Do all insurers offer electric car insurance?
Most mainstream insurers now offer electric car insurance.
This means you’ll usually be able to insure your electric car on a standard car insurance policy.
You’ll get the same level of cover and should still be able to choose from third party, third party fire and theft and comprehensive insurance policies.
You should even be able to get black box insurance if you want it.
However, while this makes getting insurance for your electric car easy, it does mean your policy might not cover everything you want it to. Think damage to your charging cables, for example.
This is where specialist electric car insurance comes in. With dedicated EV policies, you’ll normally get added cover for things like your charging cables and adaptors.
And you may not need to go through a specialist provider to get specialist cover either. Many standard car insurance providers offer it.
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Are electric cars cheaper to insure?
As many of the electric cars on the market have only been around a few years, they’re generally more expensive to buy.
This can sometimes make them more expensive to insure.
They can also be more expensive to repair than standard cars as their parts are typically less readily available.
Plus, they can require specialist servicing, which can again drive up the cost to insure them.
The same is true with electric van insurance.
But this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll pay more for electric car insurance than for petrol or diesel car cover.
The fact that electric cars have fewer components that can fail can sometimes means they’re cheaper to insure than fuel cars of the same value.
They tend to have top of the range safety features too, so insurers may see them as a safer option to insure, meaning a lower potential premium for you.
Wondering how to get cheaper car insurance? Try our guide.
We compare up to 120 trusted insurance companies to get you our cheapest deal in minutes
What does electric car insurance cover?
Electric car insurance typically covers everything standard car insurance does, depending on your policy type.
Where they can differ, though, is in the additional cover they can provide for things like your car’s battery, charging cables, adaptors and wall boxes.
Some policies will also come with extras like accident liability cover as cables on your drive can be a trip hazard.
Alternatively, some providers such as ByMiles use smart technology in your car to tailor your policy price to the miles you drive.
As an example of what electric car insurance can cover, here are the benefits from an electric car insurance policy offered by one of the insurance companies we work with:
- Free recovery to the nearest charge point UK-wide if you run out of battery power
- Cover for charging cables, adaptors and wall boxes in case of accidental damage, fire and theft
- Accidental damage, fire and theft cover for your battery
- Lifetime guarantee on repairs (some restrictions apply)
Need more help?
What insurance group will my electric car fall into?
Just like a diesel or petrol car, the car insurance group your car falls into will depend on the make and model.
Because many electric cars have specialist parts and are expensive to repair, you can expect to find electric cars among the higher insurance groups.
The general rule is, the higher the group, the higher your insurance costs will be.
But that’s just one of the factors insurers think about when calculating insurance premiums. You can find out what group your electric car is in by visiting the Thatcham group checker.
To give you an idea, we’ve summarised the groups for 5 of the top selling electric cars in the UK.
The groups shown cover all specifications and years of each model:
| Make and Model | Group |
|---|---|
|
Nissan Leaf
|
19 - 16
|
|
BMW I3
|
21 - 29
|
|
Renault ZOE
|
14 - 23
|
|
Tesla Model S
|
50
|
|
Volkswagen E-Golf
|
15 - 26
|
Can I get electric car breakdown cover?
Yes, most breakdown cover companies offer policies for electric cars.
The breakdown companies employ trained mechanics so they can offer electric car owners the same level of cover as those with petrol or diesel cars.
Some companies will even cover you if you run out of battery power, so you can get back on the road without any drama.
Types of car insurance
Black box car insurance
lets you prove you’re a safe driver, and save money on your policy, even if you’re inexperienced or seen as high risk.
Classic car insurance
offers cover for owners of classic cars. For insurance purposes, a classic car can be any car that’s older than 15 years.
Business car insurance
covers you if you use your car for work, including travelling between offices or across the country.
What our electric car insurance expert says
You should be able to cover your electric car on a standard car insurance policy, but this isn’t always the best move. Dedicated electric car policies often come with a range of benefits, like charging cable cover, that can really make all the difference.
Alex Kindred
Electric car insurance expert
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