A surge protector mounted at the electrical panel is a different purchase from a power strip. It sits on the service and shares protection across the circuits it is wired to. Before you commit, work through the questions below and write the answers down.
Start with the connection. Ask which panel position the device needs, whether your panel has room for it, and whether the work needs a permit. Panel size, breaker spacing, and clearance decide much of this. The electrical panel service life and planning page covers the planning side.
Ask what the device protects and what it does not. A unit at the panel does not reach every plug in the house, and it does not replace a point-of-use strip for sensitive electronics. Ask whether it guards the incoming service only or each circuit it is wired to.
Read the paper before the install. Look for the coverage line, which says what is covered. Look for the claim steps, which say who you call and what you send. Check for any waiting period before coverage starts, the exclusions that name events the paper does not count, and the conditions, such as a required inspection or a licensed installer. Ask whether the paper transfers if you sell the home, what it takes to cancel, and whose name it sits under.
Compare the listed protection ratings on the spec sheets. Use the same rating standard for each option, and ask the seller what the rating means in practice for your home. A rating you cannot explain is a rating you cannot compare.
Ask about upkeep. Find out whether the device has a status light or indicator, how often to check it, and who replaces the indicator or the protective modules when they wear out. Ask what the seller expects you to do after a large nearby lightning strike, and whether an electrician should check the panel before the device is reset.
Keep the answers and the paper with your panel file. If the seller cannot answer a line in writing, that line is still open, and you can decide with that in mind.