As innovative brands like Tesla continue to advance in technological developments, accessibility to consumers and sales, the popularity of electric cars continues to grow steadily, as well. There were close to zero electric cars on the road anywhere in the world in 2010. That may seem hard to believe now, as the global stock total topped 7.2 million in 2019 — and that’s not even including new car sales so far in 2020. 2019 recorded 2.1 million electric passenger car sales, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reports, culminating in a global stock total of 7.2 million electric and plug-in hybrid passenger cars — more than doubling the international stock total in just two years — up from 3.2 million in 2017. With this explosive growth in a new market comes a need — or opportunity — for new insurance products. There are many factors to consider in car shopping, including price, fuel costs, safety and more. In shopping for an electric car, these main considerations are much the same — but what about insurance coverage? Insurance basics for electric cars According to Allstate, auto insurance policies for electric cars aren’t much different than traditional coverage for standard fuel-run vehicles. One additional consideration drivers should consider, however, pertains to more than just your new battery-charged ride. According to Allstate, the installation of vehicle charging stations may affect homeowners’ insurance policies. The American Association of Insurance Services reports that laws in at least two states (Oregon and California) require some homeowners and condo owners to have liability coverage that protects the charging equipment. Where electric cars dominate the roadways Insurers should take note of where electric cars are most populated. Breaking down electric car ownership by region, China dominates the market. According to the IEA’s 2019 Global Outlook report, China accounted for more than half of electric car sales globally in 2019, and 3.35 million of the global total to-date. Europe takes second place with 560,000 sales, followed by the United States, with roughly 330,000 electric passenger cars sold in 2019. Despite rapid year-over-year growth, electric cars and plug-in hybrids accounted for just 2.6% of global passenger car sales in 2019, according to the IEA’s 2019 Outlook. Looking at 2020, the IEA expects electric cars to outperform the automobile industry as a whole this year. Sales of electric cars are expected to be in line with 2019’s total, while the global passenger car market is expected to decline by 15%, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say. Facing the latter-half of 2020, a new report from Statista sourced data from Clean Technica to determine the estimated sales of electric vehicles from January through June 2020 and rank the best-selling models in the first half of 2020. |
Commercial Auto
Around the P&C Insurance Industry: November 20, 2024
Porsche Auto Insurance:Launched an unlimited insurance product for high-mileage Porsche owners driving over 10,000 miles annually. This complements their pay-per-mile policies, allowing owners to choose fixed premiums or mileage-based options. Multiple vehicles on a single policy can also have mixed coverage. Safeco Insurance:Entered a book transfer agreement with Main Street America Insurance, enhancing its personal lines presence in 22 states. Main Street America is shifting focus to commercial lines, including commercial products and bonds. Resilient Cities Network & Tokio Marine Group:Partnered to bolster urban resilience projects. The collaboration supports the Resilience Finance Taskforce, helping cities globally scale investment strategies for resilience and climate adaptation. Skyward Specialty Insurance Group:Introduced life sciences liability coverage tailored for the life sciences industry, addressing risks such as medical liability, errors and omissions, and general liability. This strategic move supports the complex insurance needs of healthcare innovators. AAIS Partner Program:Welcomed Sproutr, offering AAIS members access to tools and services that streamline operations and foster growth in insurance processes. Duck Creek Technologies:Opened its second Center of Excellence in Warsaw, Poland, enhancing global customer service capabilities, particularly in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions. Liberty Mutual & Coursera:Launched an entry-level course, Insurance Sales Agent, to train learners in risk management, sales, and ethical practices, equipping them for careers in insurance sales. World Insurance Associates:Acquired United Counties Insurance Group of Old Bridge, NJ, expanding its regional operations. Previsico:Unveiled Instacasting, a flood mitigation solution using rainfall data for real-time surface water flood predictions, enabling faster and more precise response strategies.