Do I Need to Insure an Electric Scooter?

In recent years, electric scooters have been increasing in popularity. E-scooters offer a cost-effective transportation method that doesn’t hurt the environment. Riding an electric scooter is a popular alternative to walking, riding a bus or driving a car. The rising popularity of this method of transportation has led to e-scooter sharing programs, where people can rent a scooter for transportation or even utilize it for free. 

The increasing number of e-scooters has posed a challenge for insurance companies: do you need insurance for an electric scooter? In short, yes, it is important to have insurance to protect you and your loved ones’ livelihoods. However, e-scooter insurance may be more complex than people realize. 

Rising E-Scooter-Related Injuries

Due to the increasing availability and use of e-scooters, injuries relating to scooters are on the rise. Many people that ride e-scooters often underestimate the risks associated with this method of transportation. Someone riding an e-scooter could lose control and injure themselves, injure others or potentially damage the e-scooter or another person’s property. Having insurance coverage for an e-scooter will help protect you in the event of an accident.

Does My Auto or Home Insurance Cover My E-Scooter?

Insurance companies often differ on what type of policy an e-scooter should be included in. Whether the e-scooter is covered, if at all, will most likely be determined by how the insurance company defines an e-scooter. Some companies deem an electric scooter as a “motorized vehicle” due to having wheels and an electric motor. In this case, if the e-scooter is covered, it could possibly be included in a client’s auto insurance policy. 

However, many companies don’t provide coverage for an e-scooter on auto policies because they were designed not to require a license or registration within most states. In these instances, e-scooters typically don’t meet the eligibility requirements for an auto or motorcycle insurance policy. When insurance providers have this viewpoint, they will often consider an e-scooter as “property” and may offer liability coverage for an e-scooter on a homeowners’ insurance or renters’ insurance policy.

Ultimately, it depends on how the insurance provider views an e-scooter. If you are unsure of how your e-scooter will be covered, you should reach out to your insurance agent to review your policy. 

Are E-Scooter Rentals Covered by My Insurance? 

Some insurance companies will provide coverage for incidents or accidents that occur with a rented scooter. Even if your insurance company won’t cover accidents with a rented e-scooter, some e-scooter sharing companies, such as Lime and Bird, do provide coverage for bodily injury and property damage for riders who rent their scooters. 

Keep in mind that it is not guaranteed that the sharing program you use will provide any e-scooter insurance coverage. If you regularly participate in renting an e-scooter from a sharing program, it may be a good idea to research the sharing program and see if there is additional information they offer about their liability coverage.  

What Happens If I’m in an E-Scooter Accident?

As mentioned before, there are risks associated with riding an e-scooter, whether you own it personally or rent it. It is possible that you could get in an accident that causes injuries to yourself or others, as well as property damage. The implications of the e-scooter accident are dependent on factors including:

• Whether the scooter is owned by yourself or is rented from a sharing program
• Injuries to you or others
• Damage to yours or someone else’s property
• How an e-scooter is covered (or not) on the insurance policy

You may receive coverage for medical expenses and property damage depending on what is stated in your insurance policy or the e-scooter sharing program’s policy. It is possible that your insurance company may provide coverage for all types of expenses from the accident, specify that they will only provide coverage for the medical expenses or maybe not provide coverage for the accident at all. Being aware of what your policy says could help protect you from these risks.

Check Before You Ride

As the popularity of electric scooters continues to increase, make sure that you and your loved ones that utilize this transportation method are protected if the unexpected happens. Contact an agent for specific details about your scooter and what your coverage looks like.