Do you have to tell your insurer?
The product specification requires kits to tell users to check “whether the product may affect any relevant insurance arrangements”. Ofgem says consumers “remain responsible for … insurance arrangements”.
A plug-in kit is a generator connected to your wiring and, often, something fixed to the outside of your home. Whether that’s a change you must disclose depends on your policy wording, so check it for any duty to tell the insurer about changes to your home.
What we couldn't confirm
We haven’t surveyed insurers’ policies and can’t say how any particular insurer treats plug-in solar. Ask yours before you buy, and get the answer in writing.
Which policies should you check?
| Policy | Who holds it | Why it might matter |
|---|---|---|
| Buildings insurance | Owner-occupier; or the freeholder/landlord for flats and rented homes | Panels fixed to walls, balconies or roofs; the building’s electrics |
| Contents insurance | You | The kit itself (theft, storm damage); damage to your belongings |
| Liability cover (if included in your policy) | You | If a panel falls or blows off and injures someone or damages property |
| Landlord’s or block insurance | Landlord, freeholder or managing agent | Covers the building you’re fixing it to |
What to ask your insurer
- Do I need to tell you about a plug-in solar kit, and does it change my premium or cover?
- Is the kit covered under contents, and up to what value?
- Does my liability cover apply if a panel or its mounting causes damage or injury?
- Are there conditions, such as an electrician’s check or a particular type of mounting?
- If I’m outside the plug-in rules (see below), what happens to a claim?
What paperwork should you keep?
If your insurer asks whether the kit is legal and properly installed, these answer it:
- ENA register entry. The kit’s reference on the ENA Type Test Register, showing it’s listed as Compliant. Our device list links to each entry.
- The compliance statement. Compliant kits must be marked with a statement that the product complies with the Interim Product Specification (IPS §8.2.3.1).
- DNO registration. Your confirmation from registering the kit. Registration is mandatory.
- Electrician’s report, if you had one. The specification recommends a check for older installations and kits with more than 960 W of panels. Electrical Safety First recommends one before buying.
- Permission from your landlord or freeholder, if relevant.
- Photos of the installation and mounting.
Is your kit inside the rules?
The legal framework is narrow, and being outside it is the kind of thing that could matter to an insurer. From the product specification and G98:
- Only a kit listed as Compliant on the ENA register. See the compliance checklist.
- One plug-in device per household.
- Straight into a fixed socket on a socket circuit. No extension leads or adaptors.
- No batteries.
- Not on timber balconies, timber cladding, ACM/MCM/HPL cladding, buildings under external wall remediation, or walls between dwellings.
- Reversible, non-permanent mounting, not held by ties, rope, tape or straps alone.
- Outdoor parts and sockets at least IP55.
Outside these rules, it isn't a legal plug-in kit
A kit that breaks any of the points above isn’t a legal plug-in microgenerator.
Renters and leaseholders
If you rent or own a leasehold flat, the buildings policy probably isn’t yours. Tell your own contents insurer, and mention in your request to the landlord or freeholder that they may want to tell their buildings insurer. DESNZ says decisions on permission are for landlords and freeholders. The template in landlord permission covers insurance.
If you move or remove the kit
Tell your insurer, and notify the DNO that you’ve decommissioned it.
What to do next
Run your kit and setup through the compliance checker before you call your insurer, so you can answer their questions.
