Electric car insurance: does it cost more than for a combustion vehicle?
Which insurance is worth taking out for an electric car? And how much does it cost to insure an electric car? Comparis provides the information.
09.10.2026
iStock/EunikaSopotnicka
1. Which car insurance do I need for an electric car in Switzerland?
When it comes to insurance for electric car in Switzerland, the same rules apply as for cars with internal combustion engines. Liability insurance is mandatory. Partial or full casco insurance for electric cars is optional.
Liability insurance: Covers property damage and personal injury to third parties.
Partial casco insurance: Covers damage to your own car that you didn’t cause.
Full casco insurance: Covers damage to your own car that you caused.
Which insurance is worthwhile depends, among other things, on the age and current value of the vehicle.
Is battery insurance for electric cars a good idea?
Many manufacturers provide a warranty on the electric car’s battery. The warranty period is usually up to eight years and is often limited to a certain mileage. The warranty usually covers manufacturing defects and a significant loss of capacity.
What is not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty?
Battery damage caused by external influences are not usually covered by the warranty. Partial or full casco insurance for electric cars usually also covers damage that is not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty.
With some providers, you also get a special battery insurance policy. In addition to the manufacturer’s warranty and casco insurance, it covers, for example, damage caused by:
operating errors
deep discharge and overvoltage
malfunction of the charger
With some providers, these risks are already covered under electric car insurance. With others, battery insurance is an add-on module.
Is my charging station insured?
Do you have your own charging station or Wallbox? If so, you can usually insure these together with your electric car – usually as additional cover, in some cases, it is also included in the electric car insurance. Insurance for the charging station covers, for example, theft and damage caused by collision or a Lightning strike.
Good to know: First, check whether the home contents or buildings insurance covers the damage. This is often the case, especially with permanently installed wall boxes.
The costs for this add-on vary from insurer to insurer. It’s definitely worth comparing.
2. Is insurance cheaper for an electric car than for a combustion-engine car?
How much an electric car insurance policy costs depends on various factors – as is also the case with combustion engines. This includes your place of residence, your age and the model of your car, for example. Your chosen insurance cover also has an impact.
Good to know: Some insurers offer you discounts with an electric or hybrid car eco-discounts. Others cover, for example, the battery and charging station under the casco insurance policy. When comparing electric car insurance, it is therefore best not only to compare the price, but the entire package.
Comparis has calculated the insurance premiums for electric cars and comparable models with combustion engines. The result: In 70% of cases, the Electric car insurance is cheaper. For experienced drivers, insurance premiums are even cheaper in 88% of cases.
For many people, the question of insurance costs is a decisive factor when choosing between an electric car and a combustion vehicle. Our analysis shows that it is not possible to make a blanket statement about whether there is an advantage or a disadvantage – it depends very much on the profile of the driver.
For young drivers the following applies: In 52% of the cases compared, electric car insurance is cheaper than insurance for cars with a combustion engine. Young men save the most with a «Hyundai Kona Electric»: in Zurich, they pay 17% less, and in Ticino, 18% less. Young women save the most with a «Peugeot 208 Electric» in Basel, at about 18%.
The difference can be even bigger depending on the driver’s profile.
Electric car insurance is often more expensive for young drivers
In 48% of cases, young drivers pay more for electric car insurance, however, than than for a combustion vehicle. In some cases, they pay a third more than for a petrol or diesel car. That’s up to 951 francs per year.
The reason: statistically, young drivers cause accidents more frequently than older people. Car insurance expert Harry Büsser explains this: «One reason for this is that young drivers underestimate the acceleration of electric vehicles in city traffic.»
Comparis has compared the insurance premiums of 7 electric vehicles and 7 comparable combustion-engine cars. All the vehicles examined were first registered in 2025. The equipment amounted to 10% of the vehicle value in each case.
The following vehicle pairs were selected:
| Electric car | Price of electric car | Combustion-engine equivalent | Price of combustion vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Škoda Enyaq 85 estate 5-door | CHF 51’400 | Škoda Kodiaq 2.0 TSI Selection 4×4 | CHF 53’850 |
| Volvo EX40 Electric 70 kWh Essential | CHF 51’850 | Volvo XC40 Mild Hybrid Plus Dark DCT | CHF 58’700 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 estate 5-door | CHF 54’700 | Mercedes-Benz GLA 200 7G-DCT | CHF 54’400 |
| BMW iX1 eDrive 20 | CHF 52’200 | BMW X1 sDrive 20i 48V | CHF 53’000 |
| VW ID.3 Pro 52 kWh | CHF 33’300 | VW Golf 1.5 eTSI mHEV Base DSG | CHF 31’400 |
| Peugeot 208 Electric 100kW Style | CHF 26’490 | Peugeot 208 1.2 MHEV 100 Allure | CHF 26’350 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric EV 48.4kWh Origo | CHF 42’900 | Hyundai Kona 1.6 T-GDi Amplia 4WD DCT | CHF 42’900 |
Status: August 2025
For each combination, Full casco premiums were calculated using the following parameters:
Cover: Full casco including parking damage and no-claims bonus protection
Deductible: CHF 0 (partial casco) / CHF 1’000 (collision casco)
Mileage: 12’000 km/year
Time of premium calculation: July 2025
Vehicle status: New car with 10% special equipment (default)
Usage: Private, garage at home, no incidents
Profiles:
Female, 20 years old, driving licence for 2 years
Female, 30 years old, driving licence for 12 years
Male, 20 years old, driving licence for 2 years
Male, 30 years old, driving licence for 12 years
Cities: Zurich, Winterthur, Basel, Bern, Biel, Lucerne, Lausanne, Geneva, St. Gallen, Ticino
Insurance: AXA, Elvia, Allianz, Zurich, Generali, Smile, Baloise, Helvetia, PostFinance, TCS
3. Conclusion: car insurance for electric vs combustion engine vehicles – who pays more?
For electric cars, the insurance premiums are often cheaper than for cars with a combustion engine. However, it also depends heavily on your driver profile.
Before taking out a policy, take a close look at the insurance conditions. If you have to insure your battery or charging station separately, you’ll have to pay more.
It’s worth looking at the overall package: in addition to insurance, the purchase price, maintenance, energy and tax costs also play a role. If you take all factors into account, you can save several thousand francs per year.
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This article was first published on 06.07.2023
