A motorhome insurance specialist has offered his advice on attaching solar panels after an incident that narrowly avoided serious injury.
Dashcam footage captured the moment a solar panel came loose from a leisure vehicle and hit a family car, fortunately not harming anyone inside.
The incident occurred when Philip Palmer was driving his Jaguar XF on the A17 near King’s Lynn and the motorhome was travelling on the opposite side of the road.
Just missing the windscreen, the car was left with a broken splitter, undertray and wheel arch, with Mr Palmer, his partner and four-year-old son who were all riding inside the car unharmed.
The driver, who has managed to track down the motorhome owner due to the number plate on the dashcam footage, said he was mainly relieved.
He noted that had the impact been just a few inches higher, the incident may have ended very differently.
In response to the near-miss, Mark Sheppard, senior trading manager at insurance specialist Safeguard, has provided some information on solar panels for leisure vehicles.
He said: “There are two main types of solar panel available for motorhome owners: portable and flexible. It appears that the object which struck Mr Palmer’s vehicle was a flexible panel.
These are made from a thin and pliable material that allows them to conform to the shape of a motorhome’s roof.”
Mr Sheppard added that although solar panels are generally low-maintenance and built to withstand the conditions motorhomers put them through, it’s important to keep an eye out for any issues or malfunctions.
The installation process should also not be underestimated, as it can be complex and may require professional assistance in some cases.
He said: “According to our proprietary data for the UK from the past 12 months, installing solar panels is the fifth most popular modification our customers make to their motorhome.”
Leisure vehicle owners must inform their insurer if they plan to install solar panels, as they not only increase the value of the caravan or motorhome, and therefore affect insurance coverage, but may not automatically be covered by the policy.
Solar panels have become particularly popular in recent years, as owners look to adapt their vehicles to be more eco-friendly.
They also enable motorhomes and caravanners to go off-grid for longer periods of time, powering lights, heating and fridges without the need for electric hook-up.
