Wrong Fuel, Zero Claim: Is Your Car E20-Ready?

If you fill E20 petrol in an older car not built for it, your insurer can call it negligence and reject your repair claim. Check your car manual before fuelling up.

Here's what happened: E20 fuel — petrol blended with 20% ethanol — is now available at many pumps across India as part of the government's biofuel push.. Cars manufactured before 2023 may not be E20-compatible; using this fuel in them can damage fuel lines, seals, and the engine over time.. Insurers like ICICI Lombard have indicated that damage caused by using incompatible fuel could be treated as owner negligence, making the claim void..

What you should do: Check your car's owner manual or the fuel cap sticker right now — it will say whether your vehicle is E20, E10, or regular petrol compatible.. Call your motor insurance provider and ask specifically whether E20-related fuel damage is covered under your current comprehensive policy.. If your car is not E20-compatible, always ask the pump attendant for E10 or standard petrol — E20 pumps are increasingly common in cities..

Pro tip: Under most motor policies, 'consequential damage' caused by owner misuse — including wrong fuel — is a standard exclusion. This isn't new fine print; it's been there all along.