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There are differences! Insurance companies really like electric cars because there are fewer mechanical claims and batteries are expensive to repair, so they factor that in. On the other hand, gas cars are more standard, rates are often lower but it really depends on your car and the model. My advice is to get quotes from several insurers, no two companies have the same policy on this kind of stuff!
It's true that insurers really do look at electric cars differently! Personally, I asked for quotes for our next vehicle and I was shocked to see that it wasn't necessarily cheaper - actually it depends a lot on the company and the model you choose!
Some insurers offer nice discounts for electric cars, others think it's too risky or expensive to repair so they jack up the rates. You really gotta shop around and call directly because what you read online doesn't always match up with what the actual quotes look like!
Rates really depend on a ton of factors at once. I looked at quotes last year when I was thinking about switching cars and got surprises going both ways - a used electric was more expensive to insure than a brand new gas car from the same brand, while another newer electric ended up costing me less.
Apparently insurers take into account the battery (which can be pricey to replace), faster tire wear, but also fewer engine breakdowns and less fuel so fewer claims overall. Best thing to do is really just get quotes for the specific model you're interested in, because it's too variable to just say "electrics are X or Y".
What really struck me when I was looking for insurance for my latest car change was that rates don't just depend on the type of fuel - there's a ton of other little factors that play into it. Like, yeah, the battery is genuinely expensive to replace, but insurers also calculate based on your region - if you're in an area with few charging stations, some of them will bump up your premium because they figure you'll end up driving farther from your usual range and taking more risks. It's kind of weird logic, but that's how it works.
Another big thing is the age of the battery. An electric car with an 8-10 year old battery isn't going to get quoted the same rates as a newer model. And honestly, battery claims are pretty rare but absolutely brutal when they happen, so that affects the overall stats. Plus you've got to factor in that electric cars still make up a tiny chunk of the total car fleet, so insurers don't have nearly as much data as they do for gas cars - it sometimes makes them more cautious with their premium calculations, even though technically these vehicles cause less mechanical damage.
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