More and more people are starting to attach solar panels to their homes – in fact, in the summer months, more than a tenth of the UK electricity supply comes from solar power. That’s great news for the planet!
But there’s always the risk that something might damage your solar panels – and with a hefty installation cost, you’ll want to make sure your solar panels are protected by your home insurance. Particularly with the hotter weather we have been having this year, articles in the news have highlight a few incidents where solar panels have caused fires within homes due to faults within the installation process. That’s why it’s important more than ever that you ensure you are well covered for these types of situations.
Most insurers include solar panels as standard – which means it shouldn’t cost any extra to get your solar panels insured.
It’s always a good idea to contact your insurer when you’re making any significant changes to your property – and that includes adding solar panels. They need to know exactly what’s included in the structure of your home just in case it needs to be rebuilt.
Adding solar panels increases the rebuild value of your home, and that’s certainly something you’ll need to let them know. Additionally, you’ll want to be absolutely certain that your solar panels are included in your policy, so give them all a call if you’re considering it.
All types of solar panel should be covered by your home insurance, so long as they’re attached to your home. If you have a freestanding solar panel in your garden or on a balcony, it doesn’t count as part of the structure of your house – so it won’t be included as part of your buildings insurance.
Your home insurance will protect your solar panels against fire, water, extreme weather, falling trees, and other dangers – but what if someone damages them by mistake? It’s always worth checking with your insurer first, but in many cases your standard policy won’t include accidental damage to your solar panels.
Luckily, most insurers offer accidental damage cover as an add-on to their standard policies. It’ll cost you extra, but it means your panels will be protected if anyone breaks them by mistake.
Home insurance doesn’t cover wear and tear: it’s up to you to keep your property in good working order, and you won’t get compensated when your solar panels finally reach the end of their lifespan.
It never hurts to check you have the right level of cover for peace of mind, call us today!