Last week, Castleacre Director, Hugo Johnsen, attended an event hosted by Historic Houses exploring the latest data on UK historic houses visitor numbers and the wider outlook for the heritage sector as a contributor to the UK Economy.

For Castleacre Insurance, these findings highlight how historic houses, often now run as businesses out of necessity, are an important player in the UK economy and a crucial local employer and that is why specialist insurance is essential not to just to protect these nationally important buildings for their own sake but also the tourism and business activities that make such a vital financial contributor to the local economy.

One of the most encouraging announcements was the continued recovery in UK historic houses visitor numbers following the devastating impact of the Covid pandemic.

Historic Houses member properties welcomed 21.3 million visitors in 2025, representing a 14% increase over the previous year. This growth reflects the strong return in domestic tourism and renewed public interest in visiting heritage sites.

Several well-known estates led the rankings for visitor numbers. Blenheim Palace recorded the highest attendance with 980,678 visitors, followed by popular destinations such as Chatsworth House and Hever Castle.

While these figures show strong momentum, the sector is still working towards full recovery. Visitor numbers remain below 2019’s pre-pandemic level of around 26 million visits, highlighting that the recovery journey is still ongoing for many historic properties.

Protecting Unique Properties and Priceless Heritage

Historic houses are often centuries-old and it is their history and the visual and cultural heritage that makes them so attractive to visitors – period interiors, irreplaceable artworks, spectacular architecture and landscaped grounds all playing an important part in their continued economic viability.  Castleacre Insurance specialises in looking after historic houses and Director Hugo Johnsen says:

‘Almost all historic house owners have had to diversify activity in order to survive, and this creates complex insurance needs that go beyond standard insurance. With rising rebuild costs, operational costs, and maintenance demands running alongside public and employment liability, it is essential to have the right insurance in place to safeguard these sites for future generations.’

Rising Costs and Strategic Risk Management

The event also highlighted that 31% of properties have yet to recover to pre-pandemic revenue levels, while operational costs, including insurance, continue to rise.

By providing specialist coverage, risk assessment, and claims support, Castleacre Insurance helps historic house owners focus on preservation and visitor experience without the worry of unexpected financial shocks.

Castleacre’s Director, Hugo Johnsen, reflected further on these challenges:

“One of the largest costs for owners of historic houses is insurance. In the last 5 years premiums have doubled due to cost of materials, labour and higher insurance rates. Until now there has been very little appetite from the insurance fraternity to take on these risks, however recently a new player has arrived on the scene: ARX Rural. Their chairman, the Duke of Fife, has a direct interest in finding solutions for this problem. ARX Rural offer a different way of insuring these properties and so maybe competition is coming back into this arena.”

The arrival of underwriters ARX Rural signals a new approach to insuring historic properties and they working with insurance brokers, such as Castleacre Insurance to offer tailored solutions where options have previously been limited.

For owners, key steps include reviewing property valuations, understanding specific heritage and liability risks. This changing landscape underlines just how important it is for owners to have access to expert advice when making insurance decisions. As the market evolves and new entrants bring different approaches, the choices available are expanding, but so too is the complexity.

For historic house owners, securing the right cover is not simply about cost, but about ensuring long-term protection for irreplaceable buildings and collections. In this environment, informed guidance plays a vital role in helping owners make confident, well-structured decisions.

In an announcement over Christmas, the Treasury unexpectedly revised proposals to change agricultural property relief and stated that from April this year, Inheritance tax will be charged at 20% (half the normal IHT rate of 40%) on agricultural or business assets valued at over £2.5million as opposed to assets valued at just over £1million.

The recent revision to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief now means that a couple will be able to pass on up to £5 million of agricultural or business assets between them on top of the existing nil rate allowances (£325,000 per person), taking the total which can be passed on without paying Inheritance Tax to £5,650,000.

