You are exactly correct. Everything is a scam these days. Just wait until EV's become mandatory, you can't touch the vehicle or you void the warranty and once the battery dies you have to throw it all away......I'm glad I had a long time to enjoy America.
I haven't had insurance for twenty years; I hate insurance companies!!!! They are crooks! By paying for insurance, your basically paying for whatever in advance; it makes no sense! The only car accident I've been in in thirty years was when a female snow plow driver ran me off the road! Otherwise I wouldn't want car insurance! Stupidity insurance!!
If this is your experience you have an inferior insurance provider. I've been with my insurance carrier for thirty years and filed several legitimate claims over the years. They were paid promptly and without an increase in rates.
That's how ALL insurance compaines operate. It's called profit. Collect premiums on the front end without fail and payout as little as possible at the back end without fail. In healthcare, it's called "Managed Care," which is a fancy way of saying we don't give a shit.
@@es330td You're an extremely lucky individual then, else an insurer telling obvious lies. I've literally never heard of an instance of an insurance company not taking every opportunity to increase profits by refusing to pay out when they can legally do so, and likewise literally never heard of an instance of an insurance company not taking every opportunity to raise rates when you have the audacity to ask them to uphold their end of the bargain. Fun fact: Insurance companies are for-profit, and in no way are associated with public service or charity. They're there to make a buck, period, and they've scammed the American people into making it illegal not to do business with them.
This is why I want to go buy piece of land somewhere, build a house, and build a solar panel array on the ground. No HOAs, No stupid regulations, just leave me the F alone.
Good luck with that. Land is owned by the government. And if you get loans the banks own it which means mortgage which means mandatory home owner's insurance LOL.
That is all we hear about these days "climate change". Yet everyone from politicians to insurance companies f#@k you over when you personally DO something for the environment. Criminal politicians implement policies and then make it as difficult and expensive as possible to comply.
Well.. the systems are always oversized these days. Wich power company gets the excess... from sunny moths.. it's credited.. and you live off the credit in the winter and rainy months when your panels dont make enough for your usuage.. if its sized properly...or you have to buy power from the utility company...problem is most places won't pass your panel inspection if your not tied into thier power grid. And can condem your home. Unless you were never tied to grid in first place. Older homes require a 200 amp panel upgrade to handle the solar system.. this requires the power company to shut off power going to house! To change panel... now it requires a inspection! So they get plenty of money.. they also sell the power you contribute..but yes they want more. Although this is a insurance issue.. not utility's.. it's just one more annoying loophole that gets you robbed of your hard earned cash.... also the utility's sell your solar power excess as green energy.. so it's worth more to them.. no bullshit.
@@gino007able I haven't checked on the cost of a solar system, have often wondered what the price of the mid level system would be. If someone has to mortgage there home or take a second mortgage, how would that be beneficial?
Am a homeowner for 20 years. A couple of months ago, my homeowners insurance said I needed a new roof. We had new shingles put on( roofer said there was nothing wrong with the old ones!) and then the insurance company dropped us anyway.
@@flo2col127 we're too busy trying to put Disney (the state's largest employer and tourism magnet) out of business rather than improve for Florida the bad laws increasing homeowners insurance prices
You should always talk to alternative insurance companies before investing or even doing anything. That example shown in this video here is absolutely ridiculous from my point of view. Here in Germany everything is about renewable energy now and even much more powerful solar systems are installed on private property every day. Insurance companies shoule be part of this process, but I have never heared of that someone has been dropped away because of solar panels.
Oh, ya gotta love scum bag insurance companies ! Years ago, Allstate (you know, "the good hands people" ) cancelled my homeowners because I was in the middle of a lengthy remodel and "didn't have siding on the back of my house" What did they think I was gonna do, file a claim for a leak on the side of my house because there was no siding on it ??? The good news is, I went to AAA for my homeowners and saved a pile on my premiums ! It was the best thing Allstate could have done for me !
