Solar system presumably struck by lightning

Katelknaap said:
Them wanting to settle on the price of another brand inverter is not on. Sunsynk is widely available. If their suppliers can't supply Sunsynk, that's not your problem. I would insist on a cash in lieu settlement on a like for like basis. Speak to the assessor, no reason that you should be "out of pocket" for nearly R 7k.
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Some insurers won't let you choose, its not an option.
Our house was struck badly in 2021 - direct strike on the roof, hit the DSTV, then hit a palm tree by the pool and blew up a piece of the palm tree, even the pool water bubbled for a bit.
We lost a 2 x Sony LED TVs, 2 x Ubiquity Amplify Alien's, and a few other things.

Insurance said the replacements would be 2 x Sinotec LED TVs, 2 x Asus routers and so forth. I complained saying the Sony's are far more expensive than Sinotec, and the Ubiquities were like 2x the Asus price but they said the policy wording states they can replace for like by specification not brand. So 65" TV - any kind not a Sony. etc.
 
neoprema said:
Some insurers won't let you choose, its not an option.
Our house was struck badly in 2021 - direct strike on the roof, hit the DSTV, then hit a palm tree by the pool and blew up a piece of the palm tree, even the pool water bubbled for a bit.
We lost a 2 x Sony LED TVs, 2 x Ubiquity Amplify Alien's, and a few other things.

Insurance said the replacements would be 2 x Sinotec LED TVs, 2 x Asus routers and so forth. I complained saying the Sony's are far more expensive than Sinotec, and the Ubiquities were like 2x the Asus price but they said the policy wording states they can replace for like by specification not brand. So 65" TV - any kind not a Sony. etc.
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If that's how your insurer operates, it's time to look for a new one. No way in hell my insurer would replace my 65" Samsung with a Sinotech. In terms of the indemnity principle, that's not placing you back in the same or similar position that you were in before the damage or loss occurred.
 
neoprema said:
Some insurers won't let you choose, its not an option.
Our house was struck badly in 2021 - direct strike on the roof, hit the DSTV, then hit a palm tree by the pool and blew up a piece of the palm tree, even the pool water bubbled for a bit.
We lost a 2 x Sony LED TVs, 2 x Ubiquity Amplify Alien's, and a few other things.

Insurance said the replacements would be 2 x Sinotec LED TVs, 2 x Asus routers and so forth. I complained saying the Sony's are far more expensive than Sinotec, and the Ubiquities were like 2x the Asus price but they said the policy wording states they can replace for like by specification not brand. So 65" TV - any kind not a Sony. etc.
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That's a low blow. Who's your insurance company? Unacceptable.

We had a fire ithat took out my TV unit and 75" LG Nano90. Santam paid out the full R38K for the replacement model. No nonsense. I would have been pretty pissed off with a Sinotec replacement.
 
Don't sign the AOL and demand what you had.

Listen, I know a great many people assume assessors are just there to take photos and assess damages but that is not the case. Their reports include recommendations they sourced and it is important to remember they are not experts in any one field but more a jack of all trades master of none kinda deal.

If the assessor told you this and not your insurer direct then it came from the assessor. Demand what you had and if the assessor chirps then phone your insurer and tell them so.
 
spit said:
Dankie @RonSwanson for your advice. The electrician will pay the excess and won't charge me labour for the replacement.
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How did you convince the Electrician to pay your insurance excess and install the new unit for free??
 
neoprema said:
Insurance said the replacements would be 2 x Sinotec LED TVs, 2 x Asus routers and so forth. I complained saying the Sony's are far more expensive than Sinotec, and the Ubiquities were like 2x the Asus price but they said the policy wording states they can replace for like by specification not brand.
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Name and shame, please.
 
neoprema said:
I don't want to OUT them like that... :p
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By sharing experiences on a forum like this, we all learn and can thus make informed decisions for our own piece of mind. I definitely don't want my cover with an insurer that wants to indemnify their clients in that way.
 
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Katelknaap said:
By sharing experiences on a forum like this, we all learn and can thus make informed decisions for our own piece of mind. I definitely don't want my cover with an insurer that wants to indemnify their clients in that way.
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This. It's one more thing we now know we have to check when comparing home insurance policies.
 
3WA said:
This. It's one more thing we now know we have to check when comparing home insurance policies.
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I see that point, however there's also the other side. Like the fact that the claim was processed faster than any other policy i've had since i've been old enough to be insured - and with hardly any questions and no assessor they just wanted pictures.

I know friends at other insurances who got struck by lightning and 4 weeks later were still waiting for an assessor to come out...

I guess you win some, you lose some
 
airborne said:
How did you convince the Electrician to pay your insurance excess and install the new unit for free??
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We were talking about the new installation and what was needed and then I asked him why he didn't let me know when he started installing the Surge Protectors and what caused him to begin installing them.
He then felt bad, said he was sorry and thanked me for the business opportunity because he was now going to contact the previous clients and see if he could install it for them. I said great, but then I want a discount on the installation and he was like yes sure, he won't ask me for labour.
He will make his money again as I want to add a 2nd battery in July hopefully.
Katelknaap said:
By sharing experiences on a forum like this, we all learn and can thus make informed decisions for our own piece of mind. I definitely don't want my cover with an insurer that wants to indemnify their clients in that way.
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Currently with Old Mutual Insure.
 
spit said:
We were talking about the new installation and what was needed and then I asked him why he didn't let me know when he started installing the Surge Protectors and what caused him to begin installing them.
He then felt bad, said he was sorry and thanked me for the business opportunity because he was now going to contact the previous clients and see if he could install it for them. I said great, but then I want a discount on the installation and he was like yes sure, he won't ask me for labour.
He will make his money again as I want to add a 2nd battery in July hopefully.

Currently with Old Mutual Insure.
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Lucky replacing inverter is alot easier . If he is supplying inverter he will make some money.
 
RonSwanson said:
True, but lightning can cause a surge condition by inducing current into the mains feed. You are very fortunate that your assessor gave you a favourable report, and considered the root cause to be lightning.
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Approximate cause was lightening so this is the peril it would fall under and could be fought if anything else determined.
 
spit said:
It falls under the lightning section and not power surge

Yes, the DC (PV) has its own surge protectors installed.

Thanks, will definitely look into it.

The assessor had been here earlier today. He agrees it was a surge caused by the direct lightning strike at the neighbour that caused the damage. He said he would recommend replacement and not repair. He is also happy with the installation and has no problem. He also mentioned that a surge protector is only mandatory for power surges and not lightning.

They just send me a replacement quote for Sunsynk and I'm not happy. I will settle in cash for the quote I sent in to replace the inverter with a Sunsynk again.

View attachment 1452123

Thanks for everyone's input and opinions.
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The policy is a policy of indemnification which means putting you in the same position you were in just before the loss.
They have to repair or replace with the same or equivalent and don't accept anything less (this being if the sum insured is correct)
 
Pho3nix said:
What exactly was in your policy wording to make sure Inverter is covered?

Sorry re-read the thread but can’t see it. Thank you
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I sent them the invoice and asked that they update my insured value accordingly and to take note that I have installed solar and an Inverter.

They send me a new policy shedule and that was that.

The following is as per policy wording under the building section.
1673251061324.png
Hope it helps.
 
spit said:
I sent them the invoice and asked that they update my insured value accordingly and to take note that I have installed solar and an Inverter.

They send me a new policy shedule and that was that.

The following is as per policy wording under the building section.
View attachment 1454501
Hope it helps.
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Thank you, I’m with them as well. Will call to update the policy
 
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