Tried the “sudden accidental damage” angle once when my Leaf’s battery just gave up after a weekend road trip. Didn’t get far. The adjuster basically said unless I could prove it was due to something like running over debris or a manufacturing defect, it’s still “wear and tear.” I even mentioned how it died overnight, but nope—still not dramatic enough.
Kinda wild how if a raccoon chews a wire, you’re golden, but if the battery just bites the dust, you’re on your own. Makes me wonder if anyone’s ever actually won that argument, or if it’s just insurance-speak for “nice try.” Maybe there’s some obscure clause out there, but from what I’ve seen, they stick to the script.
Honestly, at this point, I’m just budgeting for the inevitable battery swap down the line. Not ideal, but less stressful than fighting with claims folks who already have their answer ready.
Kinda wild how if a raccoon chews a wire, you’re golden, but if the battery just bites the dust, you’re on your own.
That’s exactly what gets me too. I’ve had similar conversations with my insurer about my Taycan—unless there’s some “event,” they just call it wear and tear. Even tried documenting every service and charging session, but it didn’t matter. If you want any shot at coverage, you basically need to show physical damage or a recall. Otherwise, budgeting for a replacement is just the safer bet. Not fun, but at least you know where you stand.
unless there’s some “event,” they just call it wear and tear.
Yeah, that’s been my experience too. Had a similar back-and-forth with my insurer about my i7. Here’s how it played out for me:
- Battery started losing range way faster than expected, but no “incident” to point to.
- Insurer basically shrugged—unless there’s a fire, flood, or some rodent decides to move in, it’s “normal degradation.”
- Even tried showing them the service records and charging logs, but they just said it’s not a covered loss.
Honestly, it feels a bit backwards. If a squirrel chews through a cable, you’re covered, but if the tech itself fails? Tough luck. I get that batteries wear out, but with how expensive replacements are, you’d think there’d be more support. At this point, I just factor battery replacement into the long-term cost, which isn’t ideal, but at least it’s predictable. Still, it stings a bit when you’re driving something that’s supposed to be “cutting edge.”
Yeah, it’s wild how a chewed wire is “an event” but a battery dropping dead isn’t. I had to laugh when my adjuster told me unless my Leaf’s battery actually exploded, it was just “life.” Guess I’ll start feeding the squirrels…
Yeah, it’s wild how a chewed wire is “an event” but a battery dropping dead isn’t. I had to laugh when my adjuster told me unless my Leaf’s battery actually exploded, it was just “life.” Guess I’ll start feeding the squirrels…
That made me smile—squirrels do seem to have more sway over insurance companies than we do sometimes. I’ve run into similar logic with my Taycan. The adjuster basically told me unless a rodent physically gnawed through something or there was some dramatic incident, battery degradation or failure is just considered normal wear and tear. It’s odd, given how central the battery is to an EV’s function. If the engine in a traditional car suddenly seized up at low mileage, I doubt they’d be so quick to call it “just life.”
I think part of the issue is that batteries are still seen as consumables, even though they’re the most expensive part of the car. My policy has a clause about “sudden and accidental damage,” but apparently that doesn’t cover sudden and accidental failure—unless it’s caused by an external force, like flood or fire. Internal faults? Not their problem.
It’s frustrating because you’d expect comprehensive coverage to actually be comprehensive. I get that regular wear and tear shouldn’t be covered, but if a battery fails prematurely due to a manufacturing defect or random internal short, it feels like insurance should step in. Instead, we’re left hoping the manufacturer’s warranty is still valid... and if not, well, time to start pricing out battery packs.
Funny enough, I did have an incident where a mouse chewed through some wiring in my previous S-Class hybrid. That was covered without hesitation—full repair paid out minus deductible. But if my current battery bricked itself tomorrow? Apparently not their concern.
Maybe one day insurers will catch up with the reality of EV ownership. Until then, guess we’re all at the mercy of both rodents and warranties.