Do I Need Insurance for My Electric Scooter?

Electric scooters are booming! Everyone wants one, and it's not hard to see why. Easy commuting, less air pollution, and more cost and time-efficient electric scooters are perfect for your everyday commute journey.

In the last two years, there's been an increase of about 50% in the sales of scooters. This just in the US and Europe alone! Scooters are an easy and effective way to get around, but they are not without their dangers. The rise in demand for electric scooters has also led to an increase in accidents involving micro-mobility vehicles.

What are micro-mobility accidents?

Micro-mobility accidents are accidents involving smaller, light-duty vehicles that don't go as fast as cars. For example, many people prefer electric scooters and travel independently with ease, but these people are also at risk for accidents.

The following modes of transportation fall under the category of micro-mobility:

Electric Scooters

Bikes

Skateboards

Electric Bikes

Electric scooters are fun to use and a new recreational way to travel, but you should take them seriously. An electric scooter is not a toy. Riders of electric scooters need to take precautions when riding them, such as wearing the proper attire, signaling when turning, and obeying the laws of your State.

Safety Tips For Micro-Mobility

Although you should always cover your property, insurance is not enough to keep you and your scooter safe. When you are riding your e scooter, remember to adhere to the following tips and keep yourself safe:

Sharing road space: You are not the only vehicle on the road. When you're riding your scooter, remember to keep an eye out for other vehicles and passing pedestrians.

Start slow: If you're new to riding an electric scooter, take it slow! Get a feel for how to ride and properly control your scooter before you go zooming about town.

Obey the rules: Follow the rules of the road and your local State.

Extra padding: To ensure that you injure your body as little as possible, you should wear the proper attire. Avoid wearing open-toe shoes, and wear long-sleeved pants and tops to protect your skin if you fall.

Follow basic safety etiquette and wear a helmet and elbow pads, but make sure that they fit to protect you properly.

Does My Insurance Cover My Electric Scooter?

Unfortunately, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) doesn't register electric scooters as motor vehicles and defines electric scooters to be "scooters lacking seats operating in a stand-up mode." As a result, electric scooters are not legislated at a national level, and the coverage your insurance offers now varies from State to State.

Most insurance companies don't cover electric scooters. Though insurance companies do have policies that cover motor vehicles, electric scooters, for the most part, don't fall under this coverage because they are not defined as motor vehicles. The only sure-fire way to determine if your insurance company extends to cover your scooter would be to ask them about their policy regarding scooters directly.

If you get into an accident on your electric scooter, the following could happen:

Liability: Uninsured e-scooter riders leave you bearing the sole responsibility for any damages that occur to your scooter. E-scooter repairs will have to come out of your pocket.

Health Insurance: If you require medical attention after getting into an accident, you could have no coverage for this. Health insurance is not guaranteed to pay for your hospital bills. While your health insurance could pay some of your bills, you will be held liable for the money they don't cover.

Pedestrian Liability: A lack of coverage from your insurance means that if you injure a pedestrian during an accident, you will be held responsible for the medical expenses incurred due to the accident.

Damage To Property: Usually, your insurance company will cover the damages that have occurred in an accident. However, because most insurance companies don't currently cover electric scooters, any damages that occur to another person's property fall to you, you will be responsible for the payment thereof.

The problem with insurance not extending to electric scooters is that it harms riders and non-riders alike. For example, if non-riders have their car damaged by an electric scooter, their insurance doesn't cover it. This leaves riders and non-riders vulnerable if accidents happen.

Is Insurance Legally Required To Ride An Electric Scooter?

Unlike being required to have a license and know the road rules, insurance is not legally necessary to ride an electric scooter in most States. The need for insurance to ride an electric scooter depends on your local and State laws.

 However, although not legally required, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't have insurance. If anything, it is more of a reason to get it! Electric scooters may not travel as fast as cars, but that does not mean that no accidents occur for people who ride them.

Why Don't Insurance Companies Insure E Scooters?

E-scooters are viewed as a waste of insurance by many insurance companies. While many people are now choosing to use e-scooters, the main mode of transportation is still cars.

In comparison to the prices of cars, buying an electric scooter is relatively inexpensive. As a result, insurance companies believe that it would be excessive to insure a light-duty vehicle that you can just easily replace.

Why Should I Get Insurance?

Insurance covers more than just damages; it covers hospital injuries as well. Riders are just as likely as anybody else to get into an accident. Therefore, riders deserve just as much protection as people who drive more conventional forms of transportation. Insuring your e scooter helps to provide you with more protection.

The decision is up to you but insuring your electric scooter helps you protect your wallet as much as you protect your body. Leaving you with fewer expenses should any accidents occur.

If you are looking for the perfect electric scooter for your morning commute, get the Varla Pegasus! It is lightweight, heavy-duty, and has a long range - everything you need to be safe on the road. Find out why it's time to take buying an electric scooter seriously!