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Solar and photovoltaic systems are now standard in new buildings. Existing buildings are also increasingly being adapted to the requirements of environmentally friendly power and energy generation. Here you can find out how such a system can be insured.
In Switzerland, it is already mandatory in many cantons to install a photovoltaic system in new buildings. The reason for this is the federal government's Energy Strategy 2050. By 2035, energy consumption is to be reduced by 42 per cent. The so-called "Model Cantonal Energy Regulations", or MCER for short, are intended to help achieve this goal. Among other things, they stipulate that new buildings must produce their own electricity. But the new requirements must also be taken into account for older buildings, at the latest when the existing heating system has to be modernised. Use the practical calculators from Houzy to find out whether a solar system is worthwhile in this case and how you can optimise your energy efficiency.
Why do we actually speak specifically of photovoltaics and not simply of solar systems? While solar systems are designed to generate heat from solar energy, photovoltaic systems convert solar energy into electricity. The latter are therefore much more versatile and therefore more complex. As far as insurance cover is concerned, however, there is only one difference between solar and photovoltaic systems: in the case of photovoltaic systems, loss of earnings is also covered.
Which insurance protects your system depends on the life phase of your own home. If a building is newly constructed, the photovoltaic system is part of the construction project and therefore covered by the construction insurance. After the house construction, fire and natural hazard damage to the system is covered by the usually obligatory building insurance. In addition, you can comprehensively insure your system against further damage through the supplementary cover "Building services systems" in the building insurance. In the event of damage to other persons or their property, the builder's liability comes into play during the construction phase and the building liability afterwards.
In the event of a house renovation or reconstruction, fire and natural hazard damage are insured under the existing building insurance. All other damage in the course of conversion work up to a construction sum of CHF 250,000 is insured with the "conversion work" cover in the buildings insurance. In this case, the insurance cover exists until the construction work is completed. If such additional cover is not available, construction work insurance can be taken out for the duration of the construction work.
A photovoltaic system consists of various components. These include solar modules consisting of individual solar cells, a mounting system, cabling, an inverter, a control centre, meters for measuring electricity consumption, self-consumption and feed-in quantity, and, if applicable, an electricity storage system. If you use an e-charging station as battery storage, it is included in the insurance cover of the building insurance. All the above-mentioned components are insured together against the following risks and damages:
In the event of damage to other persons or their property, the building liability or personal liability insurance comes into play, for example if a fire originating in the photovoltaic system spreads to the neighbouring building.
Baloise accompanies you step by step on your way to your dream home. Together with our joint partner UBS key4 mortgages, it ensures that you find the right financing for your property. Once you have decided on a new home, Baloise is there for you with comprehensive insurance cover before, during and after construction.
