E-scooters have been classed as motor vehicles in the UK. Find out what that means for you and whether you require insurance to drive one on public roads.
Debate around the legality and safety of electric scooters has intensified since they went on sale in the UK, and the coronavirus pandemic increased their attraction, as people are keen to avoid public transport. Privately owned e-scooters are banned on public roads – but rented ones are allowed. So where does that leave the insurance question? Here’s what you need to know.
What is an electric scooter?
Kick scooters – two-wheeled, stand up, human-powered vehicles – have been a popular way for both children and adults to get around for decades. More recently, an electric-powered version has been growing in popularity as it eliminates the need for the rider to propel the vehicle forward manually.
Many cities around the world introduced electric-scooter hire programmes in a bid to reduce traffic and pollution. People have also been buying e-scooters for their own private use.
Are e-scooters legal in the UK? What are they classed as?
Electric scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs), meaning they’re treated as motor vehicles. This makes them subject to all the same legal requirements as a car, including an MOT, tax and licence plates, which presents a challenge for potential users.
As of 4 July 2020, it is legal to drive rental e-scooters in the road in the UK, but not privately owned ones. A rental scheme was introduced by the Department for Transport in several areas around the UK.
Do I need to take out e-scooter insurance?
According to the Department for Transport’s regulations, e-scooters in rental trials are required to be covered by a motor vehicle insurance policy, but it is the responsibility of the rental provider to arrange for this.
For privately owned e-scooters, you can only legally ride those on private land, which means you do not need insurance.
In short, if you drive your e-scooter legally (which we strongly recommend you do), you don’t need insurance.
There are currently no specialist e-scooter insurance policies available in the UK, but several insurers have recently informed us that they are seriously considering adding this type of insurance to the cover they offer.
“New popular modes of e-transport are more expensive and more vulnerable to theft, and so that is something we want to think about within our policies.” – Mark Eastham, CEO, Avantia
Are electric scooters covered under home insurance?
While you don’t need insurance to ride your e-scooter on private land, you might still want to include it in your home insurance.
Some providers might set restrictions for insuring e-scooters while in use, but you should be able to insure your e-scooter against theft.
Note that insurance companies often set limits on how much any single item can be insured for, so, if your e-scooter is in the higher price range, make sure you check whether it can be included in your cover. The best way to guarantee there are no nasty surprises should you need to claim is to contact your insurance company directly for answers.
Will it be the same as bicycle insurance?
As bikes can be ridden legally on public roads, most insurers have specific provisions for including them in home insurance policies.
Many insurance companies do set some restrictions when it comes to bicycle cover, and some even exclude them altogether.
When electric scooters become more widely used in the UK, there are likely to be similarities between e-scooter insurance and bicycle insurance, though that would depend on government regulations for the use of e-scooters.
One of the main similarities might relate to the value of the e-scooter. With bikes, cover for the more expensive models often comes with limitations, and that will likely be the case with e-scooters as well.
Is a licence required for an e-scooter?
You don’t need a licence to ride a privately owned e-scooter as it can only be legally driven on private land (where a licence is not required).
With regards to the government’s rental e-scooters trials, the guidelines state: “Users will need a full or provisional car, motorcycle or moped licence to take part in the trials and must be 16 or over.”
Frequently asked questions
There is a lot of debate over this question.
Electric scooter enthusiasts claim there is not much difference between the level of danger involved in riding an e-scooter and that involved in riding a bike, and they might have a point.
According to a 2020 study published by the University of California, San Francisco, scooter-related injuries and hospital admissions grew by 222% between 2014 and 2018 as the numbers of scooters on the roads increased.
However, a further study, published in February 2020 by the International Transport Forum (ITF) found that a trip by car or motorcycle in a dense urban area is more likely to result in a traffic fatality than a trip by a micro-vehicle, which includes e-scooters, skateboards and bicycles. The study also found that e-scooter riders do not face a significantly higher risk of road traffic death or injury than cyclists do.
It is important to note that the same safety measures recommended for bicycles, like wearing a helmet and other protective gear, should also be in use while riding an electric scooter.
E-scooters are classified as Personal Light Electric Vehicles (PLEVs). The main reason they are illegal to ride on public roads in the UK is because they don’t always have visible rear red lights, number plates or signalling ability, which are all legally required for vehicles on public roads.
This is why electric scooters can be driven on private roads only, where these elements are not a legal requirement.
Non-motorised scooters (otherwise known as kick scooters) can be used on public roads, but are not allowed on pavements or cycle paths.
This depends on whether you’re looking for a scooter for an adult or child, whether the plan is to eventually use it on your commute (if/when this becomes legal in the UK) or just for recreational activities.
That said, one of the best and most consistent models for adults is the Unagi Model One. It’s powerful, sleek and you can even customise your designs with different skins! For kids, we recommend the Razor E100 with steady battery life. It’s also not too fast for first-time riders.
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Ronny Lavie was a deputy editor at Finder, specialising in insurance content. She has almost a decade of experience writing about financial topics, including five months spent as the interim managing editor for the Fintech Times newspaper. Ronny has a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from London Middlesex University. See full bio
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