# Solar panel insurance in Germany: rooftop systems, batteries and balcony solar > Rooftop solar panels in Germany are often covered by your buildings insurance, but only against fire, storm, hail and escaping water. A dedicated Photovoltaikversicherung adds short circuits, power surges, operating errors, animal bites, theft and lost income. Small balcony systems usually fall under contents insurance. Quelle/Source: https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-solar-panel-insurance.php Updated: 2026-09-18 ## Does my German buildings insurance cover my solar panels? Often yes, if you have told the insurer about them, but only for the perils in the policy: typically fire, lightning, storm, hail and escaping water. It usually does not pay for inverter failures, power surges from the grid, martens chewing cables, operating errors, theft or the electricity you lose while the system is down. For that you need a dedicated solar policy or an all-risks add-on. There is no legal requirement to insure a system. ## At a glance - **Compulsory?:** No - **Basic cover:** many buildings policies, named perils only - **All risks:** dedicated solar policy, often with lost income - **Balcony solar:** up to 800 W inverter output usually counts as contents - **Operator liability:** often included in personal liability, check the wording ## Named perils versus all risks A German buildings policy only pays when one of its listed perils strikes. Many common solar losses fall outside that list: a surge that is not caused by a direct lightning strike, a short circuit in the inverter, martens gnawing cables under the panels, snow load, stolen modules, damage during cleaning. Dedicated solar policies are usually written on an all-risks basis. Anything sudden and unforeseen is covered unless it is expressly excluded. That shifts the burden of argument in your favour, which is the real value of the product. ## Balcony solar in a rented flat Since Germany's Solarpaket I, plug-in solar devices with up to 800 W inverter output and 2,000 W of panels benefit from simplified rules. They must be registered with the Federal Network Agency's market master data register (Marktstammdatenregister). Since late 2023 the model contents conditions of the German insurers' association treat them as household contents if they are not permanently fixed to the building. Since October 2024, tenants have a statutory claim under § 554 of the Civil Code (BGB) to their landlord's permission for such a device, which the landlord can only refuse if it is unreasonable. If a panel falls and damages a car below, your personal liability policy is the one that pays. ## Lost income, batteries and the rest of the system If the inverter fails in May and a replacement takes six weeks, you lose production in the best weeks of the year and buy more expensive grid electricity. Good solar policies pay a daily amount for downtime, either a flat rate per kilowatt peak or based on proven yield. Home batteries are often a large part of the investment and sit in the basement or garage. Make sure the policy names the battery and its value. Some policies also include the wallbox and heat pump, which avoids disputes about where the solar system ends and the building begins. ## What is covered - Fire, lightning, storm and hail - Power surge and short circuit - Operating errors, clumsiness and negligence - Animal bites, especially martens - Theft and vandalism - Snow load and frost - Lost income during downtime, if agreed - Batteries and wallboxes, if included ## What is not covered - Normal ageing and gradual loss of panel output - Defects covered by the manufacturer's or installer's warranty - Systems or batteries not declared to the insurer - Intentional damage - Routine maintenance and cleaning - Damage during installation, which is the installer's responsibility ## Who needs it - Owners of rooftop systems with a battery - Anyone whose financing relies on feed-in tariff income - Systems on outbuildings, barns or open land - Homes in areas with frequent hail ## Who can do without - Tenants with a balcony system covered by their contents insurance ## What it costs The premium depends on the system's value, the battery and the lost income cover you choose. Because systems differ widely, we do not quote sample prices. Compare the extra cost with what your buildings policy already covers. **What drives the premium:** - Purchase price of panels, inverter and battery - Mounting: on roof, in roof or ground mounted - Lost income cover: flat rate or proven yield - Excess - Location and hail exposure - Wallbox and heat pump included or not _No sample prices, because they vary by system. Your premium is only fixed in the quote._ ## The policy levels on the market - **Included in buildings cover:** Fire, storm, hail and water only, no lost income, no operating errors. - **Solar all risks:** Dedicated policy with all-risks cover, surge, animal bites and theft, plus some months of lost income. - **All risks plus home energy:** Adds battery, wallbox, heat pump and longer lost income periods. ## How to recognise a good policy | Criterion | Minimum standard | Strong policy | Why it matters | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Type of cover | named perils | all risks | The most frequent solar losses are not named perils. | | Lost income | none | from day one, at least six months | A summer outage hits the highest-yield period. | | Battery | not mentioned | expressly covered at replacement value | It is often one of the most expensive components. | | Power surge | lightning only | any surge | Surges also come from the grid, not only from lightning. | | Animal bites | excluded | included with consequential damage | Martens nesting under panels are a common problem in Germany. | | Scaffolding and refitting | limited | included | Access costs can exceed the price of the damaged panel. | ## Insurers on the German market Solar cover in Germany is sold either as part