The Intermediary – September 2026 - Flipbook - Page 86
P RO T E C T I O N
Opinion
Solar panels would
have loved the
sunny summer
E
very street now sees
solar panels popping
up on people’s homes,
and on the back of
such a sweltering
summer, it’s hard not
to consider them as a serious option
for homeowners – if they don’t have
them already!
The rapid growth of solar
panel installations is creating an
increasingly important consideration
when a client is buying a property and
associated home insurance.
There are now almost 1.5 million
homes in the UK with solar panels,
and this number continues to grow.
They are standard on most newbuild homes in England now, and so
the presence of solar panels will be an
obvious question for home insurance
moving forward.
For mortgage brokers, this means
that when clients are buying their
next property, it’s good to suggest
geing human personalised advice
from a company that understands
the nuances.
Expert approach
The following is an overview of what
should be factored in.
Permanently fied panels generally
would be included within the
buildings fixtures and fiings, while
freestanding panels could fall under
contents cover, but it is crucial to
check on the policy wording.
Some insurers include inverters,
mounting equipment and associated
wiring in their cover, while others
specifically cover only the panels.
Baery storage is another example
of why granular product knowledge
maers. Some insurers cover baery
storage, while others exclude them.
There are also differences around
installer quality, and whether
damage caused to the property during
installation would be covered.
This is where a specialist can
provide real value to mortgage brokers
Bright future: Nearly 1.5 million households have already joined the solar panel revolution
84
The Intermediary | September 2026
STEPH DUNKLEY
is development director
at Safe & Secure
Solar panels are more
than an emerging insurance
consideration. They are an
example of how mortgage
brokers can refer to a
specialist home insurance
expert to enhance their
client service”
and their clients. Safe & Secure’s
understanding of policy wording
and insurer differences can provide
huge reassurance to your clients, as
well as clarity on what level of home
insurance to go for.
For a mortgage broker, the benefit
is not necessarily about asking clients
a long list of additional questions. It is
about having access to a company that
understands the details behind the
policies and can help identify which
information is genuinely important
for your clients.
Solar panels are more than an
emerging insurance consideration.
They are an example of how mortgage
brokers can refer to a specialist home
insurance expert to enhance their
client service, in an ever-changing
landscape of homeownership and
property build. Referral to an expert
company can give greater protection,
and it can help gain your clients a
more full understanding of the detail
behind residential buildings and
contents cover, in turn helping you as
mortgage brokers ensure your clients
get the right protection for the home
they are buying or live in. ●
