Protesters have targeted Tesla dealerships, cars and charging stations. (Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM)
Teslas are being vandalized by Americans unhappy with Elon Musk’s actions, and it could raise rates — or make insurance harder to come by — for Tesla drivers.
As the head of President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, initiative, Musk has been criticized for leading mass firings of federal employees, freezing foreign aid and, at the inauguration, appearing to make a Nazi salute.
Protesters have since targeted Tesla dealerships, cars and charging stations. Tesla cars have been spray painted with swastikas, set on fire and had their tires slashed. Many of the attacks so far have focused on cars in dealerships, but individual owners have also seen their vehicles vandalized.
On Tuesday, several vehicles were set on fire at a Tesla collision center in Las Vegas. The word “resist” was spray painted on the building’s front doors.
If the trend continues, Tesla owners could see higher insurance premiums, as carriers factor the cost of theft and vandalism into their rates. “If vandalism involving Tesla vehicles continues to rise and doesn’t go back down, we could see rates rise for comprehensive coverage in the future,” said Matt Brannon, a data journalist at Insurify, in an interview with Newsweek.
Carriers could even choose to stop covering Teslas, as they've done for other targeted vehicles in the past.
Teslas — and electric vehicles in general — already have higher than average insurance costs. Full coverage for an EV costs $3,430 annually, on average, according to Insurify. The average cost of full coverage car insurance for gas-powered cars is currently $2,678 annually, according to Bankrate.
Teslas are even more expensive. "Tesla Model 3, Model Y and Model X are the most expensive EV to insure as of February 2025," Brannon told Newsweek. Full coverage for a Tesla Model 3 increased 30 percent last year, to $4,362 annually, Brannon said.
Auto insurance premiums could be rising for everyone soon if tariffs go into full effect. Price increases for raw materials and auto parts will likely raise repair costs, which will force insurers to raise premiums.
The American Property Casualty Insurance Association estimates that annual personal auto insurance claims costs could increase by anywhere from $7 billion to $24 billion under the tariffs.
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