EV fire on ship.

[Fordup]

I see most homeowners insurance policies don't cover ev damages should your house burn down from a fire in one. You should check your policy because there are adders for coverage on EVs. Usually auto insurance won't cover it either and the charging equipment is also a grey area .

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[WhyNot21]

I see most homeowners insurance policies don't cover ev damages should your house burn down from a fire in one. You should check your policy because there are adders for coverage on EVs. Usually auto insurance won't cover it either and the charging equipment is also a grey area .

If your vehicle catches on fire, EV or ICE, it is not covered by homeowners insurance. You need auto insurance for that. The house portion is covered by homeowners insurance, but you should check your individual policy. Doesn't matter if EV or ICE.

The only caution for EV's, is be careful installing a charger. You may need to prove it was installed to code, which a permit should ensure. But that is the case for any electrical fire that is deemed the cause.

 

[got3fords]

I like how some of the commenters say that since the origin of the fire was unknown, we shouldn't bad mouth EV's. It doesn't matter how it started, it spread to EV batteries, and that's what's bad!

 

[Fordup]

If your vehicle catches on fire, EV or ICE, it is not covered by homeowners insurance. You need auto insurance for that. The house portion is covered by homeowners insurance, but you should check your individual policy. Doesn't matter if EV or ICE.

The only caution for EV's, is be careful installing a charger. You may need to prove it was installed to code, which a permit should ensure. But that is the case for any electrical fire that is deemed the cause.

Mine covers my 2 current ice vehicles but I need additional fire coverage if I get an ev with indoors charging station. Wonder if evs burn hotter or fumes compromise the fire rated wall materials. The EV would be covered by it's policy. PHEVs are same as ice. I am also looking into LI batteries for solar storage in the future and under 20kw capacity doesn't seem like it will raise rates much. The stuff I didn't initially think about.

 

[subquark]

If I remember correctly, fire departments are told it takes 5,000 to 8,000 gallons of water for one burning EV on the road!

I did a quick google for that source and found numbers ranging from 4,000 to 25,000! Yikes!

Crap, even scooters! But yet, my gas stove is the problem ....

 

[WhyNot21]

If I remember correctly, fire departments are told it takes 5,000 to 8,000 gallons of water for one burning EV on the road!

I did a quick google for that source and found numbers ranging from 4,000 to 25,000! Yikes!

Crap, even scooters! But yet, my gas stove is the problem ....

You do realize that's a gas scooter, right? Not many electrics I know of have an exhaust.

 

[WhyNot21]

Mine covers my 2 current ice vehicles but I need additional fire coverage if I get an ev with indoors charging station. Wonder if evs burn hotter or fumes compromise the fire rated wall materials. The EV would be covered by it's policy. PHEVs are same as ice. I am also looking into LI batteries for solar storage in the future and under 20kw capacity doesn't seem like it will raise rates much. The stuff I didn't initially think about.

Your homeowners covers your vehicles? What company are you using?

 

[Fordup]

Your homeowners covers your vehicles? What company are you using?

No it covers the house if they start a fire that burns the house. Vehicle insurance covers the actual vehicles. I need to notify them for an adder when I get an ev to update coverage. Almost like an act of God where you need things like flood insurance for coverage. I think in the future the government will make it standard coverage with everyone paying higher rates across the line. Check with your company. Just like solar panels, they are covered fully if attached to the house and you raise the value of your house insurance accordingly, but pole mount or ground mount are covered as an outdoor structure at a reduced value (usually 10 to 20%) and must be added to a policy for better coverage should they be destroyed by wind, lightning, hail, etc. Solar and EVs have hidden costs nobody mentions. Best to contact your agent because the wording is changing as renewable energy is being widely accepted and installed. I'm just starting to look into this now but my cybertruck is probably 5 years off.

