As more electric cars pop up on UK roads, you may be considering making the switch and driving one yourself. Until 2025, you can tax your electric car without paying a penny, and you won\u2019t have to pay the London congestion charge.<\/p>
Choosing to drive an electric car can be a \u201cgreener\u201d step in the right direction but don\u2019t be left out of pocket when insuring it. Read our guide to discover how electric car insurance differs from traditional cover, and how you could save on your premium.<\/p>
Electric car insurance is, as the name suggests, insurance for electric cars. The more important question is: How is it different from regular car insurance?<\/p>
In many ways it\u2019s the same as for any other car. You don\u2019t need a special type of insurance for an electric vehicle (EV); most mainstream insurers will happily offer you a quote for an electric car. And, just like regular car insurance<\/a>, electric car insurance premiums are calculated based on a number of factors. The car\u2019s value, age and performance, as well as the driver\u2019s age, driving history and location, will all be considered.<\/p> But there can be subtle differences. EVs are still a pretty new phenomenon, so some insurers may be hesitant to offer cover for them, though this is rapidly changing as they become more popular. And, conversely, there are some specialist providers and policies that may offer features more tailored towards EVs.<\/p> Insurers may also give more consideration to certain factors for EVs than they do for petrol or diesel cars. For example, electric cars rely heavily on new technology, which may be more expensive to repair. The electric battery that powers EVs, in particular, can be pricey to replace.<\/p> While some factors have the potential to increase the cost of car insurance, electric cars are becoming more mainstream. By 2030, when the sale of new fully petrol and diesel cars will be banned, EVs will be a more common sight on UK roads. Increased ownership is likely to bring down the cost of parts and repairs, and it\u2019s likely the cost of insurance will follow.<\/p> You can get the same levels of cover for an electric car as are available with any other type of car. These are:<\/p> Electric car insurance typically has all of the features you can get with a regular car insurance policy, either as standard or as add-ons, such as courtesy car cover or breakdown cover.<\/p> When you\u2019re insuring an electric car, you should also make sure your policy includes:<\/p> As with all cars, the cost of insurance for electric cars will vary depending on your personal circumstances. Very young drivers, for example, will usually pay more for their insurance regardless of the type of car. That\u2019s because industry data<\/a> shows that they are more likely to make an insurance claim.<\/p> One key factor that affects the cost of insurance is the car insurance group<\/a> that a car falls into. A car\u2019s insurance group is heavily influenced by the purchase price of a new car, and the likely cost of repairs.<\/p> Electric cars are, on average, much more expensive than petrol or diesel cars to buy new, and their specialist technology means that repairs can be pricier too. These factors mean that electric cars are usually placed in higher insurance groups than petrol and diesel cars of a similar size and class range. Typically, the higher the insurance group, the higher the insurance premium.<\/p> For example, the fully-electric Renault Zoe<\/a> is in insurance groups 14-22, depending on the specific model. The cheapest versions of the similarly-sized, traditionally-fuelled Renault Clio<\/a> are in groups 3 or 4. Only the highest-end and often more powerful models in the Clio range are in groups 14 or above.<\/p> That said, early adopters of electric cars tend to have ethical values. Some sources suggest that this makes them safer, more conscientious, and lower-risk drivers. This could result in them being offered lower rates.<\/p> To give you an idea of the differences in insurance costs for a petrol car and its electric equivalent, we ran quotes on a popular price comparison site for a petrol version of the Vauxhall Corsa and the Vauxhall Corsa Electric. Here\u2019s what we were quoted in January 2023 for a 30-year-old teacher living in London and using their car for social and commuting purposes.<\/p> As you can see, the cheapest quotes for the electric version of the Corsa are around 50% higher than for the petrol version.<\/p>What level of cover can I get for my electric car?<\/h3>
What extra policy features are available with electric car insurance?<\/h3>
How much does electric car insurance cost?<\/h3>
Are electric cars cheaper to insure than petrol or diesel cars?<\/h3>
Example electric car insurance premiums<\/h3>
<\/th> Vauxhall Corsa E SE Premium<\/th> Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 SE Edition<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Fuel<\/th> Electric<\/td> Petrol<\/td><\/tr> Year of manufacture<\/th> 2021<\/td> 2021<\/td><\/tr> Approximate market value<\/th> \u00a321,500<\/td> \u00a313,500<\/td><\/tr> Insurance group<\/th> 24E<\/td> 10E<\/td><\/tr> Cheapest quote<\/th> \u00a31,129 (black box policy)<\/td> \u00a3771 (black box policy)<\/td><\/tr> Average of 5 cheapest quotes<\/th> \u00a31,288<\/td> \u00a3860<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> \n