All-State should be closed down forever and the ceo sent to a cold wet prison cell. I know a family of a handicap child that lost everything fighting All-State for years. The tragic part is the child was ran over. The BS part is All-State was denying coverage from the driver, saying it was a homeowner case, and All-State the Homeowner insurance was saying to was the All-State car insurance. That child would now in his 30's
I don't blame the insurance company one bit. With that much energy being produced, there's a higher chance of fire. And as close as the house's are, there would be multiple houses damaged that they would have to replace.
What a joke,I'm glad I bought my house in the Midwest in 1999 and paid it off in 5 years, I got rid of the insurance as soon as the loan was paid, you take your chances with or without insurance, with it they deny claims, drop you, double your rates, you may as well take that premium each month and invest the money. I havent paid for insurance the last 20 years, the house on 1/2 acre of rural land is assessed around $20k, had I paid insurance the last 20 years I'd have paid more in premiums than the house is worth
Excellent point. But most people won't take that chance. Especially in FL. But you run thr chance of losing everything with no liability coverage. Maybe you can just by that coverage only.
My guess is the $1M liability is either the state trying to protect the utilities (or the utilities buying lawmakers to protect themselves) - but you can contact your lawmakers and have them change the law.
My premiums doubled _before_ solar was installed because I had to find another insurance company since my original one left the state because of roofing fraud and recent storms in the area. About 6 months with the new company, I called to make sure adding solar wasn't going to be an issue with them (I heard it might be) - it wasn't. They cover my roof regardless and no additional cost. I currently have Farmer's - it's always a wise move to check before doing anything major with your house like that - don't make assumptions either way.
@@lennychorn147 imagine that you do all that and two years after you've sunk everything into tge system, the insurance company leaves your state, and you have to switch to another, that has a different "policy".
@@danielch6662 First of all, there are more than one insurance agency serving every state. Secondly, if one will insure you, the next company will too. Unless you're in a high risk category for some reason.
Utilities are losing money, and they don't like it. The government doesn't like people being self-sufficient, they need to have control over you in some way. They all need their cash cows.
Some counties have made it a requirement to stay connected to the grid. The power company with their connections made sure that rule was setup in their favor. They don't like it when someone is off the grid.
People new to Florida need to understand, you DO NOT compromise your roof in ANY WAY. Insurance companies will screw you hard. It's a shame since we have sun like everyday ALL day.
@@Dandan-tg6tj "and see that maybe they don't actually need an insurance company at all." If you don't have a mortgage and aren't worried about a tree falling, a hurricane or someone getting hurt on your property, have at it.
@@wisenber I don't have a mortgage. Why anyone would have one? Where I live we don't have hurricanes. Anyway, to save 15,000 USD or more every year by not paying for a house insurance and electricity kinda gives you room to fix whatever your house needs to be fixed. You only need to be wise enough to really save those money. If someone is getting hurt on my property is not my concern since the company who installed all those things on my roof should have them certified to stay there under harsh conditions and not fall so it would be their responsibility. I just paid them to do a proper job in accordance to all regulations. I did not install them myself.
@@Dandan-tg6tj "Why anyone would have one? " Why would someone choose to be obtuse about how most people buy homes? "Anyway, to save 15,000 USD or more every year by not paying for a house insurance and electricity kinda gives you room to fix whatever your house needs to be fixed." Homeowners insurance isn't about keeping up with home repairs. "If someone is getting hurt on my property is not my concern" It is when you get sued. The installer isn't responsible. " I just paid them to do a proper job in accordance to all regulations." We haven't found a way to regulate hurricanes or floods out of existence.
@@wisenber I buy a house and get a mortgage I can pay back fast enough to be able to live my own life not a life of debt. It may not be the house of my dreams at first but that should be OK. Man, if someone gets killed because of a hurricane on my property why would I be sued? It really doesn't make sense since "We haven't found a way to regulate hurricanes or floods out of existence" as you well said. If the installer installed everything by the book and in perfect accordance to all regulations, I can't be sued for negligence or for any other possible thing because it isn't me who did harm someone but the hurricane.