In a statement to the BBC – Gavin Lane, President of the Country Land and Business Associations, said: “The government deserves credit for recognising the flaws in the original policy and changing course. However, this announcement only limits the damage – it doesn’t eradicate it entirely.”

Landowners and farmers have been protesting vigorously since Rachel Reeves used her first budget in November 2024 to announce she was scrapping a 1980s policy that gave 100% inheritance tax relief on agricultural and business assets. Part of the reasoning behind Rachel Reeves’ reduction in relief was to stop speculative investors from buying farmland simply to avoid tax. Many people argued that this had unfairly penalised working farms and smaller estates, already impacted by Brexit and climate change, as it jeopardised financial viability if the next generation were forced to sell property assets to pay inheritance tax.

The government now says their recent reversal on Agricultural Property Relief will almost halve the projected number of farm estates that will need to pay inheritance tax in 2026/27 from 2000 to 1100.

Inheritance tax still remains a significant issue for many family estates and farms, and Life Insurance is a useful tool to help reduce the financial burden on beneficiaries.

One way some landowning families will try to limit the Inheritance Tax burden on subsequent generations is to gift large parts of their property during their lifetime. Gifts to individuals made over 7 years before death fall outside the scope of inheritance tax, but if the person dies within 3 years of the gift, Inheritance Tax is charged at 100%. Gift Inter Vivos insurance protects beneficiaries during this vulnerable period. These policies cover any Inheritance tax liability over the full 7 years, but during the last 4 years, as the Inheritance Tax Liability tapers down, the premium payments decrease proportionately.

Whole of Life policies can be used to cover the full cost of Inheritance tax for beneficiaries whenever a property owner dies, and if placed in trust, the lump sum benefit is currently exempt from Inheritance Tax. Because these policies pay out a significant sum whenever the person dies rather than during a specific term, premiums are much higher than those for a short-term life policy, which might be used to protect a mortgage debt over a distinct period.

Probate Relief is a term life policy designed to protect a partner during the immediate aftermath of death and provide financial liquidity – providing a tax-free lump sum in advance of probate and at a time when your partner may not have full access to your finances.

To find out how different Life Insurance solutions can help mitigate the impact of changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, contact our Life Insurance specialist, Ali Adham.

The Seven-Year Inheritance Tax Rule for Lifetime Gifts

We often think about Lifetime Gifts when we retire or downsize. It is a time when parents can free up assets as their own children may need more financial help to support their own young family.

The great benefit of gifting during your lifetime is that you can give away any amount you want and, providing you do not die within a seven-year period, there is no inheritance tax to pay on this gift (PET – a potentially exempt transfer).

While there is no limit on the amount you can give away, if you do die within the seven-year period, this gift will be included as part of your estate and is subject to inheritance tax.

So how can you confidently pass on a gift without your beneficiaries worrying about paying a large Inheritance Tax bill?

Inheritance tax liability for lifetime gifts decreases over a seven-year period and Gift Inter Vivos Insurance is perfectly designed to work in tandem with the decrease in tax liabilities over this period.

If you die within the first three years of a lifetime gift, inheritance tax is calculated on the entire value of the gift, which means beneficiaries would have to pay up to 40% inheritance tax on the original gift.

If you die in years 4 to 7, inheritance tax will be calculated at a progressively smaller proportion of the gift each year – IHT liabilities tapering down over this period. For example, if you were to die in year 7, inheritance tax would be calculated on just 20% of the original gift, leading to a considerable reduction in tax liability.

After year 7, beneficiaries are no longer liable for any inheritance tax, so many families view this method of protecting assets as an acceptable risk, but Gift Inter Vivos insurance provides affordable protection throughout the period when beneficiaries are liable for tax, providing peace of mind.

How does Gift Inter Vivos Insurance Help Protect Your Beneficiaries?

A Gift Inter Vivos Case Example:

A 70- year- old widow chooses to gift £250,000 to her daughter during her lifetime. She dies suddenly just two years after the gift.

