MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2012
As I was driving home from work this evening, I found myself caught behind a gentleman on a scooter on a two lane road. As hard as I tried, I was unable to pass, which led to the slowest drive home I've had in a while. Adding to the frustration of the slow drive was the risk manager in me realizing that the scooter was most likely uninsured.
In our area, there is no requirement that a moped or scooter carry any sort of liability insurance. This is a significant issue that needs to be addressed soon. As the price of gas keeps increasing, there will surely be more and more of these sharing the roads with our families and children.
When talking to people about this issue, most are under the impression that a homeowners policy will provide coverage. Many cite the fact that a scooter does not have to be registered and licensed for road use as the basis for that opinion. Unfortunately, a registration requirement does not form the basis for insurance coverage. In most policies, the minute the scooter or recreational vehicle leaves the insured premises, homeowners coverage stops. At that point, an auto or motorcycle policy is necessary.
If you are currently relying on a scooter or moped for transportation, please contact your insurance agent to see if coverage currently applies. I would hate for you to find out the hard way.
-Andy Dillow