Car insurance firms unprepared for electric vehicles

Mon, 28 Mar 2011

Many major car insurance providers are unprepared for the arrival of electric vehicles in the UK, a new study has found.

An investigation by TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk reveals that many insurers as well as comparison websites are unable to offer quotes for fully electric cars .

It tested the websites of ten of the country's biggest car insurers and found that six of these had no option for quotes on an electric vehicle .

When these companies were then telephoned for a quote, just two were able to give a price over the phone.

Meanwhile, just two of the four biggest price comparison websites are able to quote for electric cars with two of the websites' forms requiring a confirmation of whether the car was petrol or diesel and requested engine size in litres.

The investigation also revealed vast fluctuations in quotes for electric cars, many well above that for an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle.

TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk editor Faye Sunderland said: "Things will get better as electric cars become more prevalent on the road and premiums should start to come down.

"While electric cars may be likely to cost more to insure than an equivalent petrol model, the difference shouldn't be eye-watering."

Electric cars now available on the UK market include the Nissan Leaf, Peugeot iOn and Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
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