No, being classed as a bicycle, insurance of any kind is not a legal requirement for electric bikes.
Saying that, 3rd party liability insurance isn’t a bad option for any road user. This may be a feature of any cycle Insurance you take out, and is certainly a perk – £10 Million third party insurance cover, – of the inexpensive membership of Cycling UK.
Membership of Cycling UK is also strongly recommended for excellent cycling specific legal advice and support in the event of an incident, for reviews re bikes and gear etc, and for significant discounts at major retailers such as Halfords. For insuring the bike itself, we have added cover via our house contents insurance at no additional cost, but this varies from company to company.
Being bicycles, and having no emissions, e-bikes are not subject to any sort of VED ‘road’ taxation.