Snowmobiling is a great wintertime sport, but it’s an activity that comes with inherent risk and danger. About 14,000 injuries and 200 fatalities nationwide are attributed to snowmobile accidents each year, and this doesn’t include the cost of property damage sustained in these accidents. Snowmobile insurance won’t prevent accidents from taking place, but a policy can provide Massachusetts riders with protection in the event of a worst-case scenario.
Snowmobile insurance is a specialized type of personal insurance that’s crafted to meet the risk mitigation needs of snowmobilers. Most policies have multiple coverages in them and are underwritten as package policies.
Massachusetts residents who want to register a snowmobile in the state are generally required to have an insurance policy that at least meets the state’s minimum coverages. Snowmobile owners who don’t maintain this minimum level of coverage might face traffic tickets and fines.
Thus, most everyone in the state who owns and uses a snowmobile needs to insure it. Many people elect to get more than the minimum mandated coverage so that they’re better protected.
Out-of-state snowmobile owners are likewise generally required to carry insurance if they want to ride within the state. As is the case with state residents, out-of-state riders normally must have coverage in place that’s at least equivalent to the state’s minimum requirements.
Snowmobile policies make a number of protections available as standard or available protections, and many of these are similar to the protections found in car insurance policies. Some commonly available coverages that riders might need or want include:
An insurance agent who’s familiar with snowmobile policies can explain these and other available coverages in more detail. With an agent’s expertise, snowmobilers can determine which protections make sense for them.
Like many car insurance policies, some snowmobile policies offer roadside assistance in addition to their more traditional insurance coverages. This optional feature usually helps pay for towing in the event that a snowmobile breaks down during a ride.
While this can be a helpful protection to have, snowmobilers should review carefully what the protection includes in a given policy. Some policies will cover towing coverage from the spot of a breakdown, while others will only cover towing from the side of a road. This difference can have a major effect on how helpful roadside assistance is if a snowmobile malfunctions out on a trail.
Snowmobilers sometimes want to cancel their insurance coverage once winter is over so that they don’t have to pay premiums when they aren’t out on a snowmobile. Canceling coverage altogether, however, can leave a snowmobile unprotected if it’s damaged while in storage.
Instead of canceling coverage completely, snowmobilers are often better off adjusting their coverages. An agent can help remove certain protections that aren’t needed when a snowmobile is stored but keep other needed protections in place. When done properly, this usually helps reduce a policy’s premiums but still keeps a snowmobile covered against damage that might occur.
If you use a snowmobile in Massachusetts and need insurance, contact the team of independent agents at Haberman Insurance Group. Our agents can help you choose a snowmobile insurance policy that meets both the state’s requirements and your needs, and we can review options from many insurance companies so that you get the best available option.
