The word insurers don't use lightly
"Almost uninsurable" is not a phrase the motor insurance industry uses casually. Yet that is how an Auto Express investigation in 2026 described some new Chinese cars in the UK, with parts supply and repair support faltering enough that underwriters are backing away.
An awkward moment for the newcomers. Chinese brands have spent recent years undercutting rivals on price — the Chinese car brands' price war in the UK has been one of the industry's biggest stories. But a bargain on the forecourt means little if the insurance quote lands like a second deposit, and as of mid-2026 that is reportedly where some early adopters find themselves.
The wider market makes the contrast sharper. According to the ABI's Premium Tracker, which covers roughly 28 million policies, the average premium paid in the UK was £566 in Q2 2026 — up £6, or 1%, on the quarter, but still below Q2 2025 in real terms. The general market, in short, is calming down. The loading on some Chinese cars is moving the opposite way.
Why insurers are pricing in the unknown
The problem, as analysis from Carwow and Regit in 2026 set out, is not that insurers believe these cars crash more often. It is that they cannot price the aftermath. Newer Chinese brands arrive with limited repair data, unfamiliar parts and a short ownership history in the UK. An underwriter who cannot estimate what a repair will cost — or how long it will take — protects themselves the only way they can: a bigger premium, or no cover at all.
Parts logistics sit at the heart of it. For smaller brands such as Skywell, replacement parts may need shipping from China, according to Auto Express, creating delays insurers are simply unwilling to underwrite. Every extra week a damaged car sits in a bodyshop adds hire-car costs, storage fees and pressure to write the vehicle off rather than wait. Across a whole claims book, a modestly priced EV starts to look like an expensive liability.
None of it shows up on a spec sheet — only on the quote. Our explainer on UK insurance groups is worth a read before falling for any launch price.
The brands moving to fix it
The encouraging news is that the bigger Chinese players have seen the wall coming. Chery has hired Thatcham Research to ensure its Omoda and Jaecoo brands remain easy to insure in the UK, according to Fleet News. Unglamorous groundwork, but it directly shapes what owners pay every year.
Thatcham is also attacking the structural problem. It has launched an EV repair "blueprint" with eight recommendations — including simplified battery removal and accessible diagnostics — aimed at cutting write-off rates, as reported by AM Online in 2026. If bodyshops can actually fix the cars, insurers can price them like normal cars — and that matters most to newcomers with no repair history to lean on.
The honest assessment
This is a maturity problem, not a verdict on the cars themselves. Many Chinese models offer genuinely strong value — see our guide to the best Chinese cars on sale in the UK. But insurance is priced on evidence, and the smallest brands have not yet earned any. Until parts warehouses, repair methods and claims data exist on UK soil, buyers of the most obscure badges are effectively paying for the insurers' uncertainty. The brands investing in Thatcham-style groundwork should pull clear; those shipping parts from China on demand will stay expensive to cover — expected, not guaranteed.
The questions buyers actually ask
Are all Chinese cars expensive to insure in the UK? No. The reported loading is concentrated on newer, smaller brands with thin parts and repair support. Larger players are working with Thatcham Research to keep brands such as Omoda and Jaecoo in the insurance mainstream.
Why do parts delays make a car harder to insure? Because repair time is money. If components must be shipped from China, insurers face longer hire-car periods, storage costs and more write-offs — costs they cannot predict, so they inflate the premium or refuse cover.
Should insurance put me off buying a Chinese car? Not automatically, but get a real quote for the exact model before you commit, and treat it as part of the purchase price. Premiums vary by region and driver, and none of this is financial advice — your quote is the only number that counts.
Key takeaways
- Auto Express reported in 2026 that some Chinese cars are "almost uninsurable" in the UK as parts and repair support falter.
- Insurers are loading premiums on newer Chinese brands over limited repair data, unfamiliar parts and short ownership history.
- Smaller brands such as Skywell may need parts shipped from China — delays insurers are reportedly unwilling to underwrite.
- Chery has hired Thatcham Research to keep Omoda and Jaecoo easy to insure; Thatcham's EV repair blueprint makes eight recommendations to cut write-offs.
- Context: the average UK premium paid was £566 in Q2 2026 — up 1% on the quarter, but below Q2 2025 in real terms (ABI, ~28 million policies).
Sources & further reading
- Auto Express investigation, Carwow/Regit analysis, Fleet News and AM Online reporting, ABI Premium Tracker, 2026
Figures, prices and policy details were current at the last-updated date above. Automotive pricing, incentives and regulations change frequently — verify time-sensitive details with the linked primary sources. Read our editorial policy and fact-checking standards.
