Insurance checks before you hire golf buggies

Do not assume: ask what the hire covers

The first check is simply what cover comes with the hire. Ask the supplier plainly what is insured, the vehicle itself, and what is not. Do not assume a hire automatically covers every eventuality on your site, because the specifics vary. A supplier who answers clearly and gives you the detail in writing is doing this properly; one who is vague is not.

Getting this in writing matters. A clear statement of what the hire's cover does and does not include is what lets you see whether there is a gap to close, and it belongs in your records.

Get the public liability certificate

For any organisation, a public liability certificate from the supplier should be standard. Ask for it, keep it in your health and safety file, and check the cover level and the dates. It is a basic sign of a competent supplier and a document you may need to show a venue, an auditor or your own insurer. If a supplier cannot produce one, treat that as significant.

Check your own policy extends to buggy use

The check people most often miss is their own side. Your event or site insurance should extend to activities on your premises, but buggy use is specific enough that it is worth confirming rather than assuming. Ask your own insurer or broker directly whether the policy covers the operation of a hired buggy on your site, including by your own staff if they will be driving.

This is the check that closes the most common gap. The supplier covers their side, your policy covers yours, and the risk sits in the space between them if neither has been confirmed. A short conversation with your insurer removes that risk.

Close the gap before the hire, not after

The whole point of these checks is to leave no gap between the two policies before anything happens, rather than discovering one after an incident. Line up the supplier's cover and certificate alongside your own policy, confirm they meet, and note anything that does not so you can address it, additional cover, a different driver arrangement, whatever it takes, in advance. Done before the hire, it is a short administrative task. Done after an incident, it is a serious problem.

Common questions

Does golf buggy hire come with insurance

Hire typically comes with cover for the vehicle itself, and a supplier should provide a public liability certificate, but the specifics vary. Ask the supplier plainly what is covered and what is not, and get it in writing.

Does our own insurance need to cover it

Usually you should confirm your event or site policy extends to buggy use on your premises, including by your own staff if they will drive. Ask your insurer or broker directly rather than assuming, because that is where gaps appear.

What is a public liability certificate for

It shows the supplier carries public liability cover, and you may need to show it to a venue, an auditor or your own insurer. Keep it in your health and safety file and check the level and dates.

What is the main risk to check for

A gap between the supplier's cover and your own policy. Confirm both before the hire so they meet, and address anything that does not in advance rather than after an incident.