Solar panel insurance: what does it cover, and do you need it?
8 min read · Updated 15 October 2026
Solar panel insurance protects your panels, inverter and battery against damage, theft and breakdown. Most UK home insurance policies treat roof-mounted solar panels as part of the building, so storms, fire and theft are usually covered once you have told your insurer. What home insurance usually does not cover is breakdown: inverter failure, wear and tear, and the export income you lose while the system is down. That gap is what specialist solar panel insurance is for.
What does solar panel insurance cover?
Solar panel insurance covers the cost of repairing or replacing your system when something goes wrong. Depending on the policy, that includes physical damage to the panels, failure of the inverter, damage to a home battery, and in some cases the export income you lose while the system is not generating.
It helps to see where each type of protection starts and stops. Three things usually protect a solar system: your home insurance, the manufacturer and installer warranties, and specialist solar panel insurance. They overlap in places, but each leaves gaps the others fill.
Risk | Home insurance | Warranty | Specialist solar panel insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
Storm, fire, theft | Usually covered | Not covered | Covered |
Accidental damage | Often an add-on | Not covered | Usually included |
Panel or inverter defect | Not covered | Covered during the warranty term | Covered |
Inverter breakdown after warranty | Not covered | Not covered | Covered on most policies |
Lost export income | Not covered | Not covered | Some policies |
Wear and tear | Not covered | Not covered | Varies by policy |
Check your own documents rather than relying on this table: every policy words its cover differently.
Does home insurance cover solar panels?
Usually, yes. Getting home insurance with solar panels is rarely a problem. Roof-mounted solar panels are fixed to the building, so most insurers treat them as part of your buildings insurance. That normally covers the same events as the rest of your roof: storms, fire, falling trees, theft and vandalism.
The condition is that your insurer knows about them. Tell them before or at installation. If you do not, a claim for the panels may be refused, and undeclared changes to the property can affect the rest of your buildings cover too. Adding panels may raise your premium slightly, because the rebuild cost of your home has gone up.
Plug-in or balcony solar panels are different. Because they are not fixed to the building, they usually sit under contents insurance, and you may need to list them as high-value items. If you rent or own a leasehold flat, get written permission from your landlord or freeholder before installing anything.
When you review your solar panels and home insurance together, check five things in the policy wording:
- The panels, inverter and any battery are listed or clearly included.
- Accidental damage is included, not just an optional add-on.
- How storm damage is defined, and what excess applies.
- Whether the policy excludes gradual damage, wear and tear, or pests.
- Whether a battery or ground-mounted panels have a lower limit.
What do home insurance and warranties leave uncovered?
Home insurance is built for sudden events, and warranties are built for manufacturing defects. Neither is built for a system that simply stops working years after installation. The most common gaps are:
- Inverter breakdown once the manufacturer warranty has ended. Inverters typically last 10 to 15 years, and a replacement is one of the bigger costs of owning solar. See how long a solar inverter lasts.
- Wear and tear and gradual damage, which most home insurance policies exclude.
- Damage caused by birds or pests nesting under panels, which policies often treat as gradual or preventable damage.
- Lost export income while the system is down, including Smart Export Guarantee payments.
- Your installer going out of business, which can leave a workmanship warranty with no one to honour it unless it is insurance-backed.
These gaps are where solar panel insurance earns its cost. Inverter cover on its own closes the most likely one, since the inverter is the part that fails first in most systems. If any of these gaps would leave you with a bill you could not easily absorb, specialist cover is worth comparing.
How much does solar panel insurance cost?
Solar panel insurance cost depends on what you are protecting and how much cover you choose. The main factors are the size and value of the system, whether you have a battery, the age of the inverter, the excess you choose, and whether breakdown and lost income are included.
Some providers sell solar panel cover on its own; others bundle it with servicing or with cover for other home energy systems such as a heat pump or EV charger. When you compare quotes, compare what is covered, not only the price. A cheaper policy that excludes inverter breakdown leaves the most likely failure uncovered.
Ask each provider three questions before you buy: does the policy cover breakdown as well as damage, is there an age limit on the inverter or panels, and is there a waiting period before you can claim. Those answers matter more to the real value of solar panel cover than the monthly price.
Is solar panel insurance worth it?
It depends on what your home insurance and warranties already cover, and how exposed you are to the gaps. Solar panel insurance is most worth considering if:
- Your inverter is more than a few years old or out of warranty.
- You have a home battery, which adds value and another component that can fail.
- You rely on export income or lower bills to justify the system.
- You bought a home with panels already installed, and do not have the installer or warranty paperwork.
- Your installer has ceased trading and your workmanship warranty is not insurance-backed.
