Folgekosten des Autokaufs: Chinesische E-Autos: Vollkasko fast doppelt so teuer

Chinese electric vehicles are nearly twice as expensive to insure via comprehensive coverage compared to new cars from Europe, the US, Japan, and South Korea, according to a Verivox analysis. The primary reason for this disparity is that insurers categorize Chinese vehicles in higher damage classes on average. Verivox reported this finding.

However, the classifications for Chinese brands are improving gradually. The insurance costs for Chinese electric cars of similar models compared to European and East Asian vehicles can be up to €870 higher. Annual insurance costs can be up to €870 more for a comparable vehicle from Europe or elsewhere in Asia. Comprehensive policies cover not only the legally mandated liability but also damages to the insured vehicle.

These insurance costs were calculated for a hypothetical 45-year-old Berliner with a damage-free class of 15 and 12,000 kilometers of annual mileage. Middle-aged drivers typically have significantly cheaper car policies than young or old drivers, as the latter statistically cause more damage than the average 44-year-old. The higher classification of Chinese cars is mainly due to insurers' lack of experience with the damage frequency.

"For new models, insurers can only estimate the risk of damage and repair costs, so they are classified in higher damage classes as a precaution," said Aljoscha Ziller, Managing Director of Verivox Insurance Comparisons. Many Chinese auto manufacturers have only recently been on the German market. This lack of experience on the part of insurers also extends to values based on the manufacturers themselves and the availability and cost of spare parts.

The gap in insurance costs has become a concern for established players. Recently, Allianz Technik Center, one of the established addresses for technical and vehicle safety research in Germany, had already examined this issue. According to Verivox, some Chinese brands are already cheaper to insure than comparable models from established manufacturers.