Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage to solar panels?

How tough panels are

Certified solar modules must pass a hail test in which ice balls about 1 inch across are fired at the glass at roughly 50 miles per hour. Hail that breaks a panel was large or the panel had a defect. Cracked glass, shattered cells and bent frames are the visible signs; microcracks inside the cells may only show up as lower production or under special imaging.

The cost most people forget: detach and reset

If hail damaged the shingles under and around the panels, the roof cannot be replaced without removing the array. Detaching, storing and reinstalling panels, plus new flashing for the mounts, is a real and often substantial cost. It should be written into the insurance estimate as part of the roof claim. If it is missing, ask for it before the work starts, because it is much harder to add later.

Owned vs leased

• Owned or financed panels: generally covered under your dwelling coverage. Tell your insurer you have them; some policies require it, and a large system may call for a higher dwelling limit.
• Leased panels: read the lease. The solar company often insures and repairs its equipment, and may require its own crew for removal and reinstallation.

After a hailstorm

1. Check your monitoring app for a drop in production.
2. Photograph the panels from the ground.
3. Get the roof and the array inspected.
4. Include the panels and the detach and reset in one claim.

More: hail size and roof damage and how roof estimates are written.