Compulsory insurance for riding lawnmowers: What does this mean for garden owners?

Compulsory insurance for riding lawnmowers: What does this mean for garden owners?

According to a report by www.t-online.de, the federal government is planning to introduce compulsory insurance for self-propelled machines, including ride-on lawn mowers, that are operated on public land or paths. This regulation is due to come into force on December 23, 2023 and particularly affects owners of large properties who use riding lawn mowers to care for their lawns.

The planned change in the law stipulates that owners of riding lawn mowers must take out special liability insurance for their devices if they are used outside of their own property. Both violations of this insurance requirement and failure to take out appropriate insurance can be punished with fines or even imprisonment.

The General Association of Insurers (GDV) expressed concerns about the planned insurance requirement because, in its opinion, many work machines are already covered by their owners' general private liability insurance. GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen emphasized that the current solution is sufficient and practical, and that there have so far been no claims where the general liability insurance coverage was not sufficient.

The planned change in the law is based on the EU directive on motor vehicle liability insurance (“KH Directive”, EU 2021/2118).

This proposed change in the law is expected to impact owners of large properties and riding lawnmowers. The additional insurance requirement could lead to increased costs for the owners, especially if the devices are regularly used on public paths or streets. Additionally, this could lead some owners to decide against using riding lawn mowers and instead go back to electric or gasoline push lawn mowers. This potential shift in purchasing behavior could impact the lawn mowing equipment market and the gardening industry as a whole.