Must solar panels installed at home be insured in France?

Reader Question: Do I need extra insurance to cover my solar panels?

There is no legal obligation to insure photovoltaic panels in France, but you would be wise to get some level of protection. 

If the panels were installed by a professional, they will have to have a 10-year insurance policy to cover the work.

This is limited to damage directly caused during or by the installation, such as damage to the roof, leaks, and damage to the property’s electrics due to bad installation.

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For the rest, third party cover is common with many household insurance policies.

This should cover you if the panels are blown off the roof in a storm and hurt people, or damage neighbouring properties or vehicles.

If you are connected to the grid, which is necessary if you sell surplus electricity, a third party insurance certificate (attestation) is required by some installers to cover the risk to the technician making the connection.

These attestations are common in France and can usually be ordered quickly via the internet, or over the telephone.

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To cover the installation itself, you need to be sure that incidents such as panels being blown off in storms, damaged by falling trees or broken by hail or cricket balls are included in your contract, as well as theft and short circuits.

The best way to make sure your panels are covered is to declare them to your insurer when they are installed.

This is also good practice if you have other expensive equipment, such as ride-on or robot lawn mowers.

If additional specific insurance is advised, prices are usually in the €50 to €100 a year range, depending on the number of panels you have.

Many of these contracts include mechanisms to cover losses if your sale of electricity to the grid is interrupted.

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