​Finding The Best UTV Insurance And Tips For Insuring Your Polaris Ranger

Insurance is a complicated game, and when it comes to insuring side-by-sides like the Mid-Size Polaris Ranger, the Full-Size Polaris Ranger, and the Polaris Ranger Crew, the rabbit hole is both deep and wide. There are several different types of insurance for different events, and the price you pay for these insurance policies will depend on your driving history, previous claims you've filed, the state / county you live in, and the value of the assets under coverage. You can add coverage for some or all of your aftermarket Polaris Ranger accessories, and you can also play around with the deductible so that you only pay for the big stuff, and fix the small stuff with stock-style or aftermarket replacement parts yourself. All the big-name insurers such as Geico, Progressive, State Farm, USAA and most others offer OHV insurance. And if you already use them for home, car, boat, RV, or any other insurance, bundling options usually exist that are generally quite compelling. So if you can’t decide whether or not to add your enclosed toy hauler to an existing insurance policy, or if you’re weighing the options between comprehensive coverage, liability coverage, and full coverage, here is our advice on finding the best insurance for the Polaris Ranger!

Comprehensive UTV Insurance For The Polaris Ranger

Comprehensive UTV insurance is a no-brainer, as it’ll cover some of those “force majeure” incidents that neither you nor anyone else could ever hope to have any control over. The details will vary, but typical comprehensive UTV insurance policies will reimburse holders in the event of bad weather (i.e hale, tornados, hurricanes, etc.), vandalism, theft, fire, or collisions that didn’t involve other vehicles – such as hitting an animal.

You need to check the details with these “god’s will” coverage plans. For example, some will cover fires caused by faulty wiring or accidental gas-line leaks, but not forest fires and structure fires. Some comprehensive plans won’t cover flooding if you live in a flood-prone area. And if a tree falls on your bike, can you be sure that it’ll be covered by the “act-of-god” clause rather than chocked up to user error because you parked under an old dead tree. Yes it’s tedious, but being thorough with the coverage you choose is the best way to avoid disappointment and potential disaster should something terrible happen in the field!

Liability UTV Insurance For The Polaris Ranger

It might not seem important at first, but liability insurance is arguably the most important type of coverage that a rider can buy. Say you’re setting up camp at a deer lease and you get a runaway Ranger that impales the side of your buddy’s brand new Ram Cummins. With liability insurance, this will be a cheap (or even free) fix!

Liability insurance policies don’t protect the machine itself, but rather the ramifications of the machine in action. Liability policies usually cover lawyer fees and defense costs for lawsuits that arise due to accidents or mishaps that occur on, in, or as a result of your Polaris Ranger. If someone gets hurt in your buggy, if you hurt someone with your buggy (even if it’s not your fault), or if – god forbid – a wrongful death suit is brought against you because of an incident involving your side-by-side, you’ll need large pockets to defend yourself in court without the cash settlements from a liability insurance policy.

Even if you never do anything more than put around the family farm in your Ranger 570, black swan events do happen. Although it’s highly improbable, it’s not impossible for you to be driving around your property and accidentally spook a wild or domestic animal (deer, antelope, cow) into the road which causes an accident. Although it would be rare to have a jury render a judgment against you for something that’s not your fault, it’ll cost you upwards of fifty grand to defend yourself in court. And these days, people will sue you for dang near anything. Some riders eschew from using liability insurance, but others say that the only way they won't have liability insurance is if they are riding alone with no other passengers on an uninhabited island.

Like all policies, liability insurance contracts for the Polaris Ranger do have limits. Go past these payout thresholds and you'll be personally responsible for every dollar owed thereafter.

Full-Coverage UTV Insurance For The Polaris Ranger

Don’t let the name fool you, because although full coverage does cover a lot, there are limits. Full coverage policies will often include your aftermarket accessories – but you might have to provide proof of purchase for them.

It’s important to know that even if you have full coverage, you’re never fully covered. Unlike with full coverage policies for automobiles, the limits for both personal bodily injury as well as property destruction coverage are rather low. Payouts will vary based on the contract, but you’re only covered to an extent. If you crash into a building and cause a total loss in damage to the structure in the amount of $800K, are you fully covered, or will you still be on the hook for an additional $300K because your policy is capped at $500K? And where medical expenses are concerned, months in the ICU, a medical evac via helicopter, or basically anything else that involves the US healthcare system is sure to cost a pretty penny.

Market Value Vs Stated Value

Another concept that’s important to know when attempting to find the best insurance policy for the Polaris Ranger is the difference between market value and stated value / agreed value. Most comp / collision policies will reimburse you to the tune of the market value of assets lossed at the time of filing. Alternatively, if you agree on a pre-determined price for the vehicle / accessories beforehand, you would be paid that stated value if a claim is filed. Each company sets their own rate for these, so they’re quite difficult to compare.

Closing Remarks On Insurance For Polaris Ranger Side-By-Sides

If your bike is street legal with the requisite street legal accessories, you might be able to insure it like you would a car in some places. And instead of standard OHV insurance, it's possible to put a Polaris Ranger on a farm or business insurance plan. As far as price goes, you can get the best rates by having high deductibles and by proving you're responsible behind the wheel – and this means having few, if any, past accidents / claims. Liability insurance is usually the cheapest, then comprehensive insurance and finally full coverage at the top. When possible, use the factory warranty to cover everything that it will cover, and for the small fixes, at-home repairs, and maintenance / upkeep products to keep your rig in tip-top shape, don’t shop anywhere other than Everything Polaris Ranger!