India
Tesla Car Insurance Introduced in India Through ACKO Partnership
Tesla has entered the Indian market with a new showroom and, in partnership with digital insurer ACKO, launched Tesla Car Insurance. The insurance is embedded into the car booking process, letting buyers get instant quotes, adjust coverage through real-time calculators, and receive policy documents digitally. Tailored for EVs, it covers batteries, charging systems, and advanced components beyond standard repairs. Claims are processed online, reflecting India’s shift toward digital financial services. This move signals growing demand for embedded insurance and could pave the way for usage-based, data-driven policies in the future.
Car Insurance Grey Zone: Will Your Policy Cover E20 Fuel Damage?
India’s rollout of E20 fuel (20% ethanol, 80% petrol) has raised concerns over potential engine damage, with insurers offering little clarity on coverage. While newer cars are said to be E20-compatible, owners of older models report issues such as overheating, reduced mileage, and long-term wear. Insurers like HDFC Ergo and ICICI Lombard have avoided firm positions, citing a lack of regulatory guidance, while Acko clarified that only accidental damage is covered, not fuel-related wear. Until policies explicitly address ethanol blends, drivers face uncertainty, highlighting a major gap in India’s clean energy transition.
Germany
Deepfake detection: How insurers protect themselves from AI fraud
Deepfakes have become a major challenge for insurers, as AI-generated images and videos are now so realistic that even experts struggle to detect them. Traditional visual checks are no longer sufficient; specialized forensic tools are needed to identify subtle algorithmic artifacts invisible to the human eye. Studies show that humans often perform no better than chance at spotting deepfakes, and suspicion alone can undermine the credibility of real images. Industry-specific solutions, like Finanz-DATA’s fraudify platform, combine classical forensics with AI trained on real insurance cases to reliably detect generative image fraud. This highlights the growing need for advanced, domain-tailored detection methods in the insurance sector.
Mandatory factory installation required: No pedestrian collisions thanks to reverse emergency brake
The ADAC is calling for a legal requirement for automatic emergency braking (AEB) when reversing, citing studies showing the technology is now market-ready. Testing of ten vehicles revealed that systems from BMW, Volvo, Ford, and VW can reliably detect obstacles and prevent collisions, while other manufacturers still show gaps. Data from Allianz suggests that around 50% of reversing accidents could be avoided with AEB. The ADAC urges manufacturers to make these systems standard, ensure they activate automatically, and expand functionality via updates where sensors already exist. While forward-facing AEB has been mandatory in the EU since mid-2024, no such requirement yet exists for reversing.
Spain
Scooter owners will have to take out insurance starting next January
Starting next January, owners of personal mobility vehicles (PMVs), including electric scooters, will be required to have mandatory liability insurance and be registered with the Spanish traffic authority (DGT). Until then, PMVs can circulate without requirements, leaving accident victims unprotected if the rider cannot pay damages. The law defines PMVs as single-seat electric vehicles under 25 kg with speeds up to 25 km/h, though some are modified to exceed 60 km/h. The reform also streamlines compensation for accident victims, updates coverage limits with inflation, and allows the Insurance Compensation Consortium to cover claims in cases of insolvency, deliberate accidents, or uninsured riders.
UK
AA calls for rethink on insurance premium tax
British motorists paid nearly 9% more in Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) in 2024, with receipts reaching £692m, sparking concerns over affordability as premiums continue to rise. The AA has urged the government to cut IPT by 25% on motor policies and halve it for new drivers, warning that high costs risk pushing people into uninsured driving. The ABI echoed calls for reform, labelling IPT an “unfair levy” as motor cover costs surged to an average of £622 in 2024, up 15% year-on-year. Rising repair costs, theft, fraud, and labour shortages have further fuelled premium hikes, though early 2025 figures suggest slight relief with prices down 7% in Q1. The Treasury defended IPT as a key revenue source but said a joint taskforce is reviewing the issue.
