Starting July 1, e-scooter owners and riders in Latvia will be required to have an insurance policy.
Since April of last year, all e-scooters in Latvia must be registered and may only be used if they have been issued an identification number, which must be visibly affixed to the scooter. Now, in addition to registration, owners must also have valid insurance coverage.
Rental e-scooter companies have already voiced dissatisfaction with the new requirement, noting that it will lead to higher service costs.
Insurers explain that this requirement is due to the persistently high number of traffic accidents involving e-scooters — several hundred are registered each year. These accidents often affect not only scooter riders but also pedestrians or third-party property. In the future, the system will function similarly to car insurance — the party at fault in an accident will cover the damages through their insurance provider.
One company that has already started offering e-scooter insurance says the cost will initially be low — about €2.50 per month.
However, insurers note that prices could change, as current rates are based on estimates of potential accident rates involving e-scooters.
They also emphasize that it’s unwise to forgo insurance, as in the event of an accident, the responsible party would have to cover all damages out of pocket. These costs can amount to thousands of euros — for example, if a pedestrian suffers serious injuries or if the scooter damages an expensive car.
Meanwhile, the police say that although there are currently no plans to increase oversight of e-scooters, starting in July, they will pay attention during routine traffic monitoring to whether e-scooter owners have insurance.
It is still unclear what the penalty will be for riding an e-scooter without insurance. This issue will be reviewed next week in a parliamentary committee.
Across Europe, regulation of e-scooters is increasingly being tightened due to their growing popularity and the rising number of accidents involving them.
