Is my electric vehicle insurance void if the battery recall isn’t done?
QUESTION
Hi John,
We own a Kona electric that is subject to the battery recall fiasco. We are still waiting to have the battery replaced as Hyundai claim they have supply problems with obtaining new batteries. That's odd because they seem to have plenty to stick in new cars, but hey - maybe I'm just being unfairly cynical there.
Anyway, given that it looks like it is going to be a long time before we finally get the replacement battery fitted, I am wondering what the insurance implications of this would be? For example, if we park the car in our garage and the battery catches fire and burns the house down, would we likely still be covered? Similarly, if we park in a public car park, and the car catches fire and sets fire to adjacent cars and structures, would we be covered. With whom should the risk for these potential events lie - Hyundai Australia, or our insurance providers?
I know insurance is probably not your forte, but I'm hoping that if you know of some instances where this very thing may have happened, you might be able to shed some light on this. Obviously I have similar questions in with our insurers, but have not got a response yet.
Kind regards,
Laurence
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ANSWER
Laurie,
There hasn’t been a Kona Electric fire in Australia that I am aware of.
On the balance of probability, your battery is not defective, and replacing it is a precaution only.
I’d be following the advice of Hyundai Australia in respect of the recall and specifically any advice they give you about using the vehicle in the interim.
If you really want to drill down into the liability issue, grab your policy document and book and hour with your solicitor.
It seems to me that the recall is a normal business practice in Australia and therefore it would not affect your insurance, but I’m not a lawyer.
Sincerely,
JC
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