Homeowners Insurance and Solar Panels in Minnesota: What's Covered
Owned rooftop panels are usually covered as part of your house. The catches are your dwelling limit, your wind and hail deductible, and whether a roof claim pays to remove and reinstall the array.
Reviewed by John Ihle, MN Master Electrician (AM005101) · NABCEP-credentialed · iSolar, Saint Paul Park, MN · Last reviewed October 2026
The short answer: Usually yes. Owned rooftop panels are typically covered under dwelling coverage like the roof itself, while ground mounts fall under lower other-structures limits and leased equipment is insured by the leasing company. Tell your insurer, raise your dwelling limit to include the system, check for a separate wind/hail deductible, and make sure roof claims include detach and reset costs.
Are solar panels covered by homeowners insurance?
For most Minnesota homeowners who own their system, yes. Rooftop panels that are permanently attached are typically treated as part of the house, so they fall under the dwelling coverage of a standard homeowners policy, the same as your roof and siding. That means they are generally covered for the same perils, such as hail, wind, fire and falling trees, subject to your deductible and your policy's exclusions.
"Generally" carries a lot of weight in that sentence. Policies differ, and Minnesota has seen real changes in how insurers handle wind and hail. Here's what to check and why.
| System type | Usually covered under | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Owned rooftop system | Dwelling coverage | Dwelling limit is high enough to rebuild the house and replace the array |
| Owned ground mount or carport | Other structures coverage | Other structures limits are often lower; you may need a higher limit or rider |
| Leased system or PPA | The leasing company's insurance, for the equipment | Your policy still covers roof and house damage; read the lease's insurance clause |
Step one: tell your insurer
Call your agent before or right after installation. The Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) advises homeowners who add rooms or make major improvements to adjust their dwelling coverage limits to reflect the changes. Solar is exactly that kind of improvement.
Give your agent the system size, the installed cost and the installation date. For a sense of scale, a 7 kW system in Minnesota commonly costs about $21,000 to $22,750 before incentives, and a 10 kW system about $30,000 to $32,500. If your dwelling limit was set years ago and never raised, adding $20,000 to $30,000 of equipment to the roof can leave you underinsured.
Ask these questions:
- Is the array covered under dwelling coverage, and is my limit high enough to cover the house plus the system?
- Is my roof (and the array on it) covered at replacement cost or actual cash value? On an older roof, actual cash value can mean a much smaller payout.
- Do I have a separate wind or hail deductible, and how much is it?
- Does my policy exclude cosmetic hail damage?
- If the roof is replaced after a covered loss, will the policy pay to remove and reinstall the panels?
- Will my premium change?
Hail and wind: the Minnesota fine print
Hail season is the reason this post exists. Most certified panels are tested to withstand 25 mm (1-inch) ice balls at about 23 meters per second under IEC 61215, and in practice, the tempered glass on modern panels handles typical Twin Cities hail well. Big storms can still crack glass, damage frames and dent racking, and the shingles around the panels often fare worse than the panels themselves. For what the panels can take, see our post on solar panels and hail in Minnesota.
The bigger risk is in your policy. In a 2022 consumer alert, the Minnesota Department of Commerce warned homeowners that:
- Some policies now carry a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail, set as a flat amount or as 1% or more of the home's replacement value.
- Some carriers' policy language excludes wind and hail damage unless the siding or shingles are punctured or torn and no longer serve as a water barrier.
- State law does not address policy exclusions for cosmetic hail or wind damage, and homeowners should review their policy before renewal.
Run the math on a percentage deductible. On a home with a $400,000 replacement value, a 1% wind/hail deductible is $4,000 out of pocket before coverage pays. That can be more than the cost of repairing a few cracked panels. Know your number before the storm, not after.
Roof claims and the detach and reset cost
Here is the claim detail Minnesota homeowners miss most often. When hail totals your shingles, the roofer can't replace the roof under the array until the panels come off. Removing the system, storing it, reinstalling it on the new roof and recommissioning it is a real cost, called a detach and reset.