If your system is new, fully under warranty and your home insurance includes accidental damage, you may already be well protected. Review it again when the inverter warranty ends.
How do you make a solar panel insurance claim?
The process is similar whichever policy you claim on:
- Make the system safe. If panels are damaged or wiring is exposed, switch off the inverter and isolator, and do not go on the roof.
- Record the damage with photos and note when the system stopped generating, using your monitoring app if you have one.
- Find your documents: MCS certificate, installation date, warranty terms and policy number.
- Contact the right party: the installer or manufacturer for a defect under warranty, your home insurer for storm or theft, or your solar panel insurance provider for breakdown.
- Get a repair quote from an MCS-certified engineer, unless your insurer arranges the repair.
Keeping your system serviced helps here. Insurers and manufacturers can refuse claims if a fault was caused by neglect, so keep records of every service and inspection. See do solar panels need maintenance?
Solar panel insurance: frequently asked questions
Is solar panel insurance a legal requirement?
No. There is no legal requirement to insure solar panels on your home. However, your mortgage lender may require buildings insurance, and that cover is only valid for the panels if your insurer knows about them. Specialist solar panel insurance is optional, and worth comparing against the gaps in your existing cover.
Do I need to tell my home insurer about solar panels?
Yes. Tell your insurer before or at installation. Roof-mounted panels change the rebuild value of your home, and undeclared panels may not be covered if you claim. Failing to declare them can also affect the rest of your buildings cover, so it is worth a short call or an update to your policy online.
Will solar panels increase my home insurance premium?
They may, but usually only slightly. Your premium reflects the cost of rebuilding your home, and panels add to that cost. Some insurers make no change at all. Ask your insurer when you declare the panels, and compare the increase against the cost of a standalone solar panel insurance policy.
Does home insurance cover storm damage to solar panels?
Usually, yes. Storm damage to roof-mounted panels normally falls under buildings insurance, in the same way as damage to the roof itself. Check your policy for storm definitions and excesses. Manufacturer warranties do not cover storm damage, so home insurance or specialist solar panel insurance is the only protection here.
Is inverter failure covered by insurance?
Not usually by home insurance, which covers sudden events rather than breakdown. The manufacturer warranty covers defects for its term, often 5 to 12 years. After that, inverter failure is covered only by specialist solar panel insurance or breakdown cover. Inverters typically last 10 to 15 years, so this is the most common gap.
Are solar batteries covered by home insurance?
Sometimes. A fixed home battery may be treated as part of the building, but insurers differ, and some exclude it or cap the amount they pay. Declare the battery to your insurer and ask directly. Specialist solar panel insurance often covers the battery alongside the panels and inverter, including breakdown.
Does insurance cover bird damage to solar panels?
Often not. Damage from pigeons or other birds nesting under panels builds up gradually, and many policies exclude gradual or pest damage. Bird proofing, such as mesh fitted around the panel edges, prevents most of it. If birds are already nesting, have the system checked before damage to wiring becomes a fault.
What is the difference between a solar panel warranty and insurance?
A warranty is the manufacturer's or installer's promise that the product or workmanship is free from defects for a set period. Insurance covers events and failures a warranty excludes, such as storm damage, accidental damage, theft and breakdown after the warranty ends. Most owners need both to be fully protected.
Can I insure solar panels I did not install myself?
Yes. If you bought a home with solar panels, declare them to your home insurer and ask the seller for the MCS certificate, warranty documents and installation date. Without those, warranty claims are harder, which makes specialist solar panel insurance more useful for inherited systems.
Does solar panel insurance cover lost export income?
Some policies do. If your system stops generating, you lose savings on your bills and any Smart Export Guarantee payments. Home insurance and warranties do not cover this. Check whether a solar panel insurance policy includes loss of income, and how many days the system must be down before it pays.
Are plug-in or balcony solar panels covered?
Usually under contents insurance rather than buildings insurance, because they are not fixed to the property. You may need to list them as high-value items. Plug-in panels connected to your home's electrics must also be notified to your network operator, so check the installation requirements before you rely on your cover.
What happens if my solar installer goes out of business?
Your workmanship warranty may be worthless unless it is insurance-backed. An insurance-backed guarantee pays for faulty installation work if the installer can no longer honour it. Check your paperwork for one. Manufacturer warranties on panels and inverters still apply, but you will need another MCS-certified installer to handle claims.
About this guide
- Last updated
- 15 October 2026
- Confused.com: Solar panel insurance
- Heatable: Solar panel warranties and guarantees explained
- Tesco Insurance: Solar panels and home insurance
- Homebuilding & Renovating: Home insurance and plug-in solar panels