Tesla has been ordered to pay more than $150,000 after a Quebec man’s car caught on fire due to an electrical failure.
The ruling follows a years-long legal battle beginning in 2023 between Tesla and Sacha de Santis’s insurance company.
De Santis said that what started with the smell of smoke after turning on a heater turned into a full-on fire.
“Once the flame came out from the dash, then it went to the seats and, like, everything; it just ate the car,” he said. “In two to three minutes, the car was on fire.”
The 2020 Tesla Model X was a total loss.
“It was a nightmare,” De Santis said. “You don’t believe it, right? You just say that’s not true. It’s not a real flame, and then you see the flame grow into fire and fire, just, you know, everywhere.”
De Santis filed a claim after the March 2023 fire with Intact Insurance, and says he was told to buy a new car.
“I had a couple of days to make the choice, so I just bought another Tesla because it was the easiest thing to do at this time,” he said.
He received $162,000 from Intact to replace his car, but the legal battle between his insurance company and Tesla dragged on for years.
According to Quebec Superior Court documents, a Tesla representative argued that “fires in vehicles typically arise from issues around misuse or vandalism.”
A claim, the judge notes, an insurance adjuster had already ruled out.
In late September, the automaker’s request for a stay was rejected, and it was ordered to pay up.
Intact would not comment to a CTV News request because Tesla could still appeal the decision.
The Texas-based company also did not respond to CTV News.
Since the fire, De Santis says his insurance premiums have nearly tripled to around $1,000 per month.
“My insurance went through the roof because they had a car to pay,” he said.
De Santis hopes to have that reversed, adding he and his passenger are lucky to get out unscathed.
When asked if he had any second thoughts about buying a second Tesla, De Santis said: “They’re great cars, but I almost died in a fire.”
