Does homeowners insurance cover solar panels? This is a common question among prospective solar panel buyers, and if you yourself are looking into the solar panel market and are interested in installing panels to your home, you’ve likely had this question cross your mind. Luckily, we’re here to answer.
The average cost of a 10KWh system is about $28K (before your 26% Federal Tax Credit), which is a hefty price tag for most homeowners. The cost of repairing or replacing damaged solar panels can add unwelcome financial strain for homeowners, so it’s only natural to worry about potential damage to your solar panels caused by hail or other weather conditions. You know that protecting your investment is important, but how do you go about insuring your solar panels? Don’t worry, we’re here to help you navigate the waters of solar panel insurance.
What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?
Good news! Solar panel insurance coverage is actually included in most homeowner’s insurance plans and policies. Most homeowners insurance policies cover the solar panels themselves and, because the rooftop mounts are considered a permanent structure on the house, they are also covered. If you find out that your insurance company doesn’t cover solar panels, it may be time to shop around for a new policy.
If you live in Texas or an area known for hailstorms, you might be wondering whether your current insurance policy will cover hail damage to your solar panels.
We can put your mind at ease for two reasons: most insurance policies do hail-damaged solar panels. The second reason you shouldn’t be too concerned is that solar panels are actually extremely durable and difficult to dent or break. Solar panels are very sturdy, and the likelihood of them getting damaged during a storm by hail falling from the sky is slim to none.
The news a day after a hail storm hits will likely show an endless cycle of situations where hail knocked out car windows, house windows, damaged roofs – but believe it or not, solar panels are often left completely intact. In fact, when Solartime USA gets called to remove the solar panels from a hail-damaged roof while the roof is being replaced, the panels usually end up being unharmed and reinstalled later. You can rest easy knowing that this prized addition to your house is safe and covered by homeowners insurance in the event they do get damaged in a storm. Solartime USA’s solar panels are monitored 24/7 so chances are we would most likely know of any damage to your panels before you are even aware. Our solar panels also come with a 25 year warranty on the off chance anything does damage your panels.
While your solar panels are probably covered by your homeowners insurance for damages related to hail, most insurance plans won’t cover a defective inverter that has stopped working. Luckily, the inverters and solar panels are covered by manufacturer’s warranties, which will take care of repairing or exchanging your inverter in case of malfunction. So, now that you know that your solar panels are most likely covered by homeowner’s insurance, you’re probably wondering whether this will drive up your premiums.
Do Solar Panels Increase Home Insurance Premiums?
It’s important to check with your homeowners insurance policy but, generally speaking, your premium shouldn’t go up after installing solar panels. If you end up getting a ground mount or installing your solar panels on a car port or other structure, your policy may increase. Depending on the size of your solar system, you may need to increase your policy limits; however, the increase is usually minimal. In fact, Solartime USA’s customers with ground mounts have reported that their homeowners insurance only increased between $3 and $5 a month!
Because we are local to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, our knowledgeable Solartime USA consultants can give you more detailed information about solar panel insurance coverage in the area. Once you are ready to install your solar panels, we will check with your insurance company and provide the necessary paperwork to add them to your policy. However, it’s always a good idea to inquire with your insurance company ahead of time.
Solartime USA is your One-Stop-Shop for Solar Panels
The professionals at Solartime USA are happy to assist you with the entire solar system process, from the original free quote and personal design, to coordinating the entire process with all trade professionals, inspectors, electric companies, to getting all your permits. Solartime USA is your complete “one-stop-shop” for solar panels. We are a family owned and operated company serving Dallas/Ft Worth with the ability to service your solar panel purchase from beginning to end and well beyond. We aim to have you become part of our Solartime USA family. Give us a call at (972) 675-7725 or fill out the contact from and we will call you within 24 hours to set up an appointment that is convenient for you.
