Get solar panel insurance

Solar panel insurance coverage is included in most homeowners insurance policies, which means no separate solar panel insurance is needed. Solar energy systems and the rooftop panels or tiles are largely considered a permanent attachment to your property, similar to a patio or a security system. It’s important to note that some policies may exclude damage to these attachments when it's caused by a particular threat, such as wind.

Any issues with the performance of your solar panels or any physical or electrical problems will be covered by your warranty. Solar systems are generally covered by two types of warranty, known as the product and performance warranties.

Performance warranties for the solar panels generally last for 25 years and guarantee that solar panels will produce a minimum percentage of their rated capacity, which slowly reduces as the panels degrade over time. The solar panel product warranty covers physical and electrical problems in a PV module, that either cause it to fail or under perform. Examples include moisture ingress, breakage of the glass, frame or back-sheet, and diode failure in the junction box.

Do solar panels impact your home insurance policy?

Many insurance providers consider permanent fixtures like solar panels to be part of your building, so they include coverage for them in their home insurance policies. To be sure, though, you should always check the policy documents for any policy you’re considering.

Even if solar panels are theoretically covered, though, you should ensure that they’re reflected in your sum insured. Your sum insured is the maximum amount your insurance provider will pay out in the event of a claim, and should be reflected by how much it would cost to rebuild or restore your home to its undamaged state. Adding new fixtures – like solar panels – to your home will increase the amount you’d need to replace everything, so if you install solar panels but don’t update your sum insured accordingly, you could wind up underinsured.

Your insurance company might require an add-on or separate policy for certain types of solar panel systems

While rooftop solar is typically covered in a standard policy, your insurer may or may not cover other types of installations, such as ground mounted solar panels and solar panel carports. Whether or not these separate systems are covered depends on your insurer’s policy. You may also be able to get an add-on or separate policy if your system is large enough to warrant its own coverage.