Most people who install solar panels think about the generation, the export tariff, the payback period. Very few think about what happens if a storm tears one off the roof, a falling branch smashes three panels, or a fault in the inverter wiring causes a fire. Insurance isn’t exciting, but the gap between having the right cover and not having it is typically measured in four-figure repair bills.
Here’s how solar panel insurance actually works in the UK in 2026 — what’s covered, what isn’t, and what to check before you need to make a claim.
Are Solar Panels Covered by Standard Home Insurance?
Usually yes, but the coverage is partial and requires you to notify your insurer. The split:
Buildings insurance covers the panels as a permanent fixture of your property — the same category as roof tiles, windows, or a fitted kitchen. Storm damage, fire, flood, impact from falling objects, and subsidence-related damage fall under buildings cover. The repair or replacement cost should come from buildings insurance, not contents.
Contents insurance does not typically cover rooftop solar panels because they’re part of the building. However, if you have a battery storage unit inside your home — loft, garage, or utility room — the battery may fall under contents cover or need to be specified separately.
What you must do: Tell your insurer when you install solar panels. Failure to notify can void your policy, since the total rebuild value of your property has increased. Most insurers treat notification as straightforward and don’t charge significantly more, but they need to know.
What’s Actually Covered
Storm and weather damage. Wind, hail, and storm damage are covered under standard buildings policies. Hail is more common a cause of panel damage than most people expect — severe hailstorms in the UK have increased, and while modern panels are tested to withstand hailstones up to 25mm at impact speeds, larger or irregular hail can crack glass covers or damage cells beneath.
Impact damage. A branch from a neighbouring tree, a TV aerial falling onto the roof, a drone crashing into the array — these fall under accidental damage or impact cover, depending on your specific policy terms.
Fire. If a panel, inverter, or wiring fault causes a fire, or an external fire damages the panels, buildings insurance covers it.
Theft and vandalism. Ground-mounted systems are more vulnerable than rooftop arrays. Panels bolted to a roof are impractical to steal at speed, but ground-mounted frames are more accessible. Theft cover under buildings insurance applies to panels as fixtures.
What’s Often Not Covered
Mechanical or electrical breakdown. A panel that fails gradually due to component degradation, an inverter that fails outside warranty, or a diverter that stops working — these are maintenance issues, not insurable events. Equipment breakdown cover (available as an add-on from some insurers) handles mechanical failure.
Gradual deterioration. If your panels lose efficiency over time — as they naturally will, around 0.3–0.5% per year — that’s expected wear, not an insurable event.
Poor installation. If the damage is caused by faulty installation rather than an external event, your insurer will likely reject the claim and direct you to the installer. This is why using an MCS-certified installer matters — it gives you warranty recourse if installation quality causes problems.
Storm damage below the excess. Most buildings policies have an excess of £250–500. Minor storm damage that costs less than your excess to repair comes out of pocket.
Loss of generation income. Standard home insurance does not compensate you for the Smart Export Guarantee income you lose while panels are offline for repair. Specialist solar insurance products sometimes include this, but it’s uncommon in standard home policies.
Battery Storage: Special Considerations
Home battery systems — Powerwall, Enphase IQ Battery, GivEnergy units, and similar — sit in a grey zone that’s worth clarifying with your insurer:
- A battery stored in an outbuilding may fall under outbuildings cover or may need separate specification
- Lithium batteries are considered a fire risk by some insurers, which affects how they categorise the installation
- Some policies have sub-limits on electrical equipment that could cap what you recover on a high-value battery system
When you have a battery installed, ask your insurer directly: “Is this covered under my buildings policy, and if so, is there a sub-limit on electrical equipment?” Get the answer in writing.
Specialist Solar Insurance Products
Several specialist insurers offer solar-specific products that go beyond standard home insurance:
What they add over standard cover:
- Loss of generation income while panels are offline for repair
- Equipment breakdown including inverter and battery failure
- Higher limits specifically for the solar installation
- Cover that doesn’t require a separate notification and endorsement process
Who typically uses them:
- Larger domestic installations (10kW+ systems) where repair costs justify dedicated cover
- Homes with battery storage plus generation where the combined value is significant
- Commercial or agricultural solar where generation income loss is material
Specialist products cost more than a standard policy endorsement but make sense for larger systems. For a standard 4kW domestic system, your existing buildings insurer endorsement is almost always sufficient.
How to Make a Claim
If your panels are damaged:
1. Document everything immediately. Photographs of the damage, the date, weather conditions if weather-related. If a neighbour’s tree caused it, photograph the tree.
2. Call your insurer before doing any repair work. Unauthorised repairs can complicate claims — your insurer may want to send an assessor, and if you’ve already had work done, that’s harder to evidence.
3. Get the installer back for an assessment. MCS-certified installers can produce a written damage report that supports your claim. The report should specify which panels or components are damaged, the cause, and the estimated repair cost.
4. Keep records of any generation loss. If your system is down for two weeks, your monitoring app will show the generation deficit. This won’t be reimbursed under standard home insurance, but it’s worth tracking in case you pursue a claim against the party responsible — for example, a contractor who damaged the panels during other roof work.
5. Check whether the damage is covered by installer warranty first. Some damage — particularly if caused by installation defect — may be the installer’s responsibility under their workmanship warranty rather than your insurer’s responsibility. Claiming against the wrong party causes delays.
The Notification Question
The single most common mistake with solar panel insurance is failing to tell the insurer at all. In a 2025 survey by a UK price comparison site, nearly a third of solar homeowners hadn’t updated their buildings insurance after installation. If something goes wrong and your insurer discovers the panels were installed without notification, they may argue material non-disclosure and reduce or reject the payout.
The fix is a five-minute phone call or online form submission when the installation is completed. Ask the insurer to confirm cover in writing — email is sufficient — and keep that confirmation with your other installation documents.
The underlying principle is straightforward: treat solar panels the same way you’d treat any other significant addition to your home. Notify your insurer, check the details of what’s covered, and keep your documentation. The gap between “my insurer said they cover it” and “my insurer paid out on it” is usually in the details.