Why English insurers reject Chinese electric cars

English insurers are difficult with Chinese electric cars. Not because they cause more damage than other cars, but because they are difficult and expensive to repair.

Some Chinese electric vehicles are difficult to insure in the UK, Auto Express has concluded following its own research. Others can only be insured for a horrendous premium.

Only three insurers

An example is the BYD seal. Across the Channel, only three insurers want to accept Chinese electric vehicles, albeit at an exorbitantly high premium.

No repair instructions

The problem is not with the Chinese cars themselves. Insurers say they are fine, but at the expense of repairs and spare parts. This is not entirely okay with Chinese brands.

Workshops work according to the vehicle manufacturer’s regulations. But there are no such regulations in the Chinese market, which is why many brands don’t have them either.

Difference in hourly wages with China

The difference in hourly wages would also play a role. If a Chinese driver damages a door, a large part of the side of the car is replaced because the cost is not that high.

How different it is in the UK, where not only are parts prices higher, but also the hourly wages of the technicians who have to carry out the work.

Auto Express writes that there have been several instances of British claims companies writing off Chinese electric vehicles due to relatively minor damage that would have been easily repaired on a European vehicle.

No problem in the Netherlands

What’s notable is that the UK’s National Body Repair Association is complaining about a shortage of parts, while in the Netherlands – an EU country – this doesn’t seem to be a problem at all.

So at the moment this seems to be mainly a UK problem. A Bovag spokesman told AD that he does not recognize the English situation in the Netherlands.