Car Insurance For Electric Vehicles Explained

20 November 2018

You’ve taken the leap into electric vehicles, leaving behind petrol fumes and high bills at the forecourt lured by the prospect of low running costs, no vehicle tax, and low emissions. Or maybe you’re just considering ditching fuel tanks for plugs and are doing the maths, calculating whether the savings you can rack up with an EV, from the government’s rebate to lower servicing charges, can offset the higher initial outlay.

While electric vehicles are exempt from vehicle tax and from charges in London’s congestion zone, and you can rack up discounts on parking permits from many councils, you can’t avoid some of the standard costs of owning a vehicle. A major, unavoidable expense is for car insurance, which is a legal requirement for any vehicle using or even parked on public roads in the UK. If you’ve never sought out or arranged insurance for an electric vehicle, you might be baffled about where to start.

Cost and Providers:

You may heard electric vehicles are significantly more expensive to insure and that you’ll need to see out a specialist provider. It’s true that the market for electric vehicles, and therefore for insurance for electric vehicles, is still in its infancy. As of the end of September 2018, there are just 178,000 plug-in vehicles (including fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids) registered in the UK, out of a total of 37.3m vehicles on our roads. But the number is rising quickly: there were 5,000 new registrations of plug-in vehicles each month of 2018, while in 2014 just 400 new plug-in vehicles were being driven off lots.

With the increasing uptake of EVs and hybrids, especially in the run up to the 2040 ban on petrol and diesel vehicles, the cost and complication of insuring them will fall. Electric vehicle insurance policies will become standard fare from mainstream insurers.

Today, the higher purchase price of EVs drives up insurance premiums for them, as insurers need to consider to cost of replacing your vehicle if it’s stolen or damaged beyond repair.

But even now you might find insuring an electric vehicle might be comparable to, or even cheaper, than insuring a petrol- or diesel-powered car, owing to the small size and less powerful engines on EVs and the discounts some insurers can give you for driving environmentally-friendly cars.

However, the process of obtaining insurance quotes and policies for an electric vehicle is different than that for EVs and a rundown will be helpful as you start your electrically-powered journey.

What Impacts Cost of Insurance for Electric Vehicles:

You’re probably familiar with the features of a standard vehicle that can inflate, or reduce, your monthly premiums for its insurance, including its car insurance group, the size of its engine, and purchase price. For insuring electric vehicles, there’s a new calculus, accounting for who owns the battery and the risk posed by (not kidding) power cables.

leased batteries:

Some EV manufacturers like Renault and Clio offer motorists the option of buying the vehicle outright but leasing its battery, with a monthly fee and mileage agreement. These arrangements spare you the steep cost of replacing batteries when they lose functionality after a few years. But if you’re leasing the battery, you’ll need to inform your insurer when obtaining quotes, as a leased battery will affect who needs to be paid if your electric vehicle is written off. Additionally, some policies may not cover leased batteries.

power cables and liability:

Much like your smartphone, your electric vehicle will need to be charged, just with a very big cord. If you’re charging in your driveway or garage, you won’t have to worry about the cord trailing large distances. But if you’re charging your vehicle while it’s parked on the street or at a public charging station, that cord could pose a tripping hazard. When obtaining an insurance policy for your electric vehicle, you should ensure it provides enough liability cover to protect you if a member of the public face-plants over your cable.

fires from at-home charging:

If your electric vehicle or cable fire while plugged in in your driveway or garage you might wonder which insurance policy will pay out: your home insurance policy or the one for your car. That ultimately depends on where the fire originates, but the risk of an electric fault within your vehicle causing a fire that then destroys you home can push up premiums for car insurance for EVs.

green discounts:

Some insurers will offer discounts of up to 5% on your annual premiums as a reward for you driving an environmentally-friendly car. Others will make charitable donations to green causes in your name from your premiums or plant a certain number of trees.

Read Also:

Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

View all posts

Why Hiring Van is More Beneficial?

