Jun 17, 2014

SCOOTER RENTAL INSURANCE?

SCOOTER RENTAL INSURANCE?
It is a well-known fact that Florida has MANY tourists and some say that allows the State to not assess personal income tax on its residents. A large amount of Florida’s revenues come from tourism and we all should understand that we need to keep tourists happy.
However, life requires balance in most instances and according to reports, it appears that Panama City, in the Florida panhandle area, has decided to require scooter rental companies to obtain minimum liability insurance like those required for automobile owners in Florida. Currently, an automobile owner is required to purchase minimum levels of coverage, and such a requirement would not be foreign to Floridians and/or its businesses.
Opponents argue that it will hurt the scooter rental companies because it imposes higher expenses and it may even lead to certain potential renters under 25 or even 21 years old to not be permitted to rent scooters since insurers would not want to insure people of a younger age. Considering that insurance is all based on risk, I am sure that people with a higher risk would simply be charged a higher rate for the period that scooter is being rented. Arguably, it is an expense that would be “passed on to the consumer” – i.e., the scooter renter.
NUNEZ LAW is not usually a proponent of many government regulations but it appears that this is something that many counties, including Miami-Dade County, should consider since many scooters are rented daily and if a collision occurs it is important that the at-fault party have at least minimum liability coverage for any property damage and/or bodily injury caused.
This is something that many counties should consider as scooter rental insurance would be more beneficial than hurtful in many, if not all, of the those traveling on Florida roads.