We receive all kinds of questions about solar energy, from costs to savings to environmental impact.
One of the most interesting (and difficult) questions is, “Are solar panels covered by house insurance?”
It’s a tough question to answer for 2 reasons:
- Number 1 – you must determine whether or not you even need home insurance for solar.
- Number 2 – every insurance policy is so different – even within San Diego.
Let’s tackle this 1st point.
Do You Even Need Homeowners Insurance for Your Solar Panels?
We buy insurance in order to protect us from accidents, malfunctions, and unfortunate events that may or may not unfold down the road.
But solar is an incredibly safe technology:
- Breakages happen pretty infrequently. But most solar panels come with 25-year warranties that protect you from malfunctions. And at Sunline Energy, we include performance guarantees to ensure that your installation continues operating at peak performance.
- Falling debris could happen. Most equipment warranties don’t protect you from external factors like falling objects (i.e. trees, limbs, and hail). But today’s solar panels are rigorously tested for impacts. It would have to be something pretty large falling out of the sky to cause serious damage to your installation.
- Another concern is fire. But these are exceedingly rare – especially when your installation is performed by a licensed, experienced professional who uses high quality components (like we do).
In other words, homeowners insurance for your solar installation is largely unnecessary. The above events are very rare, and the cost/benefit usually isn’t worth it.
But many homeowners enjoy having that extra peace of mind. So are you covered if you need to be?
Are Solar Panels Covered by House Insurance Policies – Usually?
Whether or not you need homeowners insurance for your solar panels is debatable. But are you actually covered anyway?
The answer is – it depends:
- Some policies will not cover you. These companies view solar as a risk and will either charge higher premiums, or they won’t cover you at all.
- Other policies will cover you. These insurance companies already understand that solar customers are more responsible, and thus, less likely to file false insurance claims. They might even lower your premiums once you go solar.
It’s really up to each individual insurance provider.
If you ask us, going solar should always make homeowners insurance cheaper. Panels help protect your roof (shielding it from the elements), and they help increase the property value of your home – by a lot.
So if your current homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover you, you should leave them. You’ll be better off. Even if your new coverage is slightly more expensive, you’ll be able to afford it with the extra monthly savings that your solar panels deliver. But there’s a very good chance that your new homeowners insurance won’t be more.
If you request a free inspection from our solar installation team, we may be able to put you in touch with San Diego insurance companies that offer lower premiums and greater coverage. These are insurance providers who understand the true value of solar (and the long-term benefits of intelligent risk management).
So request your free solar consultation today. You pay nothing for this service. And you could end up saving way more money as a result.
