12/03/2026

BIZ & FINANCE THURSDAY | MAR 12, 2026

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Tune Protect partners Verdant Solar to offer landmark insurance scheme

o First such model in the country embeds coverage directly into residential rooftop installation packages

Zimmermann and Lim at the launch of the residential solar and insurance protection model.

Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM sunbiz@thesundaily.com

Under the programme, more than 2,500 hospitals are evaluated from a global pool of over 200,000 healthcare institutions, including public, teaching, university, and private hospitals. Only the world’s Top 250 are featured in the published global list, which includes many of the world’s most respected healthcare insti tutions, such as Mayo Clinic - Rochester (USA), University Health Network - Toronto General Hospital (Canada), Cleveland Clinic (USA), The Johns Hopkins Hospital (USA) and Singapore General Hospital. This recognition reflects a global benchmark that spans top academic and university hospitals as well as leading private hospitals. The evaluation is supported by a rigorous, multi-source methodology that includes peer recommendations matically receive insurance protection embedded within the installation package. The coverage includes protection against accidental damage from events such as storms, lightning, or fire, as well as compensation for the loss of electricity savings when systems are unable to generate power due to insured incidents. Zimmermann said integrating protection into the solar offering simplifies the adoption journey and supports consumer confidence. “Solar systems are a significant long term investment, yet they remain vulnerable to unexpected incidents. Our role is to bridge this gap and make sustainable living practical, secure and achievable for Malaysian households.” The initiative comes as the residential solar market in Malaysia continues to expand but remains largely untapped. According to Verdant Solar CEO Zeth Lim, rooftop solar adoption has grown rapidly over the past decade, but still represents only a small fraction of the potential market. “Solar energy in Malaysia is no longer a niche solution,” he said. “In 2013, about 5,000 homes were installed with solar in a year. Last year, the number rose to more than 30,000 units, representing a roughly 20-fold increase over the past 12 years.” Despite the growth, Lim noted that adoption remains low relative to the number of landed homes nation wide. “Out of around four million landed homes in Malaysia, only

KUALA LUMPUR: Tune Protect Group Bhd has partnered with Verdant Solar to introduce the country’s first integrated residential solar and insurance protection model, a move aimed at accelerating rooftop solar adoption as Malaysia advances its renewable energy transition. The collaboration embeds insu rance protection directly into resi dential solar installation packages, offering homeowners coverage against accidental damage and loss of elec tricity savings if solar systems are disrupted. Industry players say the model could help address one of the key barriers to solar adoption – perceived financial risk – at a time when the country is pushing to expand re newable energy capacity under initiatives such as the Solar Accelerated Transition Action Programme. Speaking at the launch, Tune Protect Malaysia’s appointed repre sentative, Hans-Joachim Zimmer mann, said the partnership reflects a broader shift in how insurance can support sustainability efforts. “Today’s launch represents a new approach to supporting Malaysia’s energy transition at the household level. As more homeowners explore rooftop solar, their long-term invest ments must be supported by protection that provides greater peace of mind.” Under the partnership, home owners installing solar systems through Verdant Solar will auto

solar adoption is risk and financing. By reducing risk, we hope banks will eventually offer better financing terms, such as longer tenures or more attractive interest rates, making solar even more accessible,” he said. From the insurance perspective, Tune Protect sees partnerships like this as part of a broader strategy to embed protection into sustainability driven products and services. Zimmermann said the initiative aligns with the group’s environ mental, social and governance framework and its longer-term goal of achieving net-zero emissions for Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2050. He added that encouraging residential solar adoption contri butes to climate resilience and supports Malaysia’s broader clean energy ambitions.

The partnership will initially focus on new customers installing solar systems through Verdant Solar before expanding the offering to the company’s existing customer base and potentially other homeowners in the market. Lim said Verdant Solar currently has around 10,000 existing cus tomers and aims to extend the protection offering to them in the later phases. Executives from both companies said reducing perceived risks could also unlock further financing options for homeowners considering solar investments. Lim noted that lowering risk exposure may encourage financial institutions to offer more competitive financing packages for solar instal lations in the future. “One of the biggest barriers to

from a global survey of more than 100,000 medical experts, along with patient experience data, hospital quality metrics, and Statista’s Patient Reported Outcome Measures Survey, which assesses how hospitals measure and improve outcomes based on patient-reported feedback. As the flagship hospital of Sunway Healthcare Group, Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City, is home to more than 300 resident medical consultants and provides comprehensive care across over 80 medical specialities and 28 centres of excellence. With the completion of its sixth block, Tower F (Children’s Pavilion), SMC will expand beyond 1,000 beds, supported by a multidisciplinary team focused on delivering integrated, personalised care. SMC is Malaysia’s first private hospital to attain three major hospital wide accreditations – Joint Commission International The Gold Seal of Approval from the United States, the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International and the Malaysian Society about 100,000 currently have solar installed,” he said, adding that this leaves significant room for expansion as energy costs rise and environ mental awareness grows. A typical residential solar system can offset between 60% and 90% of household electricity consumption while generating savings over a lifespan of 20 to 25 years, Lim said. However, homeowners are in creasingly considering system pro tection and long-term investment security when deciding whether to install solar. “This partnership becomes trans formative because customers want peace of mind when installing solar panels. Solar adoption requires more than technology; it requires a strong ecosystem where installers, finan ciers, policymakers and insurers work together,” Lim said.

Sunway Medical Centre Sunway City ranked No. 1 in M’sia by Newsweek PETALING JAYA: Sunway Medical Centre (SMC), Sunway City, Malaysia’s largest private quaternary hospital, has been ranked No. 1 in Malaysia in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026, reaffirming the hospital’s continued commitment to clinical excellence, patient safety and patient centred care. governance, advancing patient safety and experience, and continuing to invest in capabilities that support consistent, high-quality care for the communities we serve,” he said.

In the World’s Best Hospitals 2026 ranking, SMC rose to achieve 138th position globally, improving from 193rd in 2025 and 233rd in 2024, while maintaining its No. 1 position in Malaysia as the nation’s top-ranked hospital. Sunway Healthcare Group president Datuk Lau Beng Long said the group is honoured to be recognised in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 and proud to be ranked No. 1 in Malaysia once again. “This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our doctors, nurses, and colleagues across the organisation, and the trust placed in us by patients and partners locally and internationally. We remain committed to strengthening clinical

Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City, is home to more than 300 resident medical consultants and provides comprehensive care across over 80 medical specialities and 28 centres of excellence.

Statista to benchmark hospital performance and patient-centric outcomes internationally. It covers leading medical institutions across major healthcare systems, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.

for Quality in Health, reflecting the hospital’s commitment to inter nationally recognised standards of quality and patient safety. The World’s Best Hospitals is published annually by Newsweek in partnership with global market research and consumer data firm