Many of South Africa’s major vehicle insurers offer comprehensive cover for electric vehicles with no additional fees, but there is one case in which they might not pay out a claim that does not apply to regular cars.
Therefore, in the rare event that an EV does catch fire, it takes much longer to extinguish the flame, increasing the potential for further damage unless properly attended to by a fire brigade. Hollard Insurance, Naked Insurance, Outsurance, and Santam told us they provide comprehensive insurance for EVs and that their premiums do not have any additional special fees that are not charged on similar petrol or diesel cars.
On the flip side, premiums might also be lower for a specific EV model if its typical drivers have fewer accidents, either because they are more careful or because these cars have advanced safety and driver assistance systems.All the insurers said there are generally no specific exclusions for claims on these vehicles.
North said if an EV were damaged due to a power surge after electricity is restored following a total grid collapse, it would generally not be covered.