The daughter inherits her parents’ house valued at £950,000, with a further £50,000 in cash. She benefits from both her mother’s and father’s individual tax-free nil rate allowance of £325,000. A further property nil rate allowance of £175,000 is applied for each parent because the main house has been passed to their direct descendant. Her total tax-free allowance for inheritance is £1 million.

The £250,000 she was gifted two years earlier exceeds this allowance, so she is now liable for inheritance tax (@40%) on the entire gift, resulting in an Inheritance Tax Bill of £100,000.

If the widow had died five years later (year 7), only 20% of the original gift would have been considered as liable for tax. The gift would still have exceeded the threshold of £1 million, but inheritance tax would only be due on £50,000 (20%) of the original £250,000 – the inheritance tax bill would be at a much lower level of £20,000.

If the mother had taken out Gift Inter Vivos Insurance as soon as she had gifted the £250,000 to her daughter and then passed away within the 7- years, the policy payout in any year would have matched the daughter’s Inheritance Tax Liability, protecting her daughter against the worry of suddenly having to find a large sum for HMRC.

Gift Inter Vivos for a 70-year old person taking out a £100,000 policy to cover Inheritance Tax (IHT) on a £250,000 Gift:

Premium is only paid up to the year of death, so the total premium paid varies (Rates March 2025)

Gift Inter Vivos Insurance Variations

Annual premiums for Gift Inter Vivos policies vary depending on the level of cover needed to match the Inheritance Tax Liability and the age you are when you take out a policy. The older you are, the more likely you are to die within the next 7 years, presenting a greater risk for insurers. Insurers specialising in Gift Inter Vivos Insurance are usually happy to offer these 7-year policies up to the age of 79 years, but they become progressively more expensive as you become older.

Gift Inter Vivos Premiums for an 79 year old person taking out a £100,000 policy to cover IHT on a £250,000 gift:

Premiums for a larger Lifetime Gift for a 60-year-old taking out a £500,000 policy to cover IHT on a £1,250,000 gift:

Bespoke Gift Inter Vivos Policies to Protect Your Beneficiaries

If you intend to make a large gift during your lifetime and want to protect your beneficiaries from the worry of paying an unexpected inheritance tax bill, Ali Adham Castleacre’s Life Insurance specialist, offers advice on a wide range of options including Gift Inter Vivos insurance tailored to your precise needs.

You can visit our Life Insurance Page to learn more about how life insurance can protect against Inheritance Tax Changes.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) has warned of a rise in staged collisions involving rented mopeds to make claims on vehicle insurance. These vehicles, often hired for just a day, are deliberately used to cause accidents and make exaggerated insurance claims.

For unsuspecting drivers, the impact can be substantial, leading to lengthy and complex disputes and escalating legal costs. If you cannot prove that the collision was deliberately staged, it can result in a very costly car insurance claim, which can also have a serious impact on the cost of future insurance premiums, particularly for the owners of luxury or classic cars, where insurance claims are likely to be much higher in the first instance. It demonstrates the value of having the right vehicle insurance in place and taking precautions to protect yourself.

A Calculated Shift in Vehicle Insurance Fraud

The perpetrators of traditional “crash-for-cash” scams once relied on two private vehicles and low-speed collisions. The latest variant of this type of vehicle insurance fraud is now more commonly orchestrated using rented mopeds and primarily happening in London and other major cities.

Staged Accidents to Exploit Drivers’ Vehicle Insurance with Inflated Personal Injury Claims

Scammers are renting mopeds from legitimate companies, knowing that any crash will result in multiple insurers being involved, including the rental firm’s insurers, the rider’s temporary policy, and the vehicle insurance coverage of the innocent driver. This creates confusion over liability and opens the door to personal injury claims.

Offenders often operate in teams. They identify easy target vehicles, which they calculate will lead to guaranteed financial rewards, such as vehicles slowing near junctions, luxury cars in urban traffic, or cautious or vulnerable drivers, who they think are unlikely to be confrontational. Once the collision is initiated, the moped rider feigns injury or distress, often supported by false witnesses or video footage. What follows is an expensive, time-consuming claim designed to exploit every procedural loophole available.

