The most important — and often toughest — part of an adjuster's job is determining coverage based on policy language. Each month, Claims is publishing a coverage question asked by an insurance professional, along with the answers provided by the dedicated editorial staff of FC&S Online (which, like Claims, is a division of the National Underwriter Company). This month? We tackle golf carts.

Question: We have a client insured under a garage policy and this includes the physical damage coverage for loss to covered autos. During a recent storm, the insured's parking lot was flooded and his golf cart was damaged by the rising water. The definition of auto includes a land motor vehicle. Would the garage policy pay for the damage to the golf cart? — Hawaii Subscriber

Answer: According to the definition of "auto" on the garage form, a golf cart would be included in this category; it is a land motor vehicle. As long as the insured has chosen the applicable covered auto designation symbol for the physical damage coverage and applicable cause of loss (comprehensive coverage or specified causes of loss coverage), the coverage is there for this claim. There are no exclusions or conditions on the garage form that would prevent the coverage.