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Spain prepares to bring in mandatory insurance for electric scooters
All scooters in Spain will have to be insured and carry licence plates by 2026
It’s been in the pipeline ever since electric scooters started to soar in popularity a few years ago, but the Spanish Government has now confirmed that it will introduce a series of new regulations that should come into force in 2026.
The rules will require all electric scooter users to take out mandatory insurance if they wish to use their personal mobility vehicles on public streets, and they will also have to register their rides with the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT).
At the moment, there are around five million electric scooters zipping around Spanish roads, and accidents involving these mobility vehicles are a daily occurrence. As a result, the authorities believe that compulsory civil liability insurance is a must, which would cover third party personal and material damage.
This is the same type of insurance required for drivers of most motor vehicles, such as cars, trucks and motorcycles.
But in order to buy this insurance, scooter users will first be required to register their vehicles and obtain a type of licence plate or badge which allows them to be easily identified in the event of an accident. According to the Ministry of Transport, owners will have until January 2, 2026 to register their scooter with the DGT.
The obligation to take out insurance will be extended to all types of personal mobility vehicles and industrial motor vehicles, which were exempt until now. The requirement will not, however, be extended to electric bicycles, since the Ministry has established that the electric motor in this case is only an assistance to pedalling, and not the main source of movement.
According to a study by the Mapfre Foundation, in 2023 there were 300 accidents involving electric scooters, which left a total of 187 people injured and 12 dead.
Even so, official sources have reassured that electric scooter insurance will be nowhere near as expensive as regular motor insurance: “The risk is lower and so is the damage that can be caused. The accident rate will be lower.”
In Spain, several municipalities have already introduced their own compulsory insurance requirements for electric scooters, including Barcelona, Valencia and Zaragoza.
Find all the latest motoring and travel news here or join our Driving in Spain Facebook group for regular updates
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