BYD Owner's Rs. 18 Lakh Battery Replacement Bill Is Why 'Battery Protect Plus' Insurance Is Critical For EVs

Update: The issue has now been resolved. The insurance company covered 50 percent of the expense and apart from this BYD India offered him an add on discount. Always opt for battery protection in your insurance policy as battery packs in any electric vehicle are extremely expensive to replace in case they are not covered under warranty.

Electric Vehicles in India are slowly gaining popularity. Although there are several options available in the market, there are several concerns that customers have, and it’s not just about the driving range and charging infrastructure. People are concerned about the resale value, battery warranty, and even insurance policies. Here we have one such EV owner who is facing an ₹18 lakh battery replacement bill on his two-month-old BYD Seal electric sedan.

The customer currently facing this issue is Aditya Soni. He bought a brand-new BYD Seal electric sedan from Landmark BYD dealership in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. As he was buying an electric sedan, the dealership staff convinced him to go with the insurance option offered by the dealership. They convinced him by saying, “Sir, it's a battery car, and we know best how to insure it. Don't buy from elsewhere.” The customer asked the dealership and insurance agent to ensure maximum protection for his car. He asked them to include all available add-ons and even paid a hefty ₹1.2 lakh just for the insurance.

He even cross-checked with the insurance agent about the things that the insurance would cover. He specifically asked about the battery protection cover, and the ICICI Lombard Insurance agent along with the dealership assured him that “Zero Dep” covers everything. They also confirmed to him that ICICI Lombard does not have any separate add-on for the battery.

A few months after buying the car, Aditya took his car to his hometown, where it got completely damaged in a flood. The car was parked on the street and got submerged, damaging the battery pack of the BYD Seal. When he approached BYD India with this issue, he was told that the warranty does not cover water-related damages. When he reached out to the insurance company, things got even worse. They told him he doesn’t have battery protection as part of his policy!

He has filed a claim under flood damage, but neither BYD nor ICICI Lombard is giving him a written explanation for rejecting his claim.

The customer has even shared an audio recording of a call with the insurance agent, where he is told that battery protection is part of the policy. After the battery of his BYD Seal got damaged, he was given an estimate of ₹18.35 lakh for repairs on a car that is only a few months old.

The comment section under this post is filled with reactions from people offering different solutions. Most of them are asking the customer to go ahead and file a case in consumer court, as he was misled by the dealership into buying an insurance policy that doesn’t cover the battery pack.

Some are even suggesting that the customer file a case against ICICI Lombard with the CIO (Council for Insurance Ombudsmen). The customer also claims that BYD and ICICI Lombard have not been helping him, and the car manufacturer has not even responded to the emails he has sent.

For those who are not aware, the BYD Seal is a premium electric sedan, which has a starting price of ₹41 lakh and goes all the way up to ₹53.15 lakh (ex-showroom). Buying an expensive EV with high hopes and facing an issue just months after purchase is not painting a good picture of the brand and its insurance.

In fact, such incidents are only going to increase concerns among customers who are planning to buy an EV in the future. We hope the brand and the insurance company get involved and the issue is resolved soon.