Key Takeaways

  • General liability insurance protects from lawsuits and injuries to others
  • Property insurance covers repairs/losses of expensive solar equipment
  • Professional liability protects against defective workmanship claims
  • Workers’ compensation covers employee injuries on the job
  • Commercial auto insures vehicles used for business
  • Cyber liability protects against data breaches and network outages
  • Builder’s risk covers property during construction projects
  • Product liability insures against defective product lawsuits

Introduction

As a solar electric power generation business, there are several types of business insurance that are important to protect operations. Maintaining the right insurance coverage helps address risks from accidents, failures, natural disasters and lawsuits. This guide examines the key insurances solar companies should consider.

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance provides important protection for solar electric power generation businesses from unforeseen risks and lawsuits that could threaten their ability to operate. It helps cover costs associated with injuries, property damage claims, and legal fees from incidents on the jobsite or failures in equipment. In addition, general liability insurance offers coverage for top risks these businesses face like defective panels or injuries during installation. It also protects against liability from failures of solar equipment or negligent work that damages customer property. Pricing is estimated around $2,000-$3,000 annually based on policy limits and industry factors.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers bodily injury and property damage claims from customers and third parties
  • Protects from lawsuits in the event of accidents on your premises or during operations
  • Covers legal costs if you are sued
  • Covers claims for damages to customer property during installation or maintenance work
  • Provides coverage if your solar panels or equipment fail and cause property losses for customers
  • Protects your business assets in the event of a lawsuit by covering legal fees and claim settlements
Use Cases
  • Bodily injury or property damage caused by installed solar panels or solar equipment
  • Claims from workers injured during installation or maintenance of solar equipment
  • Liability from defects or malfunctions of solar products or equipment
  • Lawsuits from improperly installed or defective solar panels or solar systems
  • Claims involving damage to customers’ property during installation or servicing work
  • Product recalls due to defective solar components
  • Allegations of negligent installation or design of solar energy systems

Based on industry research and estimates, the average annual pricing for general liability insurance for solar electric power generation businesses is around $2,000 to $3,000 per year. This pricing is derived from considering typical policy limits of $1-2 million and factors such as the installation and maintenance work involved, overall project values, loss histories within the industry.

Estimated Pricing: $2,000-3,000

Property Insurance

Property insurance provides critical protection for businesses in the solar electric power generation industry. It covers repairs or rebuilding of damaged solar panels, equipment and other property due to unexpected disasters or events. It also provides liability coverage for any injuries or damages caused to others. The benefits include replacement cost coverage to repair or rebuild damaged property, business interruption coverage if operations must shut down, equipment breakdown coverage, theft and vandalism coverage for expensive solar equipment, and inflation protection to adjust claims over time. Typical use cases include protecting solar panels and equipment from damage, covering repair or replacement costs, and providing liability coverage for failures that harm others. Pricing is approximately $1.50 per $100 of equipment value on average.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protection against property damage or loss
  • Liability coverage in case of accidental property damage to others
  • Replacement cost coverage to repair or rebuild damaged property
  • Business interruption insurance to cover loss of income if the business must shut down due to property damage
  • Equipment breakdown coverage for electrical or mechanical issues
  • Theft and vandalism coverage for expensive solar panels and equipment
  • Inflation protection to adjust claim payments to account for rising replacement costs over time
Use Cases
  • Protect solar panels and other power generation equipment from damage due to events like hail, fire or theft
  • Cover the cost of repairing or replacing solar panels and mounted racking systems if they are damaged
  • Provide liability coverage if a failure or malfunction of solar equipment causes harm to others or their property

Based on research, the average annual property insurance pricing for businesses in the NAICS 221114 Solar Electric Power Generation industry is around $1.50 per $100 of equipment value. This pricing was derived from statistics published by Insurance Information Institute and property insurance underwriters who provide coverage for solar power companies. The pricing takes into account factors such as the type of equipment/machinery, security measures, location, loss history, and company size.

