The Ministry of the Interior has officially announced its plan to implement mandatory insurance for electric scooters, following the rising number of accidents and as part of its road safety strategy. It is expected that the Spanish Council of Ministers will approve this measure before summer, through a regulation that will make it compulsory to have insurance in order to ride an electric scooter on public roads.
This new regulation will provide a unified framework for scooters, as insurance was already mandatory in some cities. For example, on April 30, 2021, the Barcelona City Council unanimously approved a motion proposed by the Ciudadanos party to strengthen the city’s traffic ordinance, making it mandatory for personal mobility vehicle (PMV) users to wear helmets, use reflective gear, have mandatory insurance, and register their vehicles. Other cities such as Benidorm, Alicante, and Bilbao also have similar initiatives either in force or under development.
This is an important step toward completing the regulation initiated by the DGT (Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic) in January 2021 regarding PMVs, as several aspects of scooter and personal mobility vehicle circulation remained unresolved—particularly the mandatory manufacturer’s circulation certificate, which many scooters on the market already include.
What do you need to ride a scooter legally?
The approved specifications include several obligations:
- Wearing a helmet
- Using reflective elements, lights, and a bell
- Taking out liability insurance
- Having a manufacturer’s certificate confirming that the scooter meets the approved technical requirements for this type of vehicle
In addition, local councils are expected to invest in public communication and safety training while increasing enforcement measures. In cases of serious infractions that endanger pedestrians, local police will be able to confiscate scooters and impose fines. The legal framework for these measures is being finalized, but riding without liability insurance—which covers damage to third parties in case of an accident—will definitely be considered a serious offense.
The regulation could extend to other vehicles, such as bicycles
As the definition of personal mobility vehicles continues to expand, there are discussions about including both mechanical and electric bicycles under the same category. This would mean applying the same requirements as for electric scooters—most notably, mandatory liability insurance, which is currently not required for bicycles but is still highly recommended.
What is liability insurance and whuy is it becoming mandatory?
The introduction of mandatory liability insurance has long been advocated by road safety organizations and associations. Currently, any damage caused by an uninsured scooter user—whether to people, other vehicles, or property such as urban furniture or shop windows—must be paid for by the rider. Even minor accidents can result in high costs, making it difficult for victims to receive compensation and placing a heavy financial burden on the rider, even if they are declared insolvent.
That’s why scooter liability insurance is designed to cover all third-party damages, with coverage amounts typically ranging between €60,000 and €500,000 per accident.
At Weecover, we have integrated scooter insurance into the operations of many of our Business Partners, making it easy for their customers to obtain the coverage they need to ride safely and legally. Our scooter insurance starts at around €20 per year, offering liability coverage up to €175,000, protecting your entire family in case of an accident, and including optional add-ons for damage, accident, or theft.
Our integrations already support online and in-store sales, inclusive models, and even promotional or gift-based products.
If you’d like to discover how we can help boost your scooter sales by embedding insurance into your offer — let’s talk!