 

[WhyNot21]

No it covers the house if they start a fire that burns the house. Vehicle insurance covers the actual vehicles. I need to notify them for an adder when I get an ev to update coverage. Almost like an act of God where you need things like flood insurance for coverage. I think in the future the government will make it standard coverage with everyone paying higher rates across the line. Check with your company. Just like solar panels, they are covered fully if attached to the house and you raise the value of your house insurance accordingly, but pole mount or ground mount are covered as an outdoor structure at a reduced value (usually 10 to 20%) and must be added to a policy for better coverage should they be destroyed by wind, lightning, hail, etc. Solar and EVs have hidden costs nobody mentions. Best to contact your agent because the wording is changing as renewable energy is being widely accepted and installed. I'm just starting to look into this now but my cybertruck is probably 5 years off.

I have State Farm for all my coverage. I just checked with them, due to this, and they said my Tesla did not change anything with my coverage. Besides my auto insurance going up a couple hundred a year.

 

[9zero1790]

I was an insurance agent for a while...I would advise anyone with an EV to check the declarations pages of the policies carefully. Also, go see the agent in person and ask directly about EV and the coverage that applies to them. Make them show you in black in white. When it comes to fire policies the start of the fire / cause and who pays vs. what was damaged can get really deep really fast.
Example: one installs an EV charger that is not suitable for the home or it is installed by an unlicensed person etc. Almost no fire policy is going to pay a claim when they can prove negligence is the reason for the fire. It is not much different that a ICE car. If your car catches fire in the garage due to a factory defect the insurance company is going to be pointing fingers to the automakers, dealer, mechanic shop and so on.

 

[9zero1790]

I have State Farm for all my coverage. I just checked with them, due to this, and they said my Tesla did not change anything with my coverage. Besides my auto insurance going up a couple hundred a year.

Like a good neighbor - stay over there...
I was a SF agent for 2 years. good company. Good policy for homes. High prices but, they pay claims fairly fast and can afford it.

 

[MountainGoat]

No it covers the house if they start a fire that burns the house. Vehicle insurance covers the actual vehicles. I need to notify them for an adder when I get an ev to update coverage. Almost like an act of God where you need things like flood insurance for coverage. I think in the future the government will make it standard coverage with everyone paying higher rates across the line. Check with your company. Just like solar panels, they are covered fully if attached to the house and you raise the value of your house insurance accordingly, but pole mount or ground mount are covered as an outdoor structure at a reduced value (usually 10 to 20%) and must be added to a policy for better coverage should they be destroyed by wind, lightning, hail, etc. Solar and EVs have hidden costs nobody mentions. Best to contact your agent because the wording is changing as renewable energy is being widely accepted and installed. I'm just starting to look into this now but my cybertruck is probably 5 years off.

Almost right on queue we have an example. No word on her insurance but the house is a total loss. From a loaner!

 

[Fordup]

Almost right on queue we have an example. No word on her insurance but the house is a total loss. From a loaner!

Wow, that looked like a hot fire. Firewall definitely couldn't contain it. Hopefully her insurance is in place to cover it. There have been several likethat lately so definitely check your policy to be sure you're covered. Maybe there should be new building codes to place better fire protection between garages and homes to account for a different type of fire created by EVs.

 

[WhyNot21]

Wow, that looked like a hot fire. Firewall definitely couldn't contain it. Hopefully her insurance is in place to cover it. There have been several likethat lately so definitely check your policy to be sure you're covered. ...

Since this was in FL, having insurance is hit or miss. Almost all the major players have pulled out.

We've been looking for places to retire and FL has been on the top of our list. We have family already living there and their insurance seemed fine a few months ago, but have since started pulling out (Farmers).

 

[TJC]

Wow, that looked like a hot fire. Firewall definitely couldn't contain it. Hopefully her insurance is in place to cover it. There have been several likethat lately so definitely check your policy to be sure you're covered. Maybe there should be new building codes to place better fire protection between garages and homes to account for a different type of fire created by EVs.

Like asbestos and firebrick lined garages? Think Kiln! There is no easy or practical way to extinguish these battery fires short of sucking the oxygen out of the garage, and that is near impossible and dangerous in it own right.

I suspect the battery might not catch fire if you removed the O2, but it would still melt down and most likely catch fire when the atmosphere is reintroduced.

Pushing tech before it is ready. First adopters = "bleeding edge". Not a safe or economical situation to be in. Was that Mercedes EV worth your million $ home going up in smoke?

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