Yes, you must tell your insurer about solar panels — ideally before installation, not after. Failing to declare them is a material non-disclosure that can invalidate your entire home insurance policy, not just any claim related to the panels themselves.
It sounds like a technicality, but it's one that could cost you thousands. With over 1.6 million solar installations on UK homes and that number growing fast, insurers are well used to this conversation. The good news: it's rarely as complicated or as expensive as homeowners fear. The bad news: if you skip it, a perfectly unrelated claim — a burst pipe, a theft — could be refused entirely.
This guide explains exactly what you need to do, in plain English.
Are solar panels covered by home insurance in the UK?
For most UK homeowners, yes — solar panels are covered under your existing buildings insurance, with no need for a separate specialist policy. Because they are physically fixed to your roof, insurers treat them as a permanent part of the building's structure, in the same category as your roof tiles or fitted kitchen. That means they're typically protected against fire, storm damage, theft, and vandalism as part of your standard buildings cover.
The word "typically" is doing real work in that sentence, though. Cover varies between insurers, and some policies have single-item limits that may not stretch to the full value of a solar system. Accidental damage — say, a panel cracked while someone cleans the gutters — is usually an optional extra rather than included by default. Always read the small print, and if in doubt, phone your insurer and ask directly.
One thing that is consistent across virtually every UK insurer: you must notify them. Assuming you're covered without checking is the most common mistake solar owners make.
Do I need to tell my home insurer about solar panels — and when?
Yes, and you should do it before installation, not after. Contact your insurer as soon as you've decided to go ahead — before the scaffolding goes up. This gives you time to understand exactly how your policy changes, whether your sum insured needs adjusting, and whether there are any conditions you need to meet (such as using a certified installer). Some insurers will ask for an installation date and a system value; have those ready.
Most home insurance policies contain a standard clause requiring you to report any significant structural alterations or additions to the property. Fitting solar panels squarely meets that definition: it changes the structure, the value, and the risk profile of your home. Treating it as a minor admin task you can do "at next renewal" is the kind of decision that looks fine until the moment you need to make a claim.
If you've already had panels installed and haven't told your insurer yet, do it now. Most insurers will simply note the change without penalising you for the gap. But the longer you leave it, the more exposed you are.
Will solar panels increase my home insurance premium?
Possibly — but less than most people expect, and not always at all. Some insurers make no premium change for a standard residential solar installation. Where a charge does apply, it's often modest: many UK insurers apply a relatively small additional annual charge to extend buildings cover to solar panels, reflecting the higher replacement cost of the property rather than any significant increase in risk. What does tend to change is your sum insured — the total rebuild value your policy covers.
This is the part that catches homeowners out. Solar panels increase your home's rebuild cost — the amount it would cost to reconstruct the property from scratch if it were destroyed. If your sum insured doesn't reflect that added value, you could be underinsured. Under what's known as the "average clause", insurers can reduce claim payouts proportionally if your declared rebuild value is lower than the actual cost. The shortfall comes out of your pocket.
To put that concretely: if your rebuild value was declared as £250,000 but your true rebuild cost (including a newly fitted solar system worth several thousand pounds) is higher, and you then claim for storm damage, the payout could be reduced accordingly — even if the storm had nothing to do with the solar panels. Update your sum insured to include the cost of the system. Your installer should give you a written quote or invoice that you can use as the basis for this.
What does a rogue installer's shoddy job mean for your cover?
This is where the choice of installer stops being just about quality and starts being about financial protection. Some insurers ask for evidence that your solar installation was carried out by a qualified professional. A poorly installed system — loose mounts, incorrect wiring, panels fitted without proper structural checks — not only puts your roof and home at risk, but can give an insurer grounds to dispute a related claim.
The benchmark to look for is MCS certification (Microgeneration Certification Scheme). MCS-certified installers are independently audited, must follow strict installation standards covering system design and electrical safety, and are required to hold appropriate insurance. If something goes wrong, you have a formal complaints route. An uncertified installer operating without those safeguards leaves you with far fewer options.
