Insurance for Solar Installers

What underwriters look at

Solar installation combines two demanding exposures: extended rooftop work at height and electrical connections that carry real fire and shock risk once a system is energized. Crews spend entire days on residential and commercial roofs anchoring racking systems and running conduit, and a fall from that height is one of the more serious injuries the trade can produce.

Once panels are installed and wired, the electrical component introduces its own risks, including improper grounding, faulty inverter connections, and DC arc faults that can cause fires long after installation. Because solar systems are often installed on occupied homes and businesses, an electrical fault or roof penetration that leaks can cause significant property damage to a structure that has nothing to do with the panels themselves.

Solar installers also handle expensive inventory, panels, inverters, and batteries, that represent substantial value staged at a job site or in a warehouse. Combined with the completed operations exposure tied to roof penetrations and electrical work that may not fail until well after the crew has left, a strong insurance program needs to address both the physical worksite and the long-tail liability of the finished system.