No matter how good and comfortable a car becomes nothing can be compared to the fun and luxury a van can give. There is a myth that cheap van rental does not exist. Well, if you feel the same, then this is a myth buster for you. Not to mention the brands, there are authentic car rental companies who are known to provide luxurious and affordable vehicles on rent. However, there are other misconceptions regarding renting a van. The following benefit for renting van might help in eradicating those misconceptions. Affordable: If affordability is what you are concerned about then hiring a van rather than hiring two cars for your family trip, would be much more convenient. Even if you want to cut more on your rental expenses you can choose from the wide range of vehicles that are offered at the rental agencies with a different price. Older brands are more affordable as compare to the new brands which provide almost present the same uses. Thus, opting for cheap van rentals would be wallet friendly. Lower mileage vehicles: When a group of people leaves for road trips everybody wants leisure and relaxation. Vans are the best option for those who like to drive on an average speed. Mostly the road trips are driven through the highways; meanwhile, the mileage can be increased to a certain comfort level accordingly. Extra head and hand space: Needless to say, a van will have huge space as compared to a sedan and SUV. Hiring a van from a cheap van rental will give you extra head space which means you will not hit your head if your stand straight (although, if you are of average height). There will more accommodation for multiple people to fit in with aloft space and rooms. There is van of different sizes and shapes such as a cargo van, passenger van or a minivan. Multiple Storage Option: Big vans are just convenient for long road trips to be it for single, double or family use. Big van such as caravan comes with two to three sets of conversion beds. The van consists of one to two mini refrigerators, multiple cabinets for storing essentials and belongings and a mini restroom. Few conversion vans also have barn-style wings which give more space for storing small utilities. Custom Conversion: One of the best parts of certain cheap van rental is that they can be transformed into different conversions accordingly. Even after being admired by many, only few could buy them because of their price. However, renting such van for a trip would be no harm. While renting a vehicle one can demand the agency to make certain custom conversions in the same which might include some extra charges. The agency can transform a cargo van into a single use homey living space. As a result, this can help in cutting the cost of motels that one might incur to spend their nights. Buying a van for a family trip might not be a piece of cake but renting one is definitely. Many car and van renting companies offer astonishing services at affordable prices. Read Aslo: Car Insurance For Electric Vehicles Explained Tips For Renting A Wheelchair Van At Your Destination

LED Light Bars: Are They Worth It?

If you have to travel a lot and mostly at night, you must know how frustrating it is when you pass through dimly lit roads and areas and are unable to see the roads correctly. Other than being very irritating, frustrating, and difficult, improper lighting lowers your vision of the road and makes it very unsafe for you to drive. To recover from these types of problems, LED light bars are a great savior of the situation. You will not be able to see the speed breakers or animals, or obstacles on the road. This is why most road accidents occur at night, due to less visibility. Moreover, the lack of proper vision increases the chances of you running into mud puddles, trash dumps, or excavation in the earth. This means great damage to your vehicle as well. A quick and easy solution is getting LED light bars installed on your vehicle. What Are The LED Bars? With the advancement in technology, the automotive industry strives to provide the best vehicle technology. One such new and rapidly growing advancement is the LED light bar. LED bars are basically rows of LED light bars to provide better illumination benefits to vehicles such as cars, racing cars, trucks, boats, and other heavy vehicles. Even now, many led light bars for trucks are easily available in the market. So do not hesitate to buy the lights which will go to satisfy your car need. Mostly, LED bars are mostly found on trucks and cars nowadays. If you want to buy an LED bar for your truck, we suggest you buy 20 inches LED light bar online from Sunyee. Sunyee will not disappoint you with its efficient, strong, long-lasting, and unbeatable products at stunning prices. Check them out for products at prices you will not be able to find anywhere else. Related: Why You Should Invest In Custom LED Light Signs For A Space Are LED Light Bars Worth It? The biggest question that pops in your head when you learn about LED bars is, are LED bars really worth it? The answer is yes! There are several reasons that make LED bars worth the money. Maybe you already know where to buy led light bars? But before selecting the light bars, always know their purposes first. 1. Better Visibility A very obvious reason, but the major function of an LED bar is to provide the driver with extended vision. LED bars allow a wide, better, extended, and much brighter beam of light that illuminates the road much better than standard headlights. As compared to halogen lights, LED lights have a much better result and brightness as well. Moreover, LED lights give a white light, while other options, such as halogen lights, give a yellow beam. Even during natural calamity situations like rainfall and ice fall, these LED light bars are functioning. And ensure better visibility for the drivers. 2. Efficient And Long Life LED bars are a game changer due to their amazing results. LED bars have a much better result than other alternates. They have a lifespan that is twenty times more than that of halogen bulbs. This means that a halogen headlight will give you a 1000-hour lifespan while an LED bar will give you a 20,000-hour lifespan. This is the reason why LED lights have taken over the industry rapidly. 3. Safe To Use With a brighter and wider vision that LED bars allow you to have, driving at night has become safer. Even when you go to roads that are scarcely lit, and the road might have obstacles in the way, you will safely be able to get through without causing harm to yourself or anything else. Halogen lights are heavy and relatively fragile compared to LED light bars. So if you are thinking of making your journey safer, always select these light bars. 4. Energy Saviour LED light bars are incredibly efficient and durable. Every light bar's lifespan is almost 20 times longer than the regular car halogens. : LED light bars also do not consume a large amount of energy. So there is no chance of the excess consumption of energy. The draining will be much lesser, so only 260 percent of the car battery drainage is possible. These batteries consume less amount of energy, and it’s also very long-lasting. Nearly all individual LED light bars can stay up to 20,000 hours. So if you like to have long-lasting energy savior light bars, this will be your perfect pick. Related: How to Choose LED Lights for Every Room in Your Home Save Energy! With Car LED Light Bars The LED light bars are making the work easy for individual drivers. The facts are if you want to have a long-lasting light bar, then these bar lights will be perfect. The light coverage areas will be much higher. So your visualizations will improve. What are you thinking? Are you thinking we are missing out on some of the points? Do not forget to share your opinion through the comment sections. Additionals: Tips To Buy The Best Honda Car5 Proven Tips To Keep Your Car in Perfect ConditionHere Are A few Of The Benefits Of The LED Strip Lights

