With some insane images coming from South East Queensland this week, we think it’s time to have a chat about solar panels, hail damage and your home insurance.
Passing The Hail Damage Resistance Test | How Solar Stacks Up Against Hailstones
All solar panels in Australia are required to pass a hail test.
To pass the Moderate Hail Test a solar panel must survive hailstones of up to 25mm. To pass the Severe Hail Damage Resistance Test, panels must survive a hail size of 75mm.
A 25mm hailstone is considered large. A 75mm hailstone is considered absolutely massive- and a 14cm hailstone is considered catastrophically monstrous- as South East Queensland found out last Saturday.
Queensland Solar Panels Vs. 14cm Hailstones
Smashed car windscreens, obliterated roof tiles and shattered solar panels were left in the wake of South East Queensland’s freak electrical storm over the weekend.
With the storm producing hailstones the size of cricket balls, RACQ tweeted that they received over 4892 insurance claims with over 2044 of them being home, property and solar damage.
According to the Insurance Council of Australia, early losses of the event are estimated to be upwards of $60 million.
While luckily no one was injured unfortunately the same cannot be said for quite a few roof-top solar arrays.
Solar Panels, Hailstones And Insurance
While solar panels are made to withstand the majority of what nature can throw at it their resistance capacity can only go so far.
A solar panel’s resilience is largely due to the high-quality tempered glass used to frame the solar module. Usually around 3-4mm think, the tempered glass won’t break into glass shards but will shatter in a spider web effect while maintaining its form.
Solar panels will have different hail resistance depending on the make, model and brand of the design.
If you are in a hail-prone area, it pays to do your research to ensure your solar panel can withstand the weather patterns for the area.
So, what happens if your solar panels have been damaged by hail? Can solar be covered by insurance?
The answer is yes, absolutely.
According to CHOICE, solar panels are covered as part of home and contents insurance policies.
It should be noted however that if you require your solar panels to be covered then you may need to increase the building sum insured. If you aren’t sure if you are covered just simply contact your insurer and ask to have your solar panels included in your policy.
What To Do When Your Solar System Is Damaged
If your solar system has been damaged during a weather event it is important to follow your solar safety procedure and call your accredited solar installer for any repairs.
For more on what to do during an emergency, check out our blog: Solar In An Emergency | What To Do.
Need To Replace Your Damaged Solar System?
If you have found yourself in a situation where you need your solar system replaced then why not shop around for the best solar deal.
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