Because the moped is on loan, the financial exposure multiplies. Commercial rental costs, repair rates, and replacement-hire fees can turn what appear to be minor incidents into five-figure insurance claims. Insurers are forced into lengthy negotiations, while honest motorists face stress, uncertainty, and potential premium increases.

This new development in fraudulent ‘crash for cash’ incidents has increased the cost and complexity of associated insurance claims. Without dashcam footage, it is very difficult to prove that these collisions are deliberate, so in many instances, insurers are paying these inflated claims. If ‘crash for cash’ insurance fraud continues to grow, it will have an impact on the cost of insuring cars in cities, and this will affect all vehicle owners regardless of whether you are a victim of this type of scam or not.

The Wider Cost to the Market and Policyholders

Every false or exaggerated claim ultimately filters through to the entire market, driving up insurance premiums and slowing down the resolution of legitimate cases.

Even when fraud is uncovered, the administrative and investigative burden remains high, placing pressure on insurers and increasing operational costs.

For clients with multiple vehicles or family fleets, the potential for disruption is significant. High-value cars are often prime targets precisely because the perceived insurance ceiling is higher. Without proactive risk management and bespoke vehicle insurance, even the most careful driver can become entangled in a claim designed to exploit the additional value attached to their vehicle.

The Power of Evidence: Why Dashcam Footage Matters

Technology has become a decisive ally in the fight against staged collisions.

A professionally fitted, high-quality dashcam provides impartial, timestamped evidence that can usually confirm events beyond dispute. In numerous cases, dashcam footage has not only cleared innocent drivers but also exposed organised fraud networks operating across London and other major cities.

For policyholders and insurers alike, the advantages of having dashcam footage are tangible. A few seconds of clear footage can prevent weeks of legal correspondence, protect valuable no-claims discounts, and save thousands of pounds in potential liability. 360-degree dashcams as part of a wider risk-management strategy are particularly useful in cities where this type of stage moped collision is more common. Being able to provide video evidence to your insurer can give you reassurance and increased confidence if you do become a victim of a moped scam, as your insurer will be equipped to defend you against this form of vehicle insurance fraud.

Why Expert Brokerage Makes the Difference

At Castleacre, our advisors work with each client to ensure their vehicle insurance reflects the realities of the risks they face. We identify potential vulnerabilities, recommend trusted insurers, and manage every stage, including a potential claim with the thoroughness our private clients expect.

When a fraudulent claim arises, early intervention is crucial. Your dedicated advisor at Castleacre will work with you to ensure all the correct information is passed to your insurer and any issues are dealt with swiftly to provide a swift solution for you.

For those managing family fleets or high-value car collections, Castleacre’s proactive risk management ensures your insurance protection remains as dynamic as the risks themselves.

A Shared Responsibility in Combating Fraud

The Government announced last year that insurance companies were ‘united to step up efforts to crack down on fraudsters’ and stated that the Insurance Fraud Bureau was investigating over 6000 suspected fraudulent motor insurance claims, with a number of these being crash for cash scams. The IFB and National Crime Agency continue to target these criminal groups. The information provided by drivers, insurance brokers, and insurers plays a crucial role in recognising suspicious behaviour patterns and identifying potential fraud.

The Castleacre Standard: No Ordinary Broker

At Castleacre, we take our role as your advocate seriously, and you are not left to navigate complex claims on your own. Castleacre Insurance recognises that the best outcome for a client lies in the detail. From ensuring the correct indemnity limits to advising on risk-mitigation technologies and claims protocols, we provide a level of service designed for clients who expect excellence at every level. Whether safeguarding an individual vehicle or an entire portfolio, our role at Castleacre Insurance is to ensure that when the unforeseen happens, your insurance protection performs exactly as intended.

