Rural residents' perceptions of off road vehicle insurance coverage

Catastrophic injuries and death have been reported in the agricultural use of All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) and Side-by-Sides (SXS). ATVs and SXSs are frequently operated unsafely (e.g., not wearing helmets or a seatbelt on SXSs). Insurance policy coverage may provide a feasible intervention to encourage safe behaviors for the use of ATVs and SXSs in agricultural operations. A survey was administered to 262 farmer owner/operators of ATVs and SXSs that asked about recreational and occupational use, crashes and what vehicle damages and liabilities were covered under their insurance policies. Approximately one third of the farmers were not able to name the insurance company that provided coverage for their off road vehicles and one third were unsure whether or not a non-family member was covered when operating the vehicle. Representatives from the top four insurance companies identified by the farmers were interviewed and asked about their off road vehicle policies. There were more differences between companies in their farm policy coverage than their separate vehicle policy coverage. Insurance policies may potentially be used to promote safe operator behaviors because companies have discretion to use financial incentives to write policies that encourage safer behaviors. However, this study indicated that policy holders do not understand their insurance coverage, particularly when their off road vehicle is covered under a farm policy. Encouraging insurance companies to incorporate safety requirements into their policies and effectively communicate coverage to policy holders to may be a way to reduce injuries and fatalities associated with off road vehicle use.