Around 7pc of petrol car drivers end up claiming for accidental damage, he said, compared to about 9pc of EV drivers.
The value of claims made by EV drivers is also typically 35pc higher.
Mr Shuker said this was partly because EVs are packed with so much technology, while their batteries are vulnerable to damage even in minor scrapes.
This is significant because batteries often make up half the total value of the car – changing the calculation significantly for insurers when they are considering whether to simply write them off.
A higher number of write-offs pushes up premiums for all EV drivers.
Mr Shuker said: “It doesn’t take an awful lot to damage the most expensive part of an electric vehicle, which is the battery.
“A little bump on the corner of an internal combustion engine vehicle would result in a repaired bumper… There is a risk with electric vehicles that you ripple the battery and the whole battery needs to be replaced.”
A lack of trained mechanics in garages and a shortage of parts for the cars, which are more complex to repair, was also driving maintenance costs higher, he said.
Meanwhile, some insurers have warned that engineers are reluctant to guarantee the safety of damaged batteries, even after repairs, due to concerns that even a hairline crack that is not detected could lead to an explosion for which they will be liable.
Data from insurance broker Howden revealed this week that the cost of insuring an electric car has increased to more than twice as much as cover for a petrol one.
A typical EV now costs £1,344 to insure, compared to £676 for an internal combustion engine (ICE) car, it said.
Insurers insist they support the rollout of EVs but that prices are “outside of their control” and are based on data that shows EV are more costly and time-consuming to repair.
A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said: “There are a growing number of new EVs entering the market and the collection of appropriate data is essential to understand their risks.”
