It is one of the most overlooked questions in EV ownership. If your charging cable is lying across a path and someone trips over it, who is liable and which of your insurance policies covers it?
On your own property
If you are charging in your driveway and the cable runs across your property, liability for any trip injury falls under your home policy's public liability cover the section that covers third parties injured on your property.
This is standard in comprehensive home insurance. Make sure the cable is not creating an unreasonable obstruction.
In a public place
If you are charging at a public charger and the cable runs across a public area, the relevant cover is your charging cable public liability cover.
Several major EV vehicle insurers include this as standard in their comprehensive EV policies AXA, LV=, and NFU Mutual among them.
If your vehicle policy does not include it, check whether your home contents policy extends public liability cover away from the home. Many do not. This is a gap worth closing.
Running a cable across the pavement from your home
This is the highest-risk scenario. If you do not have off-street parking and run a cable from your home across the public pavement to your car, you are potentially creating a hazard on public land.
Government guidance on cross-pavement charging is explicit, where a resident's cable creates a trip hazard on the pavement, liability rests with the resident.
Some local authorities offer formal cable channel schemes approved channels cut into the pavement surface which manage this risk properly. If this is how you currently charge, understanding your local authority's position and ensuring you have clear public liability cover is important.
The simple practical precaution
A raised rubber cable protector sits over the cable, creates a visible ramp, and significantly reduces both the physical trip risk and any argument that you failed to take reasonable care.
They are widely available for a small cost and are worth carrying if you regularly charge in any location where your cable crosses a walkway.
