Feature

Taking cover

Naturesave Insurance is now offering renewable energy insurance for medium-sized wind, solar or hydro systems. The company’s marketing manager Bee West explains the benefits of this policy.

Aimed at manufacturers, installers and homeowners with systems up to 750Kw, Naturesave Insurance’s  policy has been set up to ensure adequate cover for equipment, and to guarantee protection for revenues earned.

Naturesave claims that it now offesr a far more extensive policy than most other providers including:

  • Material damage  (lightning, storm, theft, fire, vandalism etc)
  • Mechanical breakdown (over and above that covered by any existing warranty)
  • Loss of revenue (caused by material damage or machinery breakdown)
  • Public liability insurance (third party property damage and bodily injury emanating from material damage to the system)

Large to small
The company already offers insurance covering larger-scale commercial installations (over 750kW) but identified a gap in the market to cover small-scale community or commercial systems.  This product has therefore been developed to help organisations and businesses whose systems cannot be classed as ‘domestic’ but who are unable to afford the large-scale renewable energy insurance. Cover is currently provided for organisations with renewable energy installations eligible for the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) including wind turbines, solar PV and hydro systems. Initially cover will be available on systems up to 750kW, for either individual systems or as part of a group of project sites, which are individually less than 750kW.  It is intended that cover will be expanded to include other types of renewable energy systems, such as anaerobic digesters, in the near future. 

Installer benefits
According to Naturesave, knowing that this type of cover is available, especially the element relating to loss of revenue, could enable manufacturers and installers of renewable energy systems to offer an additional assurance to their customers, and will inevitably make it easier for installers to sell their products and services. 

If any installers or manufacturers are interested in highlighting this service, Naturesave is  offering reciprocal links on their website (listing installers by region), and can also provide customised leaflets if required.