What You Should Know About Electric Car Insurance
There are plenty of reasons to avoid jumping out of your gas-guzzler and onto the electric car bandwagon. One obvious downside of electric cars is their limited range; battery capacity on most production electric cars limits them to about 200 to 300 miles per charge.
Charging stations have yet to achieve the ubiquity of gas stations and can be hard to find, especially in rural areas. And even if you do find a charging station, most electric cars take more than an hour to fully charge (compared with the three minutes it takes to fill your gas tank). So if you’re trying to do long-haul road trips, an electric car might not be the best option for you.
But once you experience the breathtaking power and acceleration of an electric car firsthand, you may find yourself willing to look past some of those shortcomings.
If you are considering making the switch but you’re not sure what it means for your wallet, here’s what you need to know about electric car insurance and repairs.
Coverage
Today’s electric cars offer torquey thrills while lowering your fuel costs significantly and helping the environment. Some electric cars, like the latest test models from Tesla, even have the ability to drive themselves.
But from an insurance perspective, gas and electric cars are not all that different, according to Tom Darling, a Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent in San Antonio. Driving an electric car won’t affect your risk of loss due to theft or hail. And whether you get into an accident due to driver error, traffic, or weather conditions, the odds of needing to file a claim are the same whether or not your car is electric.
Repairs
The cost and convenience of repairs is something you’ll want to consider when purchasing an electric car. Many models can currently only be serviced by their own dealerships; proprietary digital technology makes it easy for your local repair shop to do more harm than good when they get under the hood of your electric car.
Because many repair services for electric cars are only available from the manufacturer, they can exceed what it costs to fix a typical gasoline-powered car. These higher repair costs may also be factored into your electric car insurance premium.
Claims
Darling says the claims process for electric car insurance is the same as for any other claim. If you are involved in an accident, you’ll need to find a repair facility that works on your brand of electric car. With Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, you can take the car to any shop you prefer. A Texas Farm Bureau Insurance adjuster will contact the shop and work out the details for your repairs, as with any other claim.
Considering buying an electric car? Contact your Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent to add a lightning-powered hot rod to your current plan and enjoy the same coverage benefits you get with other vehicles, including discounts for academic achievement, airbags, and alarms.
Coverage and discounts are subject to qualifications and policy terms and may vary by situation. © 2019 Texas Farm Bureau Insurance