The rise in rented-moped scams is a clear reminder that even the most careful drivers are sadly not immune to fraud. The combination of deliberate targeting and the use of commercially hired vehicles to perpetrate these frauds can turn a minor incident into a significant financial loss, but being aware of this trend can give you an advantage over the fraudsters.

Protection Against Crash for Cash Vehicle Insurance Scams – A Summary

Prompt risk management guidance, a carefully structured vehicle insurance policy, and a 360-degree dash cam can all help reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a moped scam.

In the immediate aftermath of a suspicious vehicle collision, it is important to maintain composure, avoid an admission of fault, and, if safe to do so, collect photographic evidence. It is advisable to pass

on as much information to your insurer or broker as you can as soon as possible, as crucial details can be forgotten over time.

At Castleacre, your broker acts as your advocate. In the event of a claim, we will ensure that all the right details are passed onto your insurer, and we support you throughout the whole claims process to obtain the best outcome for you.

Contact Castleacre Insurance today to review your current cover or arrange a confidential consultation.

Life insurance can be a reliable and flexible tool to help you plan for Inheritance Tax when structured carefully.

Here are five ways you can use Life Insurance to safeguard your estate for future generations:

1. Use Term Life Insurance (Gifts Inter Vivos Policy) for Lifetime Gifts
   You can make substantial gifts during your lifetime to try and reduce the Inheritance Tax burden on your family, but there is a ‘seven-year’ inheritance tax rule that applies to sums over £3000. If you die seven years after a lifetime gift, there is no inheritance tax to pay. If you die within seven years, your beneficiaries are liable for inheritance tax. The tax burden does decrease over time; if you die one year after the gift, your heirs will have a higher IHT bill than if you die six years after the gift. Short-term insurance, known as Gift Inter Vivos polices, can be a great way to facilitate gifts during your lifetime. Gift Inter Vivos policies are term life insurance policies designed to last over the critical seven years and cover the potential tax liability on those gifts. The cover and yearly premium decreases over time reflecting the reduction in Inheritance Tax liability over seven years.
2. Use Whole-of-Life Cover to Fund Future Inheritance Tax Liabilities
   A whole-of-life policy pays out whenever you die, providing a guaranteed lump sum to cover IHT. If you place a Whole of Life policy in trust, it ensures your family has immediate funds at their disposal to pay an inheritance tax bill, without selling assets, property, shares, or taking out a loan to cover the bill. The policy settlement can be revised to match expected IHT liabilities, providing clear, predictable protection against shifting tax rules or thresholds. Whole-of-life policies pay out whenever you die, whether at 56 or 106, so annual premiums can be expensive and vary depending on the settlement you are looking for.
3. Place a Life Policy in Trust so it is not included in Your Estate
   Placing a life policy in trust is essential if you want to exclude it from the value of your taxable estate. IHT is payable in full or in part before Probate is granted (usually within six months of death) and often before your beneficiaries can fully access your financial and property assets. When a policy is written in trust, the settlement goes directly to your chosen trustees and not into your estate, meaning it is typically not included in assets assessed for IHT. This also speeds up payment, giving beneficiaries timely access to funds.
4. Use Life Insurance to Protect Business or Property Assets
   If you own a business, farmland, or valuable property, life insurance can be critical in preserving those assets for your family. As business or agricultural reliefs are reduced in April 2026, bespoke life insurance can help your beneficiaries with financial liquidity to meet or mitigate these painful IHT changes. This can prevent the need to sell important assets under pressure, protecting the viability of a business or farm and family security by averting the forced sale of a home.
5. Use Life Insurance to Protect Your Partner
   Many of us will consider life insurance when we take out a mortgage -these life policies are designed to protect our partner if we die unexpectedly before the mortgage loan is repaid. This type of term life policy will often expire shortly after the mortgage ends, which means that if you die after the term life policy finishes, your partner will no longer receive a cash lump sum. Receiving a capital lump sum after your partner’s death can be extremely helpful because they may not have immediate access to your assets until Inheritance tax is paid and Probate has been granted. Probate Relief is a cost-effective life policy taken out by one partner to help the surviving partner with financial liquidity by delivering an immediate cash settlement after death.

