One of the questions we hear from potential PV solar customers is: “Should we insure a system if we decide to move forward with an installation?” We always encourage people to talk with their insurance agents before installing solar. This helps them understand how to ensure they are financially covered and how the installation might affect their insurance premiums.
When solar installations were not as common as they are today, installations rarely changed premiums. Today, installations do tend to raise premiums. For instance, ground-mounted arrays are often viewed as an additional outbuilding or structure and some companies want to know if you will have battery storage.
If an array is being placed on a rooftop, we suggest that homeowners talk with their roofing company as well if the roof is still under warranty. Depending on how an array is attached the warranty might be voided and it is important to know what your roof warranty covers and what it doesn’t.
The other reason to take a serious look at insurance for your solar system is the increase in extreme weather events. We have all seen the damage that can be done by hurricanes, tornados, and even hail. It is not uncommon now to hear reports from around the globe of 4 in – 7 in hail. This means that egg to softball-size hailstones is not a rare occurrence.
In the photo on the right, you can see tornado damage to a system in Eastern Indiana. All damaged components on this installation were covered by insurance.
If you are considering a system, talk to your agent today to make sure you and your system are covered. If you or your agent have any questions, we’re happy to answer them. Give us a call at 765-480-4138 or email us ag gai@solargai.com.
