Spaargids.beBy 2030, an estimated two million electric cars will be on the road in our country. This requires an increasing number of charging points at home owners. But does its installation also have an impact on the premium of your fire insurance? Spaargids.be figure it out.
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By Kurt Deman, in collaboration with Spaargids.be
Latest update:
09:08
At the end of August 2021, electric cars represented barely 0.69% of all Belgian passenger cars. Febiac figures, however, point to a catching-up movement with a share of 4.9% of all new registrations in the first nine months of 2021. The fact that no new cars with a combustion engine will be registered from 2029 will undoubtedly give the electrification of our fleet an extra boost in the coming years. Jochen De Smet of EV Belgium, the sector federation for electric mobility, estimates that approximately two million electric cars will be on the road in our country by 2030.
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To facilitate this evolution, additional charging infrastructure is required. In addition to public charging points, the number of charging facilities at home will also increase significantly. Although we are quick to use the term charging station, it usually concerns charging points that the installer attaches to the wall.
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Tip: Installing a charging station at home: how much does it cost and what should you pay attention to?
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Risk probably not greater
Incidents involving a burning battery have made headlines several times in the past. Nevertheless, research by the Dutch IFV (Institute for Physical Safety) indicates that ‘the risk of fire in a parked electrically powered vehicle in a parking garage is probably no greater than in a vehicle powered by fossil fuels’. The study does indicate that the fire of a battery differs in terms of fire development and burning time from that of a petrol or diesel-powered vehicle. Fire prevention specialists recommend submerging the electric vehicle in a water container in the event of a fire. This is of course not always obvious and is also accompanied by the necessary costs.
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Notify a fire insurer?
If the charge point is located in or around the house, it is advisable to inform your fire insurer. That way you avoid underinsurance of your home. Since the insurer usually does not raise the premium when reporting a charge point (for the time being), you can only benefit from it.
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If your charge point is damaged by a fire or flood that is not directly linked to a charge, your insurance company will reimburse all damage. If the fire starts during a charge, your fire insurance will cover all consequential damage. If the cause is a defect in the charge point, the insurer will reimburse the consequential damage, but not the damage to the charge point. A procedure against the producer of the charge point may offer a solution via the legal expenses insurance.
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Which insurance is most suitable for you? Compare and simulate your fire insurance here
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What about communal garages?
If the fire takes place in the parking garage of an apartment building, the collective policy for the building – also known as a block policy – will cover the damage. In that case, the insurer will probably try to recover the paid amounts from a liable third party. In that case, depending on the circumstances, this concerns, for example, the manufacturer of the charging point or the compulsory car insurance for civil liability (BA).
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