of buildings insurance or as a separate all-risks policy. This list shows property insurers offering at least one of the two. - **Allianz**: solar as part of buildings cover, agents and brokers - **AXA**: dedicated solar policy, agents and brokers - **Gothaer**: dedicated solar policy, agents and brokers - **Helvetia**: German company of the Swiss Helvetia group - **VHV**: broker-focused insurer based in Hanover - **Alte Leipziger**: mostly broker distribution - **Ammerländer**: mutual, brokers only 155 insurers supervised by BaFin, the German regulator, are licensed for this class of insurance. (Feuer, Hagel-, Frost- und sonstige Sachschäden). Source: BaFin company database, retrieved 2026-09-18. Insurers from other EU countries selling through a branch or without a German office are not included. ## Typical claims and who pays - **Marten chews through panel cables** (around €300 to €1,500): A buildings policy does not cover animal bites. A dedicated all-risks solar policy does. - **Hailstorm smashes the modules** (around €3,000 to €15,000 incl. scaffolding): Hail is covered either way. What matters is that scaffolding, removal and refitting are paid as well. - **Balcony panel falls onto a parked car** (around €1,000 to €5,000): Damage you cause to others is a personal liability claim. Check your liability policy is in place before you mount the panel. - **Inverter dies after a grid surge** (around €1,500 to €4,000): Buildings cover usually pays only for surges from lightning. A solar policy also covers grid spikes and short circuits. - **Panels lose output as they age** (a few hundred euros a year in yield): Ageing is wear, not damage. Only the manufacturer's performance warranty can help. - **Six weeks offline in June** (around €150 to €500 in power costs): Lost production is only paid by a dedicated solar policy with income loss cover. ## Myth or truth - „German firefighters will not tackle a burning house with solar panels." ✘ Not true. They fight the fire from a safe distance because panels stay live in daylight. A sign at the meter cabinet helps them plan. - „Certified solar panels are tested to survive hail." ✔ Yes, the standard test fires ice balls of 25 mm at the glass. Larger hailstones in severe storms can still break them. - „Plug-in balcony solar does not need to be registered anywhere in Germany." ✘ Wrong, it has to be entered in the Federal Network Agency's register. The grid operator no longer needs a separate notice, which is where the confusion comes from. - „A marten can shut down a whole solar system." ✔ Yes, martens nest under panels and gnaw through DC cables. The fault may go unnoticed for weeks, which is why yield monitoring and all-risks cover both matter. - „A buildings policy pays for lost feed-in income after hail." ✘ No, it pays for the damaged panels, not the electricity you did not produce. Income loss cover exists only in dedicated solar policies. ## Common mistakes - Not telling the buildings insurer about the new system - Assuming the basement battery is automatically covered - Skipping lost income cover when the loan is paid from feed-in income - Forgetting to register a balcony system in the Marktstammdatenregister - Not checking whether personal liability covers the system as an operator ## FAQ ### Do I need separate liability insurance for my solar panels? For a system on the house you live in, liability is often included in personal liability or homeowner's liability insurance. Check the wording, especially if you feed power into the grid. Systems on other people's roofs or on land need their own operator liability cover. ### Is a balcony power plant covered by contents insurance? Usually yes, if it is not permanently fixed to the building. Devices up to 800 W inverter output are the typical case. Damage it causes to others falls under your personal liability policy. ### Does insurance pay for hail damage to panels? Yes, hail is covered by both buildings and dedicated solar policies. What matters is replacement at new value and whether scaffolding and refitting are included, as those drive the cost. ### Can my landlord refuse a balcony solar system? Only in limited cases. Since October 2024, § 554 of the German Civil Code gives tenants a right to the landlord's consent for plug-in solar devices, unless the specific installation is unreasonable for the landlord. Details such as placement can still be discussed. ### Is the battery covered? Only if the policy names it or covers the system as a whole. Give make, capacity and price when asking for a quote. Batteries are sensitive to surges and moisture. ### What does lost income cover pay? The electricity the system does not produce after an insured loss until it is running again, either as a flat daily rate per kilowatt peak or based on proven yield. Check whether self-consumption counts, not just feed-in. ### Does the policy cover damage during installation? No. During installation the installer is responsible and should carry their own liability and installation cover. Your insurance normally starts when the system is commissioned. ## Legal basis and sources - [Insurance Contract Act (VVG, German)](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vvg_2008/) - [BaFin company database (licensed insurers)](https://portal.mvp.bafin.de/database/InstInfo/) ## Request quotes We obtain quotes and come back with a comparison. Free of charge and without obligation: the insurer pays our commission. You can write in English. https://www.nammert.com/en/insurance-broker-solar-panel-insurance.php#anfrage --- NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, insurance broker licensed under section 34d(1) of the German Trade Regulation Act, broker register no. D-C08Q-TOSD4-37. For boat and yacht insurance we act as underwriting agency, not as broker. NAMMERT Assekuradeur GmbH, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, 15711 Königs Wusterhausen, +49 3375 29 12 77, info@nammert.com. Wikidata: Q141141479.