Final Thoughts on Life Insurance and Inheritance Tax

Tailored life insurance is one of the most adaptable and useful planning tools available to deal with Inheritance tax changes and with unused pensions also being brought into inheritance tax calculations from April 2027 forward planning is essential. Whether used to cover gifts, protect family assets, fund future inheritance tax bills or provide financial liquidity to your family, in the immediate aftermath of your death, life insurance can provide some certainty and flexibility in an uncertain tax environment.

Life insurance works best as part of a wider estate plan. Nuanced life polices working in tandem with a carefully planned succession plan to protect your family. Whichever life policy you opt for, pre-arranging settlements to go into a trust can also broaden your options. The type of trust you choose gives you flexibility in how you protect your heirs and your assets.

For personalised guidance on structuring life cover or combining insurance within wider estate planning, Castleacre Insurance offers independent advice on Life Insurance without any obligation. We look for polices that meet your precise requirements, so take the time to talk to us before changes come in next year.

Download our guide Life Insurance and Inheritance

The current government have recently announced a tranche of changes to inheritance tax which will start from April 2025, most notably the reduction in Agricultural Property Relief which has been heavily criticised by the farming community who have faced spiralling input costs alongside other issues such as climate change.

These shifts are causing considerable concern among families, landowners, and business owners who rely on long-standing reliefs to pass assets to the next generation. As the rules evolve, many are beginning to assess how these reforms may impact their long-term financial planning, estate strategies and the future stability of their assets.

The proposed changes, staggered over three-years, will lead to reductions in Business and Agricultural Property Relief, the incorporation of unused pension assets into deceased estates and the closure of the non-domiciled tax regime. As a result, many individuals who have never previously faced an inheritance tax liability may now find themselves caught by increasingly complex thresholds. With rising property values, expanding estates, and now a broader definition of what may be taxed, it is becoming a far more pressing issue for families across the UK. These staged reforms require forward-thinking and careful preparation to help reduce exposure and ensure that family wealth is preserved as intended.

Changes to Inheritance Tax from April 2025

Domicile Status and Inheritance tax

The non-domiciled tax regime will be changing in April 2025 and a person’s estate, including worldwide assets, will now be subject to inheritance tax if they have been resident in the UK for at least 10 years out of a 20-year period.

This adjustment represents a significant tightening of the rules, meaning that individuals with international ties or foreign assets will need to re-examine how their estates are structured. For those who previously benefited from favourable domicile status, the new inheritance tax framework means that proactive planning becomes even more important. Without preparation, large estates—including overseas property, business interests, and family wealth, may be unexpectedly exposed to these upcoming liabilities.

Agricultural and Business Property Relief

Agricultural Property and Business Property inheritance tax exemptions designed to help families pass their business, shares and land onto the next generation, without being broken up, will change in April 2026, with reduced benefits for higher-value estates.

These reliefs have long been essential to ensuring the continuity of farms and rural enterprises, allowing land and operations to transition smoothly through generations. As these reliefs diminish, families may face greater difficulty keeping holdings intact, potentially requiring the sale of assets to cover inheritance tax obligations. This is particularly concerning for agricultural families already coping with financial pressures and rising costs. Understanding how these reductions alter the future tax burden is crucial, and many families are now seeking professional guidance to navigate the shifting inheritance tax landscape.

Pensions

From April 2027 unused pensions, previously exempt from IHT, will now be considered as part of an estate and also subject to inheritance tax. Previously unused pension could be passed on to beneficiaries with 100% tax relief so many families will now need to review their pension arrangement plans.

