Solar installation combines three separate contractor risk profiles in one account: rooftop work (fall exposure), electrical work (arc flash and fire risk), and construction (completed operations for post-installation fires and roof leaks). Each of these exposures requires specific GL and WC underwriting treatment. The addition of battery storage systems — now a standard upsell in residential solar — adds lithium battery fire risk that many GL carriers exclude or sublimit. A solar contractor who submits without addressing all three components will face coverage gaps when claims arise.
Commercial General LiabilityThe foundational coverage for solar installation contractors. Covers bodily injury and property damage during installation — a panel dropped on a customer's roof, a worker who damages the roof structure while installing racking, a ladder that falls and injures a homeowner, or an electrical connection error that damages the customer's electrical panel. The products-completed operations component is equally critical: a solar installation that catches fire due to an improper connection months after installation, a roof that leaks due to improper penetration sealing, or panels that fail to produce contracted output create completed operations claims. Solar GL completed operations must be confirmed at the carrier level.
Workers' CompensationSolar panel installation is rooftop work — the fall exposure is the defining WC risk. Falls from residential rooftops cause a disproportionate number of the most severe WC claims in the construction sector. Solar installers work on pitched roofs, often without adequate fall arrest systems, in conditions (heat, glare, unfamiliar roof surface) that increase slip risk. The electrical exposure is also significant — solar installers work with energized DC circuits that can produce arc flash. Solar installation WC must be rated for rooftop work and must include adequate limits.
Commercial AutoSolar installation crews rely on work vehicles to transport installation teams, panels, racking systems, inverters, and tools to job sites. Commercial auto with adequate liability limits is required for all company vehicles. For companies using pickup trucks to haul long panel shipments, cargo and load liability must also be confirmed. Non-owned and hired auto covers any employees who use personal vehicles for business purposes.
Inland Marine (Tools and Equipment)Solar contractors carry significant tool and equipment value — thermal cameras ($3,000–$10,000), panel lifting equipment, specialized electrical testing meters, drill sets, racking installation tools, and the solar panels and inverters themselves during transit. Standard commercial property covers equipment only at the described premises. An inland marine equipment floater covers tools and equipment at job sites and in transit, where they actually spend most of their time.
Commercial UmbrellaRooftop work creates catastrophic bodily injury potential — a fall from a two-story residential roof or a commercial roof can produce severe injury or wrongful death claims that exceed standard GL limits. Solar contractors working on commercial, industrial, or multi-family projects where general contractors and property owners require $5M+ umbrella limits need umbrella coverage that matches contract requirements. The increasing volume of large-scale commercial solar projects (warehouse rooftops, carports, ground-mount systems) drives higher umbrella limit requirements.
Contractors E&O / Professional LiabilitySolar contractors who design systems — roof load calculations, string sizing, inverter selection, shading analysis, production estimates — may face professional liability claims if the system design is defective or if the promised energy production is not achieved. Contractors who provide energy production guarantees as part of the sales process are particularly exposed. Contractors E&O covers design errors that result in system underperformance or customer financial losses beyond what standard GL covers.
ACORD 125 — Commercial Insurance ApplicationPrimary submission document for solar contractor accounts. Capture type of installation work — residential rooftop, commercial rooftop, ground-mount utility scale, or a mix. The work type determines the height exposure, the project size, and the completed operations risk. Annual revenue, maximum single-project size, and percent of work as prime contractor vs subcontractor are also required.
ACORD 126 — Commercial General Liability SectionRequired for GL. The solar installation GL application must specifically address: rooftop work, electrical work (solar contractors perform both rough electrical and final connection), completed operations (fire and roof leak risk post-installation), and whether the contractor also provides battery storage installation (lithium battery fire risk is a carrier concern).
ACORD 130 — Workers Compensation ApplicationRequired for WC. Solar installers performing rooftop work are classified under 5551 (roofing) or 5190 (electrical) depending on the primary activity and state. Some states have a specific solar installation classification. Payroll by classification and prior WC loss history are required. Fall protection programs, safety training records, and OSHA compliance history are material underwriting factors.
→What type of solar work does the contractor perform — residential rooftop, commercial rooftop, ground-mount, solar carports, or utility-scale?
→What percentage of work is residential vs commercial vs utility-scale?
→What is the maximum roof pitch or height the company works on?
→Does the company also install battery energy storage systems (ESS) — Tesla Powerwall, Enphase, SunPower?
→Does the company perform its own electrical work including connection to the utility grid, or does it subcontract electrical work?
→Does the company design solar systems (string sizing, roof load calculations, production modeling) or install only based on third-party designs?
→Does the company provide production guarantees or performance warranties to customers?
→What is the maximum value of solar equipment (panels, inverters, racking) at a single job site?
→Does the company work as a prime contractor or subcontractor on commercial solar projects?
→How many full-time employees vs subcontractors perform installation work?
→Does the company require all subcontractors to carry their own GL and WC?
→What fall protection systems and safety training programs does the company use?
→What is the annual gross revenue?
→What is the largest single project the company has completed?
→Has the company had any GL claims — roof damage, completed operations fires, electrical damage — in the last 5 years?