How much more do EVs cost to insure?

By Ivan H., EVCostIQ · reviewed against our public methodology · every source dated on this page

As of August 2026: electric cars cost about 42% more to insure than comparable gas cars across all model years, and about 18% more for 2024-and-newer models (Insurify, modeled at a standard driver profile, June 2026). That gap is one reason an EV can lose the 5-year total even when it's cheaper to fuel — and on EVCostIQ every total uses our own labeled per-model insurance estimate, not a national average.

The EV insurance gap

Insurify — analyzing a very large pool of quotes — found electric cars run about 42% more to insure than comparable gas cars across all model years, narrowing to about 18% more for 2024-and-newer comparable models (modeled at a standard driver profile, June 2026; a U.S. national finding, not a quote for any one car or driver). The gap is far smaller on newer EVs, but on average an electric car still costs more to insure than a similar gas car.

Two drivers behind it: EVs cost more to repair — the ABI reports electric cars are about 25% costlier to repair and take about 14% longer than comparable petrol cars — and they claim a little more often (LexisNexis: EV claims about 17% more frequent than comparable gas cars, 2024, via NAIC).

“Average” means several different things

Two national numbers get called “the average,” and they measure different things — so they should never be blended:

What drivers actually paid. NAIC's average expenditure was $1,281 a year in 2023 — real spending, averaged across all insured vehicles (its combined average premium, for a policy carrying liability, collision and comprehensive, was $1,438). This is the latest published figure; premiums have moved since.
Modeled full-coverage quotes. At a standard driver profile, ValuePenguin modeled about $2,101 a year (2025) and NerdWallet about $2,300 (2026). These are modeled quotes for a full-coverage policy, not what a typical driver actually spent — which is why they sit above the NAIC expenditure figure.

None of these is a quote for your car or your driving record. Premiums have also moved since 2023 — Florida, for instance, approved statewide auto rate changes of about −7.4% to −8% for 2025–26 (Florida OIR).

What drivers pay varies a lot by state

Average auto-insurance expenditure in 2023 ranged widely by state (NAIC, 2023 — real amounts paid, averaged across all drivers; not quotes for any one car or driver, and premiums have moved since). A few examples, each linking to that state's full 5-year cost hub:

Nationally the 2023 average expenditure was $1,281 (NAIC). We don't reprint all 51 states here — open any state hub for its own figure.

How insurance flows into the 5-year cost

Insurance is one of the six things EVCostIQ counts in a 5-year total, alongside depreciation, energy (charging or fuel), maintenance, registration or road-use fees, and financing interest. For that total we use our own labeled per-model insurance estimate for the specific car — it is the only insurance number inside the total, and we never inject a national average or a third-party quote into the math. The figures on this page are context to help you judge that estimate, not inputs to it.

See the per-model insurance line in action on any state calculator — for example Florida, New York, California — or read the methodology for how every figure is sourced and dated.

EV insurance cost — FAQ

How much more do electric cars cost to insure than gas cars?

Insurify found electric cars cost about 42% more to insure than comparable gas cars across all model years, and about 18% more for 2024-and-newer comparable models (modeled at a standard driver profile, June 2026; a national finding, not a quote for a specific car or driver). The gap is much narrower on newer EVs, but on average an EV still costs more to insure than a similar gas car.

Why do EVs cost more to insure?

Two big reasons show up in the data: EVs are more expensive to repair — the ABI reports electric cars cost about 25% more to repair and take about 14% longer than comparable petrol cars — and they file claims a bit more often (LexisNexis found EV claims run about 17% more frequent than comparable gas cars, 2024, via NAIC). Higher repair bills and more frequent claims push premiums up.

What is the average car insurance cost in the U.S.?

It depends which measure you mean, and they are different things. NAIC's average expenditure — what drivers actually paid, on average — was $1,281 a year in 2023 (its combined average premium, for a policy carrying liability, collision and comprehensive, was $1,438). Modeled full-coverage quotes at a standard driver profile run higher: ValuePenguin modeled about $2,101 (2025) and NerdWallet about $2,300 (2026). None of these is a quote for your car — they're national averages, and premiums have moved since 2023 (Florida, for example, approved statewide rate changes of about −7.4% to −8% for 2025–26, per the Florida OIR).

Does EVCostIQ use these averages in its 5-year totals?

No. These figures are context. Every EVCostIQ 5-year total uses our own labeled per-model insurance estimate for that specific car — it is the only insurance number inside the total, and we never plug a third-party average into the math. Open any state calculator to see the per-model figure we use.

Independent estimates for planning, not financial advice. We don't sell insurance, take insurer commissions, or quote your policy — these are dated, sourced averages for context. We tell you when gas wins.