What about my insurance if I have a charging station?
For some who switch to an electric car and wish to install a charging solution, there's sometimes some apprehension about insurance issues if one has a home charger. Questions such as, ‘Will insurance premiums increase if I have a charging station at home?’, ‘Will my insurance cover any damage caused by the charging station?’ , ‘Which insurance covers what type of damage?’ or even ‘Do I need to take out additional insurance?’.
In this blogpost, we list the different scenarios and associated insurances to keep you fully informed!
But rest assured: The chances of you ever encountering such situations are extremely low, provided you always have your charging station(s) installed by a recognised installer!
TIP: It is highly recommended to inform your insurance company that you have had a home charging station installed!
1. Fire damage to the charging station caused by the charging station itself
Does the charging station develop a short circuit and cause a fire? Then this is usually covered by your fire insurance, provided the charging station is correctly installed by a recognised installer and in accordance with the AREI (General Regulations on Electrical Installations). It is advisable to inform your insurer in advance that you have a charging station at home. In such claims, insurers may ask for an inspection certificate. At Pluginvest, the inspection report is always delivered to the customer, so that one is always in order with regard to this.
2. Other damage to the charging station due to its use
A fault during charging, such as a poorly connected cables or an overload, or due to vandalism, storms, flooding or a collision can lead to damage to the charging station. This therefore does not mean that the charging station will catch fire, but it is possible that the charging station will stop functioning as a result.
Dit kan dThis may be covered by your fire insurance or electrical installation insurance, depending on your contract. Your charging station will then have to be included in the policy. If in doubt, we recommend carefully going over your insurance contract or speaking to your broker about it.
3. Fire damage from charging station to residence or collective garage
If a charging station causes a fire that spreads to the house or a garage in an apartment building, the fire insurance of the house or block policy of the building For flats, it is important that the charging station is mentioned in the block policy. Sometimes, the insurer requires prior notification when installing a charging station in common parts.
4. Fire damage caused by an electric vehicle catching fire while charging
If the vehicle itself catches fire while it's charging, basically the vehicle owner's auto insurance will intervene (‘third party liability'). If the damage spreads to a residence or building, the vehicle's third-party insurance will cover consequential damage. But the cause must be clear. Was it the charging station? Then it becomes a matter for your home insurance or block policy.
5. Will your fire insurance or block policy become more expensive after installing a charging station?
No! At many insurance companies, your insurance will not become more expensive.
However, as mentioned earlier, it is strongly recommended to always report the installation of a charging station to your insurance company.
In apartment blocks, the block policy might be modified. However, if several charge points are installed in the communal car park at once, without additional fire safety measures such as smoke detection, an emergency stop button, fire compartmentation or extra ventilation, it is more likely that the block policy will be slightly more expensive. These are things Pluginvest can relieve you of!
For such large projects, be sure to get proper advice from your insurer as well.
Conclusion
To make sure you are always in order with the insurance if you have one or more charging stations at home or in the car park of your apartment building, we suggest to keep these important tips in mind:
It is strongly recommended to report your charging station to your insurance company.
Always have the charging station installed by a recognised installer who will install it according to the AREI.
Always make sure you receive an inspection report from an independent inspection body. An installer is not allowed to carry out an inspection himself!
Want to be sure? Contact your insurance company or broker beforehand. That way you can avoid unpleasant surprises or discussions if something should ever go wrong!
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