What is Driver CPC Certification and Who is Required to obtain it?

Every professional driver operating a bus, lorry, or a coach needs to get a driver CPC certification. The certification contains standards followed during driver training as well as continuing education for career professionals. The purpose of requiring drivers to undergo this certification is to ensure proficiency and competency on the job. What is the Primary training of drivers for CPC certification? CPC stands for Certificate of Professional Competence and to all domains of you can apply it. All professional drivers who fall in the category of C or D license. If you are a new driver and live in Sheffield, and this is your first time to undergo CPC certification, you’ll need to find a course for Driver CPC in Sheffield providing initial training. The instruction includes sufficient preparation for testing theories and applying practical skills. If you don’t go through the initial qualification process, you won’t be able to proceed to obtain a commercial driver’s licence. Who is required to take periodic training? Once a driver completes initial CPC training, a card is presented confirming that all legal requirements were met. This card is valid for the next five years. Once the card is about to expire on its fifth year of validity, drivers have to undergo periodic training to renew certification. Periodic training is necessary for maintaining competency and development. Each recurrent training consists of 35 hours in the classroom administered by accredited training providers. Training providers typically customise the programmes to meet the needs of their clients. Some clients may require their drivers to have training on emergency procedures for road safety, while there are others that may require additional training on how to handle volatile products like petroleum. Who needs a driver CPC certification? The critical identifier that a driver CPC certification is necessary is when a driver is a professional driver. But there are some exceptions which typically involve non-professional drivers. Those who drive the following types of vehicles for a living need CPC certification: Heavy equipment used in construction Buses operating on local and regional routes Coaches Tipper trucks Bin lorries Articulated lorries Aside from the drivers, operators also need to obtain CPC certification. But the training for operators is different from that of drivers. Exceptions to CPC certification: The law has built-in guidelines on who is exempt from taking CPC certification. There are professional drivers and non-professional drivers who may be exempt according to these guidelines. Professional drivers exempt from obtaining a CPC certification are: Professional drivers driving vehicles in the armed forces, police, fire service, and civil defence. Professional bus drivers who don’t receive compensation for their service and the vehicle has less than 19 seating capacity. You are driving a qualified vehicle, but only doing so for personal purposes. Vehicles driven for rescue or emergency operations. These are only a few of the exemptions in the list of those required to get a CPC certification. It is essential that you review the complete list and guidelines to know if your driving activity will also need a driver CPC certification. Read Also: How To Shop For A Car With Your Teen Driver? How Do Self-Driving Cars Really Compare To Human Drivers In Terms Of Safety?

Car Insurance For Electric Vehicles Explained

Cost and Providers: