Insurance and new transport means

In all urban areas, micro-mobility offers raise new concerns which the insurance sector is trying to answer by sometimes, and even often, just anticipating while awaiting a specific legal framework. We’re going to review this situation with Delphine Asseraf, director of the “Ma Mobilité” ecosystem at Allianz France.

In all urban areas, micro-mobility offers raise new concerns which the insurance sector is trying to answer by sometimes, and even often, just anticipating while awaiting a specific legal framework. We’re going to review this situation with Delphine Asseraf, director of the “Ma Mobilité” ecosystem at Allianz France.

They have funky-sounding names like “electric unicyles”, “electric scooters” or “hoverboards”. Next to our good old bicycles, the Personal Light Electric Vehicles “PLEV”  are more and more visible in cities. They are available for sale – which are ever-increasing – as well as through subscription services, in free-floating or station-based, but even so, they are still not part of a specific framework in the road code. It’s a legal loophole and insurance companies are struggling to meet this need by adapting its offers and doing everything possible to anticipate user concerns. So until the law has an answer…

Where do you go with your scooter?

Technically, a PLEV isn’t considered like a land motor vehicle, regardless the speed. Up until now driving PLEVs was forbidden as they are not included in the road code. People have learned to adopt a sort of tolerance in regards to these new mini-mobility transport means but an organised road-sharing scheme is needed for all the different users. Scooter riders are tolerated on the sidewalk as long as they drive at a speed under 6 km/h. On bike paths, scooters are tolerated with a speed up to 25 km/h. In a few weeks there will be more specific regulations introduced by the law. Moreover, some city-halls, like in Paris for example, will have the power to implement their own city-specific traffic rules in regards notably to the growing popularity of scooter-sharing offers (free-floating).

Another important but often unknown rule : when driving a PLEV, it is obligatory to take out civil liability insurance. “More than 50% of users have no idea that it’s mandatory to have this insurance when owing an electric vehicle”, explains Delphine Asseraf, director of the “Ma Mobilité” ecosystem at Allianz France.

Protect and Prevent

Despite a certain lack of hindsight for these new practices regarding their specific usage and potential accidents, and with very blurry legal regulations, some insurance companies have decided to tackle this issue. “This increase of users must be backed in terms of insurance, but also in terms of prevention” stipulates Delphine Asseraf. Wearing a helmet, choosing a vehicle meeting the European standards, etc … just some of the recommendations repeated by insurance agents during awareness programs and of course, significantly reiterated to their insured parties.

Focused on ground and market players

To follow these often-rapid developments in this sector, Allianz France has also been working for many years with professionals in the micro-mobility industry. For example, the service providers of free-floating or station-based concepts sometimes need to have specific guidance to take out insurance for the damages caused or suffered by their users and they don’t always know where to start. In Strasbourg, Colmar and Saint-Denis, Allianz France is the insurance company for the clients of Knot, a scooter sharing service, and will be helping out the company Wetrott when it sets-up shop in La Défense in Paris. The insurance company works in partnership with the Fédération des professionnels de la micro-mobilité (the Federation of Micro-Mobility Professionals) which is participating in the establishment of a European standard (NF EN 17128). Furthermore, the future LOM “mobility orientation law” should be taking this standard onboard by imposing it, and consequently cleaning up the market by eliminating any devices which are neither respectful of its users nor of the environment.

This work, undertaken very much in advance, is a great way to be sourced with useful information and be updated with any sector developments, to then react in a responsive manner. “It’s important to anticipate the future by creating a system around us with start-ups, big groups, clients and distribution networks to get any feedback we find necessary,” adds Delphine Asseraf. By remaining sector-focused on all aspects of micro-mobility, this is also a way for Allianz France to keep updated as to what is happening, better understanding these vehicles and their associated risks and therefore being able to offer relevant insurance packages. Are you reassured now?

An independent PLEV insurance offer

 

Allianz France was one of the first insurance companies to launch a PLEV-specific insurance offer. Whereas some insurance companies offer its clients an extension of their Multi-Risk Home Insurance policies to cover PLEV-related risks, Allianz France is offering independent coverage, specifically directed for PLEV owners.

 

More information here