Most insurance companies will not cover your home
If you charge your electric car near or in it. Check your policy!
ninalanyon · 61-69, T
That's certainly not the case here. Anyway, the risk is extremely low. I can think of only one incident involving an electric car being charged at home in Norway that could have damaged the house and that was just some minor external scorching. It was also not a failure inside the car but something to do with the connectors or cables.
And we have far more EVs per head of population than any other country so if it were a serious risk we would have noticed by now.
Insurance companies do however reserve the right to reduce the payout somewhat if they find that the charging method was unsafe. The rule here is that very occasional charging using a normal domestic socket is allowed but that if you charge regularly then you must use a dedicated charging box that uses connectors designed specifically for the purpose and has proper protective relays.
And we have far more EVs per head of population than any other country so if it were a serious risk we would have noticed by now.
Insurance companies do however reserve the right to reduce the payout somewhat if they find that the charging method was unsafe. The rule here is that very occasional charging using a normal domestic socket is allowed but that if you charge regularly then you must use a dedicated charging box that uses connectors designed specifically for the purpose and has proper protective relays.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@ninalanyon In the UK (I was told by an EV owner), not only use the correst equipment; but the fully-installed charger has to have its own "smart" meter separately from the ordinary domestic ring-mains meter. So it has to be installed professionally, or at least inspected and cleared for use if a DIY installation.
Otherwise very likely your home insurance would be null and void.
I don't know but suspect the separate meter is to allow for possible future taxing of vehicle electricity as with liquid fuels. That will have to happen somehow, sooner or later, and presumably it is already VAT-rated; but I don't suppose anyone has decided if, how and when yet to apply any tax parallel to Fuel Duty. Though I think it safe to assume that if it can be done simply, it won't be!
Otherwise very likely your home insurance would be null and void.
I don't know but suspect the separate meter is to allow for possible future taxing of vehicle electricity as with liquid fuels. That will have to happen somehow, sooner or later, and presumably it is already VAT-rated; but I don't suppose anyone has decided if, how and when yet to apply any tax parallel to Fuel Duty. Though I think it safe to assume that if it can be done simply, it won't be!
ninalanyon · 61-69, T
@ArishMell I'm very sceptical about the extra meter being a requirement. I'll see if I can find any info about that, we certainly don't need it here and it would be an absurdly expensive way of gathering the information when it the mileage that is already recorded at every MOT could be used for the same purpose.
Good grief you are correct! It didn't take long to find.
https://abd.org.uk/new-law-means-road-pricing-is-unjustified/
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/1467/regulation/5/made
The UK government (of all political stripes) seems to have an inexhaustible appetite for making life more complicated than necessary. The equivalent proposal here is to use the odometer readings. This is easy because the information is already gathered and doesn't require anyone except the tax authorities to do anything at all.
Good grief you are correct! It didn't take long to find.
https://abd.org.uk/new-law-means-road-pricing-is-unjustified/
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/1467/regulation/5/made
The UK government (of all political stripes) seems to have an inexhaustible appetite for making life more complicated than necessary. The equivalent proposal here is to use the odometer readings. This is easy because the information is already gathered and doesn't require anyone except the tax authorities to do anything at all.
ElwoodBlues · M
I've been googling, and I can't find clear support for this claim. I DID find evidence that electric car fires are MUCH less common than gasoline car fires.
According to recent data, EVs experience about 25 fires per 100,000 vehicles, compared to 1,500 fires per 100,000 ICE vehicles annually. While less common, EV fires are more complex and challenging to manage due to factors like high temperatures, toxic gas emissions, and prolonged combustion. -- Jan 13, 2025
https://www.blazestack.com/blog/8-differences-between-ev-and-internal-combustion-engine-vehicle-fires
According to recent data, EVs experience about 25 fires per 100,000 vehicles, compared to 1,500 fires per 100,000 ICE vehicles annually. While less common, EV fires are more complex and challenging to manage due to factors like high temperatures, toxic gas emissions, and prolonged combustion. -- Jan 13, 2025
https://www.blazestack.com/blog/8-differences-between-ev-and-internal-combustion-engine-vehicle-fires
Captain · 61-69, M
Dont know ?
SomeMichGuy · M
Or burn ANY car inside an attached garage...learned THAT one the hard way...
SomeMichGuy · M
@Tastyfrzz lol Sorry, a joke.
However, a local yokel, as a teen, had discovered matches and was setting fire to bits of hay in a small-but-deep building on his grandfather's farm.
I pointed out the number of gas tanks around on a variety of farm, yard, recreational vehicles and got out of there before he could be even more stupid...
...which happened as fire trucks went there and black smoke billowed up from that building.
He was not the sharpest tool in any shed, even if he were the only one to be found in some shed.
However, a local yokel, as a teen, had discovered matches and was setting fire to bits of hay in a small-but-deep building on his grandfather's farm.
I pointed out the number of gas tanks around on a variety of farm, yard, recreational vehicles and got out of there before he could be even more stupid...
...which happened as fire trucks went there and black smoke billowed up from that building.
He was not the sharpest tool in any shed, even if he were the only one to be found in some shed.
bijouxbroussard · F
Wonder why someone downvoted ? Do they think you’re mistaken ? 🤔
Tastyfrzz · 61-69, M
@bijouxbroussard I looked it up and it is true.
bijouxbroussard · F
@Tastyfrzz I believe you, just wondered what their deal was.