The government is currently on target to ban the sale of petrol vehicles by 2030, and hybrid models by 2035. The ultimate goal is that all new car and van sales will be electric by 2035.
To help with these targets, the Department for Transport has announced the installation of 2,400 new chargepoints across England. This is working towards the overall goal of 300,000 chargepoints across the UK by 2030.
Data from electric car leasing company DriveElectric predicts that in 2023, there will be 448,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) bought and on the roads. This is a staggering increase from the 267,203 EVs bought in 2022.
If you're buying or have bought an electric vehicle, it's important to understand how your car insurance will differ from insuring a petrol or diesel car.
Here we explain how EV owners can get the best insurance deals.
Find out more:How does electric car insurance differ?
However, there are some extra things to consider with an EV, such as covering charging cables, adaptors and wall boxes for accidental damage, fire and theft. Some policies will also have cover for the battery itself.
Your breakdown cover will also have some differences. There's a chance that your car could break down due to lack of power, so you'll need to make sure your provider can help to get it powered up and to the nearest chargepoint.
Find out more:Do all insurers provide cover for an EV?
Most major car insurance providers will accommodate all electric vehicles.
Some will have specific policies that cover electric and hybrid cars, while others will just adapt their standard policy.
LV, for example, offers a specific policy that's designed for electric and hybrid vehicles. This includes the option to hire an electric car while yours is off the road.
It's worth seeking quotes from a range of insurers with specialised and non-specialised policies.
Find out more:The best electric car insurers
In November 2022, we surveyed thousands of car insurance customers who had recently made a claim on their policy. Our experts then analysed policies from dozens of providers.
Of these providers, LV and Direct Line provide electric-specific policies, while NFU Mutual, Churchill and Aviva don't.
LV and Direct Line aren't necessarily better for EV drivers; they have just chosen to separate out their offerings.
Switching from petrol to electric
If you're thinking of switching from a petrol or fossil-fuel car to an EV, your insurance shouldn’t be a reason not to.
There are other costs to consider. According to EV charger installation specialist Green Mile Electric, running an electric car can save you 6.8p per mile compared with a petrol car, but the installation of the chargepoint and cables can add up.
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source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/best-electric-car-insurance-providers-ay9nA0b7fQYa