Electrification has taken the automotive industry by storm, expanding rapidly over the past few years to the point that there are tens of thousands in driveways across Tulsa. Making the switch to an EV offers cleaner transportation as well as plenty of financial savings, especially for the long term. However, the rise of EVs also means the rise of home chargers. What happens if your EV charging station causes a fire in your garage? Does your homeowners insurance provide coverage? That’s what we’re here to help you figure out today, as we discuss the risks of EV charger fires and whether or not you’re covered.
Is There a Fire Risk When EV Charging?
The good news is that the home charging station for your EV that you’ve already installed at home – or are considering adding – doesn’t pose a significantly higher fire risk than any other electrical system in your home. And despite mainstream media coverage, EVs themselves actually catch on fire significantly less than traditional gas-powered vehicles. So if either of these fears were keeping you from making the swap to an electric vehicle, you can reconsider.
However, the danger is what happens if an EV does catch fire. Thanks in large part to their high-capacity lithium-ion batteries, if an EV does catch fire it burns extremely hot and is nearly impossible to extinguish. As long as you take care of your vehicle and charging station, checking and always addressing any of the concerns that follow, fires shouldn’t be much of a concern. But here are some of the common causes of EV charger fires:
- Faulty wiring
- Improper installation
- Damaged charging cables
- Overloaded circuits
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover EV Charger Fires?
Even though these fires are incredibly rare, the risk is not nonexistent, and you should always ensure that you’re covered for any eventuality you can reasonably predict. This is precisely why it’s important to determine whether or not your standard homeowners insurance policy covers EV charger fires. So, does it? Well, the short answer is that it depends.
The vast majority of standard policies cover fire damage, including fires caused by appliances or electrical systems. That means that as long as your EV charging station is permanently installed and considered part of your home’s structure, it should be covered under your dwelling protection. There are definitely some things you need to consider before just assuming you’re covered and moving on, though.
- As with anything that you add to your home, you should disclose that you’ve installed an EV charger on your property. This gives you an opportunity to ensure that your coverage will include it in the event of a fire, and also covers your bases so it’s not a surprise to your insurer if something does happen.
- Some policies have coverage limits, so consider the cost of your charging station and ensure that its value would be covered if you have a certain limit. If it’s a particularly expensive unit or installation, you may want to consider increasing your coverage to accommodate.
- You should also consider whether or not liability coverage is a part of your policy, as it would become crucial if a fire were to cause injury or spread to a neighbor’s property.
- If your EV charger is installed in a detached garage or carport, it would fall under your other structures coverage rather than your dwelling protection. You would need to check that part of your policy instead to ensure that you’re properly covered.
Get Help at Glover Family Independent Insurance
Here at Glover Family Independent Insurance, we can help you determine whether or not your particular EV charger setup is covered under your current policy. If it isn’t, or if you don’t yet have any coverage at all, we can help you find the right policy to suit all of your needs. Just give us a call and we’d be happy to get started!