HAMPSHIRE — A Carwow survey conducted in March found that UK insurers declined half of quote requests for Chinese electric and hybrid vehicles and charged premiums up to twice as much as those for comparable non-Chinese cars. The survey tested four models — the hybrid Jaecoo 7, the XPeng G6, the BYD Seal U and the Skywell BE11 — by asking five insurers for quotes for a 27-year-old man living in Hampshire.

Axa declined to provide quotes for any of the four vehicles. Hastings Direct offered coverage only for the BYD Seal U. Direct Line declined quotes for two of the vehicles, and Admiral declined a quote for one. Aviva offered cover for all four.

Only Admiral and Aviva would cover the XPeng G6, at an average cost of £936 per year. The average cost of covering the Jaecoo 7 was £1,103 per year, compared with £577 per year for a Skoda Karoq and £639 per year for a petrol Hyundai Kona. Aviva was the only company to offer cover for the Skywell BE11, with an average premium of £685 per year, compared with £638 per year for a petrol Ford Kuga. Insurance for the BYD Seal U cost an average of £876 per year, while a petrol Kia Sportage cost £730 per year. Chinese cars cost an average of £901 per year to insure, while equivalent petrol models cost an average of £646 per year.

Chinese brands such as BYD, XPeng and Jaecoo have become increasingly common on UK roads. In March, the Jaecoo 7, nicknamed the "Temu Range Rover," was the UK's bestselling new car. It is available as a hybrid and a petrol vehicle. Car sales rose in April by nearly a quarter compared with a year earlier, with large rises in registrations of Chinese brands such as BYD and Jaecoo, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

A Hastings Direct spokesperson said the company assesses a car's repair straightforwardness, safety and demand when determining an insurance quote. Axa said some Chinese brands are new to the market and insurers do not have enough data to cover them. Aviva said it reviews its pricing as more data becomes available. Admiral said it has not increased electric vehicle premiums more than those for petrol cars and that it covers Skywell vehicles. "We continue to try to provide accurately and competitively priced cover for EV drivers," Admiral said. The Association of British Insurers said that when there is little claims history, it is more difficult for companies to evaluate risk.

Oliver Lowe, head of product at Omoda and Jaecoo UK, said the company is working closely with insurers. "Anything that's risk-based is slow to change and adapt to new challenges very quickly. We have an expert team that are working on all fronts to reduce those insurance costs," Lowe said. He added: "Insurers are still building up repair data, parts supply chains and long-term claims histories for many of these newer models, which is making some providers cautious. We saw similar concerns when Japanese and South Korean brands first arrived in the UK market, and insurance availability and pricing should improve as Chinese manufacturers become more established on British roads."