How Much Does Snowmobile Insurance Cost?

Snowmobiles can be expensive. To protect your own snowmobile and other people, you may want to buy snowmobile insurance.

How does snowmobile insurance work? How do you insure a snowmobile? How much can you expect to pay to insure your sled? Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about snowmobile insurance.

Snowmobile Insurance is Similar to Car Insurance

Some states require you to have liability insurance on your snowmobile. Other states have no insurance requirements whatsoever.

In all states, however, you are free to purchase snowmobile insurance just like you would purchase car insurance. You can buy liability insurance that covers you up to a certain amount. You can buy comprehensive coverage to protect against non-accident-related damages. You can even buy roadside assistance snowmobile insurance or uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance.

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Types of Snowmobile Insurance

Some of the insurance policies available for snowmobile drivers include:

Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

This type of insurance is legally required in some states but not others. It covers your liability in an accident involving injury to other people or another person’s property. Your insurance will cover your liability up to the limits of your policy. It can cover the medical bills of anybody you injured in a snowmobile accident, for example, as well as the cost of repairing the other rider’s snowmobile.

A bodily injury and property damage liability policy for a snowmobile may be expressed like 100/300/100. These numbers work just like car insurance policies:

• $100,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person
• $300,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident
• $100,000 of property damage liability coverage per accident

Depending on your risk and budget, you might raise or lower your coverage limits. Your state may also have specific requirements. Snowmobile drivers in Vermont, for example, are required to carry a minimum of $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 of coverage to operate on the Vermont Trail System.

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage for snowmobiles is optional in every state. This coverage covers the cost of repairing your snowmobile in an accident. If you collide with another snowmobile or vehicle and you are at-fault, for example, then collision coverage will cover your repair bill. Similarly, if you strike a tree, roll your snowmobile, or hit anything else in a single-vehicle accident, then collision coverage will cover your repair bill.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage for snowmobiles is also optional in every state. Comprehensive coverage covers the cost of replacing your snowmobile if it’s stolen. It can also cover the cost of repairing it if vandalized, damaged during a storm, or impacted by a fire and other events.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Not all states require snowmobile drivers to have liability insurance. If you collide with a snowmobile and the other driver has no insurance, then you might be forced to pay for your own medical bills out of pocket. This is why you may wish to carry uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your snowmobile. Yes, you can sue the other driver for damages after an accident, but they may not have sufficient assets to cover your medical bills, lost wages, vehicle damage, and other compensation.

Roadside Assistance

Just like vehicles, snowmobiles can qualify for roadside assistance coverage. Some of the things covered by roadside assistance for snowmobiles include:

• Mechanical or electrical breakdowns
• Dead batteries
• Insufficient fuel, oil, water, or other fluids
• Stuck in snow, mud, water, sand, etc.
• Lockouts and lost keys

All sorts of things can go wrong when snowmobiling. Some snowmobilers buy roadside assistance to protect themselves against the unexpected.

Accessory Coverage

Certain snowmobiles have additional items that would not be covered under a normal insurance policy. You may want to add accessory coverage or a rider to your insurance policy to ensure these items remain covered. Some of the accessories potentially covered by this insurance include:

• Plow blades
• Winches
• Trailers
• Electronic equipment and antennas
• Custom suspension, engine modifications, and other vehicle modifications
• Exhausts, racks, saddlebags, seats, backrests, and windshields

Medical Payments Coverage

Snowmobile insurance can also include medical payments coverage, which functions similar to health insurance. Medical payments coverage will cover your medical expenses after an accident regardless of who is at fault.

How Much Does Snowmobile Insurance Cost?

Snowmobile insurance typically costs between $100 and $1,000 per year. Costs vary widely depending on the value of your snowmobile and your unique insurance policy.

A basic liability plan that provides the bare minimum legal insurance requirements, for example, will cost significantly less than a comprehensive insurance plan on your $30,000 snowmobile.

Factors affecting your snowmobile insurance premiums include:

• The make, model, and year of your snowmobile
• The actual cash value (ACV) of your snowmobile (i.e. how much it would cost to replace the snowmobile today)
• Your driving record and claims history
• Your age and other demographic data
• Your ZIP code and where you plan to ride your snowmobile
• Your state (different states have different laws for snowmobile insurance; some states have more snowfall and more dangerous riding conditions than others)
• The size of your deductible
• Insurance policy customizations or riders (i.e. aftermarket parts or accessories)
• Additional coverage items (comprehensive coverage, roadside assistance, etc.)

Based on all of these factors, you might pay anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars for snowmobile insurance.

Snowmobile Insurance Discounts

Just like with car insurance, certain discounts may be available for snowmobile insurance. Some of the discounts potentially available to you include:

• Bundling discounts (say, if you have your car and home insurance policies with the same company from which you have snowmobile insurance)
• Whether or not you have taken a snowmobile safety course
• Discounts for homeowners or married snowmobile owners

Other discounts may also be available depending on dozens of different factors. We recommend comparing quotes online today to ensure you’re getting the best possible deal on sled insurance.

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Am I Required to Have Snowmobile Insurance?

Snowmobile insurance is required in some states but not others. Snowmobilers.org has an excellent page explaining state-by-state snowmobile insurance requirements.

Generally, most winter states require you to have a trail permit or a license – but do not require snowmobile insurance. However, a handful of states – including Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont, and others, require you to have basic liability insurance (including bodily injury and property damage liability coverage).

Final Word

Overall, snowmobile insurance functions like car insurance. You can buy liability coverage, comprehensive coverage, collision coverage, and more.

Depending on a number of factors, you could pay anywhere from $100 to $1,000 per year for sled insurance. We recommend comparing snowmobile insurance quotes online today to ensure you’re getting the best possible deal.

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