Of course, the market already offers specific insurance policies for this type of vehicle and the good news is that they are usually cheaper than those covering combustion vehicles. In addition to the usual coverage they share with conventional vehicles -roadside assistance, broken windscreens, and so on- the insurance for hybrid and electric cars must cover two very important aspects: the charging cable and battery failure.
Battery failure assistance. Most car insurance includes roadside assistance, but in the case of hybrids and electric vehicles it is vital that the assistance covers the failure or depletion of your car battery. Not all insurers offer the same coverage in this respect: find out if your insurer will tow you to a recharging point or a garage where they can repair the fault, or if they will send a technician with a fast charger. Remember that in this type of car the air-conditioning, radio and lights consume a lot of power. Make sure you calculate the vehicle’s range for the route you intend to follow.
Specific cover for charging cable theft. This is one of the most popular insurance covers as the price of these cables is quite high. While you leave your car charging at a public charging point, or even in your own garage, even if you lock the car, the charging cable is visible and is susceptible to being stolen.
Damage to the tower at the charging point. Whether the damage has occurred at a public charging point, or if the point is installed in your own home, this warranty covers possible damage due to fire or theft, whether accidental or as a result of vandalism. Some companies have also introduced the possibility that if the insured vehicle incurs any damage as a result of a power surge or poor configuration of the charging tower, the company would make a claim for the damages caused. And always remember that it is very important that the charging point has been installed or serviced by a licensed professional.
Damage from cyberattacks. This is a new guarantee that also covers damage caused by cyber-attacks, something very important in this type of vehicle, since they usually have a lot of connected elements that can be a gateway for viruses and computer attacks that put the central system of the car at risk.
Transport via tow truck: Another important issue to take into account is the protection of the car when it has to be towed to the next charging station due to breakdown, battery discharge or simply because the battery has run out. Not all tow trucks are equipped to tow electric vehicles, which is why it is so important that the insurance includes any type of tow truck damage.
