Solar Protect

Solar Protect, a niche insurance broker focused on tax fee protection

Solar Protect is the trading style of Solar Insurance Services (Medway) Limited, an insurance broker registered in England that presents itself as a UK-based specialist in niche insurance products. Its main product is tax fee protection insurance, aimed at businesses, sole traders and individuals who want to shield themselves from the accountancy costs that an HMRC enquiry can generate. The company states that it has operated in this market for twenty five years.

The broker sells online: the site allows a quote to be requested and a policy purchased within minutes, and it also offers some products on a wholesale basis to accountants, bookkeepers, insurance brokers and other business intermediaries.

What the tax fee protection policy covers

According to the information published by the company, the policy covers up to £100,000 of the accountant's fees in the event of an HMRC enquiry, carries no excess and lets the policyholder continue working with their own accountant. Directors and partners are included in the cover, subject to limits. The scope described on the site extends to:

• Furlough and self-employment scheme checks related to the measures introduced during the Covid-19 outbreak, including the Job Retention and Self-Employment Schemes.
• Corporation Tax and Income Tax full or aspect enquiries, including enquiries into Scottish taxes.
• PAYE/NIC compliance checks from the outset and disputes with HMRC following such checks.
• IR35, employment status and CIS enquiries and disputes.
• VAT compliance checks from the outset and disputes with HMRC following such checks.
• Enquiries under Section 60 or 61 of the VAT Act 1994, provided there is no dishonesty or fraud.
• Code of Practice 8 investigations, provided there is no dishonesty or fraud.
• Business record checks, inspections and interventions under HMRC's Information & Inspection Powers at Schedule 36 FA 2008.
• Up to £250 of costs relating to an informal request for information by HMRC, by telephone or other means.
• Inheritance tax and probate return enquiries.
• Stamp Duty and Stamp Duty Land Tax enquiries.
• National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage enquiries.
• Child Tax Credit, Student Loan and Gift Aid enquiries.
• Companies House confirmation statement enquiries.

Other lines and group structure

Beyond tax investigation cover, the broker refers to professional indemnity insurance among its main products and states that it can look for cover even for unusual policies. Solar Protect and Apex Insurance Brokers belong to the same group; Apex is described as a Bristol commercial broker specialising in professional indemnity.

Documentation and regulatory status

The site publishes a set of policy documents, including the fee protection policy wording, a summary of cover, the IPID, legal expenses documentation, sole trader and commercial policy wordings and the statement of fact, together with terms of business and privacy notices. Solar Insurance Services (Medway) Limited is registered in England under company number 05439438 and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 459582. Its registered office is Unit 5 Anglo Office Park, Bristol, BS15 1NT.

Client feedback and distribution

The company states that it has helped thousands of clients over the years and reproduces comments from customers, including an accountant who has used its fee protection scheme within the practice for several years and a client who highlights the ease of renewing by phone. The site also carries a Trustpilot reference in relation to the tax fee protection product.