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If you are planning on buying a Tesla- AARP/Hartford will not insure it.

I have had AARP/Hartford auto insurance for a number of years.  I just tried to add a Tesla to my policy and was shocked to find out the Hartford will not cover it.  I had to find an new auto insurance carrier.

Apparently a few insurance companies won't cover Tesla vehicles.

I suggested that AARP find another partner that can meet the needs of it's members.

Just another thing to think about when shopping for an automobile

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Periodic Contributor

I tried with same result - agent said it’s because they are expensive to repair after accident -applies to all Teslas. I asked about e Mustang - they will apparently cover those . Could the  reason be that  Tesla also sells insurance?

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Trusted Contributor

Much of Tesla's tech is proprietary. They are practically the only ones who can repair Teslas, so the repair costs are very expensive. A mechanic can't even hook up an OBD scan tool to a Tesla, they don't allow it.

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Honored Social Butterfly

Try Progressive and some other major auto insurers - They are classified as a luxury vehicle so there is a high / higher premium.  

 

It did use to be that only Tesla would insure the Tesla auto but now that has changed.  Some insurers cover them; others don’t.

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Contributor

I have had my Tesla since 2018 and have had it insured, at various times, by Progressive, Liberty, and Tesla (Texas).

These companies have quoted me the lowest premiums over the years since I bought the Tesla.

The only insurance company that REFUSED to quote on the Tesla was The Hartford (AARP).

There may be others but I haven't found others while doing online insurance quotes. 

Our insurance expires next month so last week I started searching for a lower premium. 

I searched The Hartford (AARP) again using only our Ford (wife's car).  The quote for her car only was a few dollars less than our latest quote for both cars from Progressive.

I'm not sure what happened to the low premiums that The Hartford (AARP) historically offered, but I couldn't find them even for a conventional vehicle. 

Obviously, we will stay with Progressive.

I switched away from Tesla because last year they had a large rate increase. 

Also, for those thinking about going with Tesla, be warned that their safe driving monitor is very sensitive to close following, quick starts, quick stops, sharp turns, and driving late at night.  All those things count against you.

In the six months I had Tesla I had a 100% safety score for 4 months and a 99% safety score for 1 month and a 98% safety score for the last month.  They bill you each month and for the first two months you pay for a 90% safety score regardless of your actual safety score (mine was 100% for those months).  Then for the next 4 months you pay based on each months score.  The calculation on unsafe following is based on a formula that includes a penalty against you if someone pulls in front of you at an unsafe distance.  The details of this safety score program goes on for many pages which are too numerous to detail here.  Just be aware that the Tesla owners groups are filled with stories about people getting low safety scores.  The only way to avoid these penalties is to use the Full Self Drive function ALL the time.  Any driving infraction while using this function does not count against you on your safety score.  

If you don't have this on your Tesla, I don't see that the average driver would be able to score much above 95%.

The difference in monthly premium between the 90% score and the 100% score is about $12 per month (for the Tesla only).  The premium for any non-Teslas that you have is unaffected by your Tesla Safety Score.

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