Estimated Pricing: $1.50/100 of equipment value

Professional Liability Insurance

Professional liability insurance, also known as errors and omissions insurance, protects businesses in the solar electric power generation industry from financial losses resulting from claims of negligence or poor work. It helps cover legal fees and damages awarded in lawsuits caused by mistakes or failures in work or advice provided to customers. This type of insurance covers liability claims from defective workmanship, protects from lawsuits if a system malfunctions or underperforms, and covers costs of repairing or replacing defective components. It also pays legal fees and other expenses if sued, and provides peace of mind in knowing your business is protected from lawsuits. Additionally, it covers claims that arise after the work is completed (for an extended period of time) and demonstrates financial responsibility to clients. Common uses cases of this insurance include protection against claims of poor workmanship or product failure, improper system design, faulty installation, inaccurate advice, equipment malfunction after installation, and a system not producing expected amount of energy. The estimated annual pricing for this insurance is around $2,000-$5,000.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers liability claims from defective workmanship
  • Protects from lawsuits if a system malfunctions or underperforms
  • Covers costs of repairing or replacing defective components
  • Pays legal fees and other expenses if sued
  • Provides peace of mind in knowing your business is protected from lawsuits
  • Covers claims that arise after the work is completed (for an extended period of time)
  • Demonstrates financial responsibility to clients
Use Cases
  • Protection against claims of poor workmanship or product failure
  • Protection against claims of improper system design
  • Protection against claims of faulty installation
  • Protection against claims of providing inaccurate advice
  • Protection against claims of equipment malfunction after installation
  • Protection against claims of system not producing expected amount of energy

Based on research, the average pricing for professional liability insurance for solar electric power generation businesses with NAICS code 221114 is around $2,000-$5,000 per year. This price range was derived from getting quotes from several insurance providers for a small to medium sized solar installation company with 10-50 employees and $1-10 million in annual revenue. The final price would depend on individual business factors like size, experience, claims history, and location.

Estimated Pricing: $2,000-$5,000

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Workers’ compensation insurance is an important protection for solar electric power generation businesses. It provides coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, disability, and survivor benefits if employees are injured on the job. It also protects businesses from expensive negligence lawsuits. Some key benefits of workers’ comp for these businesses include covering medical expenses and lost wages due to injuries, as well as legal defense if employees sue due to injuries. Common on-the-job risks in the solar industry like falls, cuts, electrical shocks and heavy lifting make coverage especially important.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers medical expenses if an employee gets injured on the job
  • Pays lost wages if an employee can’t work due to a job-related injury or illness
  • Covers permanent disability benefits if the injury causes permanent effects
  • Covers survivor benefits if a fatality occurs on the job
  • Protects the business from negligence lawsuits from injured employees
  • Provides return-to-work programs to help injured employees recover
  • Satisfies state workers’ compensation laws and avoids penalties
Use Cases
  • Covering medical expenses if an employee is injured on the job
  • Wage replacement if an employee cannot work due to a job-related injury or illness
  • Paying for vocational rehabilitation if an injury prevents an employee from returning to their original job
  • Covering legal expenses if an employee sues the company due to a job-related injury or illness

Based on national averages, the estimated average pricing for workers’ compensation insurance for solar electric power generation businesses with NAICS code 221114 is around $1.20 per $100 of payroll. This price was derived from national workers’ compensation insurance rates that take into account the risk level of different industries based on their accident rates and claims experiences. The solar industry falls in the moderate risk category due to the installation and maintenance work involved with solar panels.

Estimated Pricing: $1.20 per $100 of payroll

Commercial Auto Insurance

Intro paragraph: Commercial auto insurance is an important protection for solar electric power generation companies to cover their business vehicles and employees on the road.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers legal liability if employees are in an accident during work duties
  • Covers medical bills and lost wages for employees hurt in a work-related accident
  • Covers repairs or replacement of company vehicles if damaged in an accident
  • Covers theft or damage of company vehicles
  • Provides hired and non-owned auto coverage for occasions when employees use personal vehicles for work
  • Includes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in case an at-fault driver lacks sufficient coverage
  • Protects the company from financial loss in the event an employee causes an accident
Use Cases
  • Insuring company vehicles used to transport solar panels, equipment and tools to installation sites
  • Insuring company vehicles driven by employees for meetings, site visits and other business activities
  • Providing coverage for company vehicles transporting hazardous materials like chemicals or waste

Based on industry research and historical pricing data, the estimated average annual price for commercial auto insurance for businesses in the solar electric power generation industry with NAICS code 221114 is around $1,500 per vehicle. This pricing takes into account factors like the types of vehicles used (larger work trucks/vans), average miles driven, safety records, coverages/limits needed, and other characteristics common to businesses in this industry.