Previously unused pension could be passed on to beneficiaries with 100% tax relief so many families will now need to review their pension arrangement plans. This change marks a major shift in how pensions contribute to estate planning and may significantly increase inheritance tax liabilities for some households. For those who have accumulated substantial pension savings as a tax-efficient inheritance tool, these new rules may require alternative approaches to protect beneficiaries from unexpected costs.

Life Policies and Inheritance Tax

Families are now considering how to plan for these changes and life policies can be a welcome solution to the inheritance tax burden. Ali Adham, Castleacres’s Life insurance advisor says:

“Whether you want to gift your assets in your own lifetime or pass your property, farm or business as a legacy to your family after death, different life insurance policies can really help with inheritance tax.

There are essentially three basic policies on the market, Whole of Life, Term Life and Short-term Gift Inter-Vivos policies. You can choose which policy suits you family requirements but these policies are all designed to provide a lump sum to your beneficiaries on your death, crucially, if it is held in trust, your family can access it immediately.

Traditionally a family may have used a life insurance settlement to pay off a mortgage or provide an income but if you plan carefully it can also be used to settle an inheritance tax bill enabling your family to hold your property intact ”

These policies are becoming increasingly valuable as inheritance tax rules tighten. By providing a dedicated fund to cover those liabilities, families can avoid selling cherished assets or compromising long-term plans. As the government introduces more changes, life insurance remains one of the most flexible and secure tools available to help manage inheritance tax effectively and preserve wealth for future generations.

Learn more about Life Insurance and Inheritance Tax

Wood pellet biomass boilers are a good illustration of how insurers may view green energy technologies. Initially, these boilers were often incorrectly installed, poorly maintained, and sited within a property with the fuel stored in the same area. Claims were very costly when fire broke out, with two known incidents exceeding £500,000. As a result, insurers are happier if biomass boilers and fuel are stored in a separate building away from the main house to mitigate risk and keep premiums down.

Solar panels have been around for longer than other green energy sources and insurers are generally happy to cover roof panel installations as part of the buildings insurance. It is almost impossible to obtain permission to add solar panels to the roof of a period house or listed property and an alternative solution, which still requires planning permission, is to place free-standing solar panels at ground level. There are some risk considerations with ground installations as the panels can be more prone to theft or damage and you can now store unused energy onsite via battery storage rather than returning it to the grid. While many of us have seen the dramatic fires caused by lithium batteries on electric bikes. Insurers have yet to see a huge number of claims in relation to larger domestic battery stores because they are currently uncommon; as these become more widely used claims are likely to rise and this may make underwriters more nervous about potential risk, at least in the short term. Again, we would advise that these battery units are stored away from the house if possible.

There are of course risks with more long-standing energy sources. Gas leaks can cause catastrophic explosions and a domestic oil leak can have serious environmental consequences, especially near water courses, as well as affecting soil substructure underneath building foundations. Insurers are more familiar with these risks and can calculate the likelihood of a potential claim with older technology because there is more available data over a longer period.

Inevitably as newer green energy technologies are installed by more homeowners, underwriters will gain a more accurate picture of the probability of a claim, and this should moderate premiums over the long term.

If you are thinking of investing in renewable energy solutions it is always advisable to talk to your broker or insurer and ask their advice on how this may impact your insurance premiums before installation.

In January Ireland and the United Kingdom faced one of the strongest winter storms on record, Storm Eowyn. As destructive and damaging weather events increase in frequency and intensity what practical steps can you take to protect yourself and your home?

Climate change experts predict an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events in the long term. Storm damage is unpredictable and often difficult to prevent but maintaining your property can help you limit the impact.

When the Met Office issues Red Weather Warnings protect yourself in the first instance

• Avoid travelling if at all possible. If you do have to drive anywhere, ensure your tyres are in good condition and correctly inflated, and have an emergency kit in the car and a fully charged phone.
• At home be well prepared for power cuts and make sure any essential equipment such as phones are fully charged and that you have safe alternative forms of heating or lighting and basic supplies in case roads are blocked or flooded.