When the roof is a covered loss, that work is part of restoring your home to its pre-loss condition, so it belongs in the claim. Adjusters don't always include it in the first estimate. To avoid paying it yourself:
- Tell the adjuster at the inspection that there is a solar array on the roof.
- Get a written detach and reset estimate from a licensed solar contractor and submit it with the claim.
- Ask that any damaged panels, racking or microinverters be listed as separate line items.
- Have the same contractor handle removal and reinstall so warranties stay intact.
For timelines and pricing, see storm damage and your solar array and what detach and reset costs in Minnesota. Our detach and reset service works directly with roofers and adjusters.
Leased systems and warranties are not insurance
Leases and PPAs
If you lease, the leasing company owns the equipment and typically insures it. Your homeowners policy still matters for the roof and the house. Read the lease's insurance and damage section. Some leases make you responsible for notifying the company of damage within a set time or for paying their removal costs during a reroof.
Warranties
Equipment and workmanship warranties cover defects: a microinverter that fails, a panel that underperforms, a leak at a roof attachment caused by the install. Weather damage from hail, wind or a fallen tree is generally an insurance matter. Installs we complete carry the SolarInsure 30-year warranty on parts, labor, roof penetrations and monitoring. Keep that warranty and your homeowners policy in mind as two separate layers that cover different things.
Permits, licensed installers and liability
Insurers care about how the system went in. Expect an agent or adjuster to ask whether the work was permitted, inspected and installed by a licensed electrical contractor. An unpermitted or do-it-yourself installation can complicate a claim, especially a fire or roof-leak claim where the cause is in question. Our post on DIY solar in Minnesota covers the permit and inspection side.
Liability coverage, the part of your policy that protects you if someone is hurt on your property, usually doesn't change because you added panels. Still, if snow or ice can slide off the array onto a walkway or driveway, fix that with snow guards. It's cheaper than a claim.
Build a claim-ready file now
A little paperwork today makes a storm claim much faster:
| Keep this | Why the adjuster wants it |
|---|---|
| Contract and final invoice | Proves the system's value and ownership |
| Equipment list with models and serial numbers | Speeds replacement pricing |
| Dated photos of the array and roof | Shows pre-storm condition |
| Monitoring history export | A production drop after a storm supports a damage claim |
| Permit and inspection records | Confirms code-compliant installation |
After any big storm, check your app for production drops. Panel-level monitoring can reveal a cracked panel or failed microinverter before you can see it from the ground.
After a storm, get the array checked
If hail or wind came through, stay off the roof and have the system inspected. Our solar repair team documents damage panel by panel for your claim, and we can coordinate the detach and reset with your roofer. Planning a new system? Request a quote and we'll give you the equipment list and value your agent will ask for.
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Frequently asked.
Does homeowners insurance cover solar panels in Minnesota?
Owned rooftop panels are typically covered under dwelling coverage for the same perils as your roof, subject to your deductible and exclusions. Ground mounts are usually under other structures coverage. Confirm with your agent, because policies differ.
Do I need to tell my insurance company I installed solar panels?
Yes. Solar adds tens of thousands of dollars of value to the house, and your dwelling limit should reflect it. Give your agent the system size, cost and install date.
Will solar panels raise my homeowners insurance premium?
They can, because a higher dwelling limit costs more to insure. How much depends on your insurer, your policy and the system's value. Ask your agent for a quote before installation.
Does insurance pay to remove solar panels for a roof replacement after hail?
When the roof replacement is a covered loss, removing and reinstalling the panels is part of restoring the home and belongs in the claim. Submit a written detach and reset estimate from a licensed solar contractor so the adjuster includes it.
Who insures leased solar panels?
The leasing company typically insures the equipment it owns. Your homeowners policy still covers your roof and house, so read the lease's insurance and damage terms.
Does my solar warranty cover hail damage?
Equipment and workmanship warranties generally cover defects and installation problems, not weather damage. Hail and wind damage is typically handled through your homeowners insurance, so check both documents.
Have a question we haven't covered?
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