Pool, solar panel, renovation and appliance add-ons worth considering

Terms used

• Continente — The continente is the building itself, including fixed installations, as opposed to the contents inside it.
• Obras — Obras are building or renovation works carried out on a property.
• Responsabilidad civil — Responsabilidad civil is liability cover that pays for damage or injury you or your contractor cause to other people.
• Seguro decenal — The seguro decenal is a 10-year structural guarantee insurance required for major new-build or structural works.

Key rules

• Pool: Declare a fixed pool to the insurer so it is on the policy.
• Solar panels: Panels are covered only if the building sum insured includes them, so raise it.
• Renovation: Tell the insurer before significant works, or a claim can be reduced or refused.
• Appliance add-ons: They suit expensive or numerous appliances, not old or cheap ones.

Only buy what your property has

A pool, solar panels, building works and appliance cover each matter only if you actually have them. If you don't, skip that section. If you do, tell the insurer and get the cover confirmed in writing. The checklist below lists the questions to ask.

Pool and garden

On a house or villa, a fixed swimming pool and garden installations (fences, paths, terraces, irrigation, lighting) are usually covered under the building cover or a sublimit. A sublimit is a lower cap for one item. Declare the pool on the policy.

• Pool covers, pumps and heating may be covered if they are fixed.
• Plants, trees and lawns are often covered only for specific events such as fire, and at a low sublimit.
• Wear and tear, frost, and leaks with no sudden damage are typically excluded.
• Liability cover should include injuries to third parties from the pool and garden. Some insurers require fencing or other safety measures.
• A shared pool in a community of owners falls under the community's policy, not yours.

Solar panels

Fixed rooftop panels count as part of the building (continente). They are covered for the usual risks (fire, water, storm, theft) only if the building sum insured includes them. Tell the insurer and raise the sum insured.

Expect questions about the type of system, whether it is for self-consumption or connected to the grid, and its value. Some policies cap panels at a sublimit, exclude hail or wind damage, or leave out batteries and inverters unless you declare them. Some need an add-on. Confirm in writing that panels, inverter and batteries are covered, and that damage to third parties from the installation is covered.

If you live in a block, panels on the common roof fall under the community's policy. Tenants are generally not responsible for panels the landlord owns.

Renovation works

Tell the insurer before significant works (obras), especially structural ones or anything that changes the value or risk of the property. If you don't, a claim can be reduced or refused. The warning below covers the main traps.

• Many policies suspend or limit cover during works. They may exclude damage caused by the works, poor workmanship, water damage from the works, and theft from an open or empty site.
• Your contractor should carry its own liability insurance (responsabilidad civil). For major works, a construction all-risk policy can be arranged.
• Your policy usually stays as cover for the existing building and contents. Update the sum insured once the works raise the value.
• For major new-build or structural works, a 10-year structural guarantee (seguro decenal) applies.
• In a community, also tell the community about works on common elements.

Appliances and electrical damage

These are two different add-ons.

• Electrical breakdown covers appliances and wiring damaged by power surges, short circuits and overvoltage. It usually has a modest limit, commonly a few hundred to a couple of thousand euros.
• Appliance breakdown covers mechanical or electrical failure of white goods and electronics. It is often limited to appliances under a set age, about 5 to 10 years, with a limit per claim and sometimes a deductible.

Both typically exclude wear and tear, cosmetic damage, consumables, poor maintenance and faults that existed before. The price is usually a modest extra premium.

They are worth more if you have many or expensive appliances, or live where the power supply is unstable. They are less useful for old or cheap appliances, because repair can cost nearly as much as replacing them. New goods already carry a legal guarantee of 3 years, so a recent purchase needs no add-on for that period.

Checklist

• Tell the insurer about a fixed swimming pool so it is declared on the policy.

• Ask whether the pool cover, pump and heating are covered under the building cover, and whether the insurer requires fencing or safety measures.

• Ask which garden installations (fences, paths, terraces, irrigation, lighting) are included and what the sublimit is for plants, trees and lawns.

• Confirm that the building sum insured includes your rooftop solar panels, and raise it if it does not.

• Give the insurer the installation details it asks for: type of system, whether it is for self-consumption or grid-connected, and its value.

• Ask whether the panels, inverter and batteries are all covered, and whether hail or wind damage is excluded.

• Confirm that liability for damage to third parties from the solar installation is covered.

What to watch out for

• Not telling the insurer about renovation works: If you do not tell the insurer about significant works, especially structural ones or changes that alter the building's value or risk, a claim can be reduced or refused. Tell the insurer before the works start and ask for the change in writing.

• Cover suspended or limited during works: Many policies suspend or limit cover during works, or exclude damage caused by the works, poor workmanship, water damage from the works, and theft from an empty or open site. Ask what stays covered during the works and make sure your contractor carries its own civil liability insurance.

• Sum insured left unchanged after the works: Works that raise the value of your home leave the building sum insured too low if it is not updated. Update the building sum insured when the works finish. For major new-build or structural works, ask about the 10-year structural warranty (seguro decenal) and, if you are in a community, tell it about works on common elements.

Frequently asked questions

Does a home policy cover my garden plants and lawn?

Plants, trees and lawns are often covered only for specific events such as fire, and at a low sublimit. Fixed garden items like fences, paths, terraces, irrigation and lighting are usually part of the building cover. Ask the insurer which events apply to plants.

Is an appliance breakdown add-on worth it for a new appliance?

No, an appliance breakdown add-on adds little for recent purchases, because Spanish law already gives a 3-year legal guarantee on new goods. It is worth more for expensive or numerous appliances, or where power is unstable. It is less useful for old or cheap ones, as repair can cost close to replacement.

What does an electrical-breakdown add-on cover compared with an appliance-breakdown add-on?

An electrical-breakdown add-on covers damage from power surges, short circuits and overvoltage, often up to a modest limit of a few hundred to a couple of thousand euros. An appliance-breakdown add-on covers mechanical or electrical failure of white goods and electronics, often only for appliances under about 5 to 10 years old. Wear and tear and pre-existing faults are usually excluded.

Who is responsible for solar panels on the roof of my block?

Panels on common roof elements fall under the community of owners' policy, not your own. Panels you own on your house roof are part of your building cover only if the insured capital includes them.