You’re using your mobility scooter in a shopping centre and accidentally run into someone, causing them injury. What do you do? If you haven’t heard of legal liability insurance, now’s the time to get yourself up to speed on this vital form of coverage.
Below, we look at what it is, scenarios where legal liability insurance would be required, and how to get legal liability insurance for your mobility equipment today.
In this article
What is legal liability when it comes to mobility equipment insurance?
Legal liability for mobility equipment insurance means the responsibility you have if someone gets hurt or their property gets damaged because of your mobility equipment. If your equipment causes an accident, your insurance can cover the costs of injuries or damages. This protection helps ensure that you don’t have to pay out of pocket if something goes wrong.
When would I need legal liability insurance?
Here are just a few scenarios that show show why legal liability insurance is so important when you own and use a mobility scooter or wheelchair:
Sidewalk
While navigating a crowded sidewalk, if your mobility scooter bumps into and injures a pedestrian, you could be responsible for their medical bills.
Hitting pedestrians is a big issue when it comes to mobility equipment safety. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reporting in 2019 that over 4,500 people were admitted to hospital for mobility scooter-related injuries from 2011 to 2016, with a significant number involving pedestrians.
Transportation
You’re transporting your mobility equipment and it falls off your vehicle, causing an accident. You could be liable for the damages to other vehicles or property.
Malfunction
Your mobility equipment malfunctions and causes an injury to someone nearby. You could be held responsible for their medical bills and any other related costs.
Public event
You’re at a public event and your mobility equipment accidentally knocks over a display or damages someone’s property. You or your legal liability insurance provider could be liable for the repair or replacement costs.
Child safety
If a child tries to play with your mobility equipment and gets injured, you might be responsible for their medical expenses. This could include any legal claims their parents might make.
Home visits
You may not know this, but if a visitor trips over your mobility equipment at your home and gets hurt, they could claim against you for their injuries.
Restaurant
You’re dining at a restaurant and your mobility equipment accidentally damages furniture or injures a staff member. You could be liable for the costs.
Public transport
You’re using public transport and your mobility equipment damages the vehicle or injures another passenger. You might be liable for the repair costs or medical expenses.
Shared living spaces
You’re in a shared apartment complex and your mobility equipment damages common property or injures another resident. You could be responsible for the repair or medical costs to cover you or need to use your or legal liability insurance.
Mobility equipment and legal liability insurance in the news
The above scenarios happen more often that you think. And on these cases, the owners of the equipment are held legally liable for any damages.
In this shopping centre incident, for instance, a woman was struck by a mobility scooter in a shopping centre, leading to a legal case where she claimed the centre owner breached their duty of care by not providing adequate warnings or barriers. However, the court found that the accident was due to the scooter driver’s careless control, not the centre’s negligence.
In another incident in London in 2018, two elderly women were knocked over at a bus stop by an alleged hit-and-run mobility scooter user.
How to get legal liability insurance
Blue Badge Insurance offers legal liability cover under if you take our comprehensive insurance with us. This means we’ll cover you or any person using your mobility equipment with your permission anywhere in Australia for legal liability to pay compensation to another person for personal Injury and/or property damage.
We’ve been providing mobility scooter insurance in Australia since 2014 and are proud of our large and loyal customer base. We’re a car and disability equipment insurance specialist, so we know what you need to be covered properly. Why not get a quote today?
