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Riding lawnmowers are expected to be subject to insurance from December 23rd, 2023 - with imminent penalties for violations.
For some amateur gardeners, nothing is more relaxing than mowing the lawn. But under certain circumstances this can become really expensive in the future. A green, strong lawn needs to be maintained to stay that way. Above all, regular mowing is part of it. This is not a problem for a small area. However, if the property is large, this may take some time. In these cases, a riding lawn mower may be worthwhile. At least until now. Because if the federal government's plans go according to plans, mowing with a vehicle can be expensive and electric or push-pull gasoline lawnmowers will once again become a more attractive option for cutting the lawn...
Riding lawnmowers are expected to be subject to insurance from December 23rd, 2023 - with imminent penalties for violations.
For some amateur gardeners, nothing is more relaxing than mowing the lawn. But under certain circumstances this can become really expensive in the future.
A green, strong lawn needs to be maintained to stay that way. Above all, regular mowing is part of it. This is not a problem for a small area. However, if the property is large, this may take some time. In these cases, a riding lawn mower may be worthwhile. At least until now. Because if the federal government's plans go according to plans, mowing with a vehicle could be expensive and this could make the electric or gasoline push lawn mower a more attractive option for cutting the lawn.
What is it about?
According to the federal government's plans, "self-propelled machines and forklifts with a maximum design speed of up to 20 km/h" will be subject to insurance in the future. This means that in the future - specifically from December 23rd, 2023 - there will also be an insurance requirement for ride-on lawn mowers. It is important that the devices are also driven on public land - for example a small path or street. If the business only takes place on your own property, additional insurance is not necessary for the time being. To protect the vehicle, the owner must then take out a general liability policy (liability insurance) specifically for the device. Anyone who fails to comply with this obligation is committing an administrative offense and is also committing a criminal offense and must then expect a fine - or in the worst case, even a prison sentence.
However, according to the General Association of Insurers (GDV), the obligation to insure under the Compulsory Insurance Act does not need to be expanded. Such work machines are usually covered by the vehicle owner's general private liability insurance.
"The current solution is clear, practical, cost-effective and completely sufficient. We are not aware of a claim in which the general liability insurance coverage was not sufficient," says GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen.
The change in the law is based on the EU directive on motor vehicle liability insurance (“KH Directive”, EU 2021/2118).
For some amateur gardeners, nothing is more relaxing than mowing the lawn. But under certain circumstances this can become really expensive in the future.
A green, strong lawn needs to be maintained to stay that way. Above all, regular mowing is part of it. This is not a problem for a small area. However, if the property is large, this may take some time. In these cases, a riding lawn mower may be worthwhile. At least until now. Because if the federal government's plans go according to plans, mowing with a vehicle could be expensive and this could make the electric or gasoline push lawn mower a more attractive option for cutting the lawn.
What is it about?
According to the federal government's plans, "self-propelled machines and forklifts with a maximum design speed of up to 20 km/h" will be subject to insurance in the future. This means that in the future - specifically from December 23rd, 2023 - there will also be an insurance requirement for ride-on lawn mowers. It is important that the devices are also driven on public land - for example a small path or street. If the business only takes place on your own property, additional insurance is not necessary for the time being. To protect the vehicle, the owner must then take out a general liability policy (liability insurance) specifically for the device. Anyone who fails to comply with this obligation is committing an administrative offense and is also committing a criminal offense and must then expect a fine - or in the worst case, even a prison sentence.
However, according to the General Association of Insurers (GDV), the obligation to insure under the Compulsory Insurance Act does not need to be expanded. Such work machines are usually covered by the vehicle owner's general private liability insurance.
"The current solution is clear, practical, cost-effective and completely sufficient. We are not aware of a claim in which the general liability insurance coverage was not sufficient," says GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen.
The change in the law is based on the EU directive on motor vehicle liability insurance (“KH Directive”, EU 2021/2118).
According to a report by www.t-online.de, the federal government is planning to make insurance compulsory for self-propelled machines and forklifts with a maximum speed of up to 20 km/h. This also applies to ride-on lawn mowers, which must be insured from December 23, 2023 if they are used on public roads or paths. Owners of ride-on lawn mowers who only operate them on their own property are not initially affected by the insurance requirement.
The introduction of compulsory insurance could have a significant impact on the lawnmower market, the consumer and the industry. Initially, this could lead to riding lawn mowers becoming less attractive and hand lawn mowers being preferred instead. This could lead to a decline in demand for riding lawnmowers and manufacturers could be forced to adjust their production capacities.
Furthermore, owners of ride-on lawnmowers would have to take out additional liability insurance in order to fulfill the insurance requirement. This would lead to higher costs for owners and potentially make lawn care more expensive overall. Consumers may decide to switch to cheaper alternatives such as push lawn mowers to avoid the additional costs.
However, according to the General Association of Insurers (GDV), the current regulation is sufficient because most ride-on lawn mowers are covered by the vehicle owner's private liability insurance. According to GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen, there are no known cases of damage for which general liability insurance coverage was not sufficient.
Overall, the introduction of compulsory insurance for ride-on lawn mowers is a measure within the framework of the EU directive on motor vehicle liability insurance. Whether it will actually be implemented and what specific effects it will have remains to be seen. However, it stands to reason that it will bring about changes in the lawnmower market and among consumers.
Source: www.t-online.de
Read the source article at www.t-online.de