There's another practical reason to insist on MCS certification: it's required for the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), the government-backed scheme that pays you for surplus electricity you export to the grid. Without it, you lose that income entirely. You can check whether an installer is currently certified on the MCS installer finder.
If you're unsure how to vet quotes and spot warning signs before you sign anything, our guide to solar quote red flags is worth reading before you commit.
What about battery storage — is that covered too?
Not automatically, and this is one of the most important gaps to check. While rooftop solar panels are increasingly included as standard in buildings insurance definitions, battery storage systems are treated differently by different insurers. Some will include a wall-mounted battery under buildings insurance; others classify it under contents insurance, depending on where it's installed; and some require you to notify them specifically before a battery goes in.
The risk here is serious. Battery systems — particularly lithium-ion batteries — carry a fire risk if incorrectly installed or not properly maintained. If a fire occurs and your insurer was unaware of the battery, they may decline the claim even if the battery wasn't the direct cause. The fix is simple: when you call your insurer to notify them about your solar panels, ask specifically about battery storage at the same time.
Industry guidance (PAS 63100:2024) recommends that batteries are installed in well-ventilated areas, and not in lofts, bedrooms, stairwells or enclosed cupboards. Some insurers are beginning to use this as a benchmark when assessing risk.
The paperwork you need to keep
Once your system is installed, hold on to the following — you'll need them for any future insurance claim, and potentially for a future house sale:
- MCS Installation Certificate — proof the system meets UK quality standards
- Installer's invoice — confirms the system value for your sum insured
- Panel and inverter warranties — typically 10–25 years depending on the manufacturer
- Electrical Installation Certificate — confirms safe connection to your home's wiring
- Any planning documentation — most domestic solar doesn't need planning permission, but keep the paperwork if you checked
If you're ever in the position of buying a home that already has panels, our guide on buying a house with solar panels covers exactly what documents to ask for and what to check before you proceed.
The honest summary
Solar panels and home insurance in the UK isn't complicated — but it does require you to take one clear action: notify your insurer before installation. For most homeowners, the practical changes are a modest update to your sum insured and possibly a small premium adjustment. What you're protecting against is a claim being refused entirely because of a gap in disclosure that would have taken ten minutes to fix.
The other side of protecting yourself is choosing your installer carefully. An MCS-certified installer gives you the documentation, the workmanship standards, and the complaints route that an uncertified one doesn't. It also unlocks SEG payments and keeps your warranties valid.
FairSolar only connects homeowners with vetted, MCS-certified local installers — so the paperwork side of this is one less thing to worry about. If you're thinking about going solar and want to see what a properly qualified installer would quote for your home, you can get free, no-obligation quotes here. There's no pushy follow-up, and it costs you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tell my home insurer about solar panels?
Yes — you should notify your insurer before installation, not after. Failing to declare solar panels is a material non-disclosure, which can invalidate your home insurance policy and result in any claim being refused, even one unrelated to the solar system.
Will solar panels increase my home insurance premium?
Not always, and where they do the increase is usually modest. What's more important is updating your buildings sum insured to reflect the added value of the solar system — if you don't, you risk being underinsured and having a future claim paid out at a reduced amount.
Are solar panels covered by buildings insurance or contents insurance?
Rooftop solar panels are almost always covered under buildings insurance, as they're treated as a permanent fixture of the property. Battery storage systems are less clear-cut — some insurers treat them as buildings, others as contents — so ask your insurer specifically when you notify them.
What happens if my solar panels were installed by an uncertified installer?
Some insurers ask for evidence that the installation was carried out by a qualified professional. A non-MCS installation can also invalidate manufacturer warranties and make you ineligible for Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments. Always use an MCS-certified installer.
Does adding a battery storage system affect my home insurance differently to solar panels?
Yes. Unlike rooftop panels, battery storage systems are not automatically included under all buildings policies. You must notify your insurer before a battery is installed. If a fire occurs and the insurer wasn't aware of the battery, they may decline the claim — even if the battery wasn't the direct cause of the fire.