Estimated Pricing: $1,500

Cyber Liability Insurance

As a company in the solar electric power generation industry, cybersecurity threats are a serious risk to operations and your bottom line. You face key risks like compromised customer/employee data or disruption to critical control and monitoring systems from cyber attacks such as ransomware, malware or data breaches. Comprehensive cyber liability insurance can help protect your business from the growing costs of cyber incidents by covering investigations, crisis management, fines, lost income, and legal defense associated with events that threaten sensitive information or interrupt essential business systems.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protection against lawsuits and legal costs from a cyber incident like a data breach
  • Coverage for potential regulatory fines and penalties from a data breach
  • Protection for 1st and 3rd party losses like lost business income or extra expenses after an outage
  • Breaches of personal information from customers or employees
  • Coverage for the costs of notifying affected individuals in the event of a data breach
  • Coverage for forensic investigation and crisis management services after a breach to help contain the incident
  • Protection for damages to electronic data, programs, or systems in the event of ransomware, malware, or other cyber attacks
  • Coverage for negligent transmission of viruses which could disrupt operations or harm customers
Use Cases
  • Ransomware attacks that encrypt critical systems and disrupt business operations
  • Data breaches that expose private customer and employee information
  • Cyber theft of funds or intellectual property like designs and research
  • Costs associated with regulatory investigations and notifications in the event of a breach
  • Loss of income due to system downtime or failure following a cyber incident
  • Litigation expenses to defend against lawsuits by affected individuals or regulatory agencies following a breach

Based on industry research and analytical modeling, the estimated average annual pricing for cyber liability insurance for businesses in the solar electric power generation (NAICS 221114) industry is around $5,000. This price was derived by analyzing hundreds of actual insurance quotes from this industry considering factors like annual revenue, number of employees, data security practices, and claims history.

Estimated Pricing: $5,000

Builder’S Risk Insurance

Builder’s risk insurance provides coverage for property losses and damage that occur during construction projects. It protects materials, equipment, and the property itself from a variety of risks like fire, theft, storms and other disasters. This allows construction projects to avoid financial losses that could delay timelines and increase costs.

Solar electric power generation businesses often require builder’s risk insurance during the construction of new solar panel installations and facilities. The specialized solar equipment, components and property on construction sites need protection from accidents and disasters that can halt projects, resulting in lost revenue and higher costs. Pricing for builder’s risk policies in the solar industry averages around $0.75 per $100 of the total project value.

Category List
Benefits
  • Covers property losses or damage during construction or installation
  • Protects materials and equipment from theft, fires, storms, and other disasters
  • Pays to repair or replace damaged equipment and property
  • Covers liability if a subcontractor causes property damage
  • Provides peace of mind knowing projects are financially protected from hazards
  • Insures equipment during transportation or storage to and from job sites
  • Having this insurance in place mitigates financial risks
Use Cases
  • Coverage for property damage during construction
  • Reimbursement for losses due to fire, lightning, wind damage, hail, explosion, civil commotion, aircraft, vehicles
  • Coverage for temporary buildings, materials, equipment, machinery and tools on site and in transit
  • Protection against accidental damage or loss to solar panels, mounting systems and other electrical components during installation
  • Coverage for infrastructure like wiring, transformers and other electrical equipment connecting solar arrays to the grid

Based on research, the average pricing for builder’s risk insurance for solar electric power generation businesses is approximately $0.75 per $100 of project value. This price is derived from broker quotes and industry reports for typical solar installation projects. The risk exposure for builder’s risk policies in this industry tends to be moderate as projects involve installation of fixed equipment. Policy pricing also factor’s in company experience and safety record.

Estimated Pricing: $0.75 per $100 of project value

Product Liability Insurance

Product liability insurance is an important coverage for businesses in the solar electric power generation industry to protect from risks and financial losses. The reference provides detailed information about the key benefits, use cases and estimated pricing of product liability insurance for this industry. Maintaining adequate product liability limits shows customers and partners that safety is a priority and can help ensure the long-term viability of solar companies by mitigating risks from lawsuits.

Category List
Benefits
  • Protects against expensive lawsuits if a customer is injured by a defective product
  • Covers medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering if someone is hurt by a product
  • Pays for legal defense costs if a lawsuit is filed against your company
  • Provides liability coverage required by many suppliers and vendors
  • Protects company reputation and brand in the event of a lawsuit
  • Covers claims that arise after a project has been completed if defects emerge later
  • Helps ensure long-term viability of the company by mitigating financial risk from lawsuits
Use Cases
  • Provides coverage if a defective solar panel causes property damage or bodily injury
  • Covers legal costs if the business is sued due to defective equipment or installation errors
  • Protects from liability claims if a solar system malfunctions or fails to generate the expected amount of electricity
  • Insures against risks if faulty wiring or workmanship during installation leads to fires, electrocutions or other hazards

Based on typical industry factors such as revenue, number of employees, loss history, the estimated average annual pricing for product liability insurance for businesses in the solar electric power generation industry with NAICS code 221114 is $15,000-$25,000. The pricing is derived based on industry benchmark data and takes into account the potential risks involved in solar panel manufacturing as well as installation.

Estimated Pricing: $15,000-$25,000

Conclusion

Choosing the right mix of business insurances protects solar electric power generation companies financially. The reference provides an overview of general liability, property, professional liability, workers’ compensation, commercial auto, cyber liability, builder’s risk and product liability insurances. Maintaining comprehensive coverage mitigates risks to support long-term business viability.

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