Electric car insurance claims are costing about 14% more than petrol cars
By Nikhil Yelligetti · Wednesday, 7 October 2026 at 9:10 pm · 4 min read · 0 views
Policybazaar data puts the average electric-car claim at ₹41,543, against ₹36,185 for a similar petrol or diesel car. That is the size of claims, not a rule that every EV premium is 14% higher.
Insurance claims on electric cars are settling higher than claims on petrol and diesel cars in a similar price band. Policybazaar's comparison, reported on 7 October 2026, puts the average EV claim at ₹41,543 and the average petrol or diesel claim at ₹36,185. The gap is about 14%.
2023 Mahindra XUV400 electric SUV in Jamshedpur. Photo: Ank Kumar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The claim figures below are an insurer's average, not a quote for this car.
The set is narrow. It covers cars in their first three years, priced between ₹10 lakh and ₹15 lakh, and it leaves out very large losses. It describes what claims cost, not a flat 14% loading on every EV premium in Mumbai or Pune.
Why is the monsoon number higher?
In the same data, EV claims during the monsoon average about ₹65,000, against about ₹52,000 in the rest of the year. Water in a battery pack, a connector or a cooling system is a different repair from a dent. Battery cover, among owners in that first-three-year group, moved from 51% to 70% in six months. About 80% of those EV owners take at least two add-ons. The comparable share is about 75% for petrol cars.
A battery can be 40% to 50% of the car's price, depending on the model. Before you pick the cheapest EV policy, read whether battery damage and water damage are covered, whether the charger is included, and what zero-depreciation actually replaces.
The figures are from Policybazaar data reported by ET Auto. A claim is not the same job as a scheduled visit, which still sits with periodic car service.