While roof-mounted solar is generally covered under standard policies, other types of installations, like solar panels on the ground and carports with solar panels, can be covered by insurers and sometimes are not. In most cases, you do not need a separate insurance policy to protect your solar panels; most insurers include this type of coverage as part of the standard homeowner’s insurance policy. Most roof-mounted solar power systems are covered under a standard homeowners policy, which does not change your insurance plan. Other leasing companies may require that you insure the solar panels, either under your homeowner’s policy or through a separate policy offered by the leasing company.
If you have rooftop-mounted solar panels, Term Insurance in your homeowner’s policy can cover repairs or replacements if they are damaged due to perils. While your standard homeowner’s policy probably covers your solar panels, you might want to speak with your insurance company about raising your insurance policy’s coverage limits.
If you installed your panels in a detached structure or built an independent ground-mounted supporting system, your panels might not be covered. But, oddly, if your meetings are mounted to your home’s roof, they are considered part of the structure of your home, so your homeowner’s insurance covers them.
If you are on a PPA, technically, you do not own the panels, so you might not have to cover them. However, suppose you have installed the system through a lease or power purchase agreement (PPA). In that case, you are not technically the system owner — the company with which you had a deal owns the panels and is responsible for maintaining them. Just like with a deck, if the solar panel system is attached to your house, it is considered part of the home and will probably be covered in the home section of your coverage (which is called Coverage A). Of course, if you are considering installing a solar system or buying a house with one already installed, you must talk with your insurer first.
Consideration means that — in many cases — covering your solar panels through your homeowner’s insurance would not result in a special add-on (or rider). It would not change your plan, and it will not raise your premium. However, if your solar panels are not on your roof — say, if they are installed atop your detached garage or standing freely on a pole in your backyard — you might have to cover them as an attached structure, says Bill Eberly. Because our dwelling insurance offers coverage against common hazards, your solar panels are protected against any incident, except things explicitly listed in your policy as exceptions (such as acts of war, movement of the land, birds, vermin, and so forth).
