How Will Solar Panels Affect the Cost of My Home Insurance?

Almost everyone will want to have cheaper electricity which provides both an endless supply and is also good for the environment. A great way of achieving this is by purchasing and installing solar panels on your home; a great step towards reducing your carbon footprint.

Purchasing solar panels has become more and more popular within cities, villages and the suburbs alike; but there is still a vast majority of people reluctant to install their own, namely because they are not sure how installing solar panels may affect their insurance policy.

The largest misconception is that installing solar panels will increase the premium of a home insurance policy. Shopping around and comparing quotes will show that in most cases there will be no change to the cost of the policy and some insurance companies might even offer lower rates.

It is really important to have the solar panels installed properly, since shady construction work and installations might affect your right to make a claim. Always use a certified installer and a certified solar panel dealer.

Since a lot of countries are investing a lot of money in going green and reducing the carbon footprint of every person, there is a chance that this type of installation will give you solar tax breaks or sometimes even a sum of money as an incentive.

The premium you will have to pay will depend greatly on where you live and what the weather conditions are like. Areas that are prone to be hit by large storms, tornadoes or any other type of weather that can damage your home or solar panel will instantly raise the premium price of any home insurance. This is one of the places where a certified installer will benefit you since they usually have knowledge of the weather conditions in the area and the best way to secure your solar panels.

Theft is something that needs to be considered, especially if the solar panels are installed at ground level. Even though most home owners choose to have their solar panels on the roof, there are times where this is not possible. Check with your insurance agent that the policy still applies if there is a theft involving your solar panels. Always look into this before agreeing to any terms and conditions.

Living in areas prone to bad weather should not scare you off from reducing your own carbon footprint and helping out the planet one step at a time. The insurance policy needs to cover all of the basic weather related injures such as hail, strong winds, storms, severe rain and lightning storms. This will intertwine with the solar panels you are purchasing, since an area with a large amount of hailstorms should make a homeowner consider buying more resistant solar panels that can withstand a larger amount of force. This can also help reduce the cost of your insurance policy since you have taken precautionary steps in preventing damage and destruction to your solar panels and essentially your home.

In a nutshell, the best thing to do is to shop around, compare quotes and try to get the best deal possible.

This guest post was written by Oli for PolicyExpert home insurance; providing sound advice and guidance on the best insurance policies for homeowners throughout the UK.