them and what affects the price.

How We Work

We start by listening. Tell us about the cars, the cart and the drivers. If you have your current declarations page, send it along.

We then pull quotes and show each one with the same layout: coverage name, limit, deductible and price. That makes it easy to compare.

You pick what works. No pressure, and no long sales pitch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my car insurance cover my golf cart?

Often it does not, or it covers very little. Read the exclusions on your auto policy or ask us to review it. A separate golf cart policy is common.

My cart goes 25 miles per hour. Is that a problem?

It may be a low-speed vehicle under Florida law. LSVs must be titled, registered and carry PIP and PDL. We can help you sort out which category your cart falls into.

Can my teenager drive our cart through the tunnel to MiraLago?

Community rules and state age rules both apply. Check with your HOA first. Then confirm your insurance covers that driver on that cart.

Is gap coverage worth it on a new car?

If you put little money down or have a long loan, gap coverage can protect you from owing money on a car you no longer have. If your lease already includes it, you do not need to buy it again.

What should I do right after a crash?

Make sure everyone is safe, call the police if anyone is hurt, take photos and trade information. Then get medical care within 14 days if you feel any pain, so PIP can pay. Call your insurer as soon as you can.

Where else can I learn more?

Our auto insurance FAQ answers many common questions. You can also read about nearby Watercrest and Heron Bay.

Get a Quote for Your Cascata Home

Cars, carts and new drivers all fit into one conversation. Call, email or send a request online, and we will help you see your options side by side.

Parkland Auto Insurance
7957 N University Dr #101, Parkland, FL 33067
Phone: 90-414-001-0005
Email: contact@parklandautoinsurance.com

Start your quote request today.