@@JAM661 Nope it is because of all of the illegals driving without a current registration , no licence , no insurance and just driving like idiots and snowbirds that don't have a clue
Wait till the government figures out how they are going to stick it to people for buying electric cars because they are no longer collecting all that tax money at the gas pump.
Owned a home in Naples, Fl for 24 years. 2001/2014. We cashed out in 2104 and moved to Western North Carolina. We saw the handwriting on the wall. Had a great, prosperous run. Insurance, taxes, HOA fees, ect are out of control.
Correction.....owned a home in Naples, Fl. 1990/2014. Lived there full time 2001/2014. Sorry for the error. My S.O. started going to Naples in 1976. My first visit was in October 1990. Purchased a home there November 1990. A lot has changed since then. Not all of it for the better.
The power company (who most likely is like every other one and has a monopoly on the area and therefore can charge out the butt and you cannot do a thing about it) and the insurance companies are holding hands on this one. They don't like having their power usurped so they punish you for outsmarting them.
Impossible lol... in the state of Florida you cannot install solar panels that are grid tied without the power company's permission and without giving the right to control and lockout your panels
Absolutely not. Insurance companies have to pay when that fire or roof leak happens which solar panels puts the home at higher risk for these. I really can't blame them for doing what they do.
This is probably just a great way for the insurance company to drop them without just dropping them. I didn't move out of the state in January *just* because of insurance, but I was definitely NOT mad about leaving the Florida home insurance market. I saw my premiums increase by double digit percentages annually over the 4 years I was living there. Snowstorms over hurricanes from now on for me
I have no idea what makes people high on Florida. I've been there once. The heat I encountered urged me to stay away. Then there are the hurricanes! Pass!
@@sblijheid to each their own, i guess. When i've been to California it was 18C (i'm a foreigner so dont know whats that in fahrenheit) and cold wind, but scorching sun, so i had to put on warm clothing to protect myself from the wind, but at the same time i was overheating, but in the end i still got a cold. I'm told the weather is like that all year round. And half the days it was overcast. Personally i liked Florida weather better, but thats just me.
I have been considering installing solar panels on my roof and spoke to an insurance agent about the coverage. I'm glad I did. The agent explained that anything that attaches to my roof, like solar panels, could tear loose during a storm and damage either my house or a neighbor's property. That's why my home insurance premium would increase regardless of how many panels are on the roof.
in my state home owners and property insurance are separate things. So when I wanted a few solar panels and my insurance said "your rate will go up" I just put them all on my gazebo's roof since its not attached to the home and not considered part of the home, property insurance isnt mandatory here.
I installed solar panels for years. Not one got lose nor did tear loose regardless of the storms. That's bullshit. The company installing them has to file a form stating what kind of mounting was used and how much of a resistance that mounting can provide. Everything should be within norms and the insurance companies must only see if the mounting was made by the book. It is no additional cost if they are done properly.
There's a company in California that installs "solar powered window panels". Every window in your house would collect energy and you could leave your roof alone.
insurance companies file rates and policies with the state for approval. this was not done as a surprise but out in the open and through the proper channels. they need to get a new insurance agent if he or she doesn't know what's going on with carriers... he gets paid very well to know policies and endorsements/exclusions...
So this shit show is deSantis’s fault? Wonder who’s getting kickbacks from power companies and allowing the insurance companies to triple their margins on our dime without cause?
Maybe if they asked their insurance agent before installing panels.......however if not for this video I would not think to ask my insurance agent if it's ok to install solar panels
@@geraldkoth654 all insurance companies are a socialized insurance........for example all insurance companies raised rates to help the payout on the twin towers, even if your company had no affiliation Medical insurance.....start with providers......they charge $7 per aspirin to recoup costs of the uninsured......the insurance companies allow this and simply charge their customers more to offset the cost..........the big problem with government socialized medicine is that too many people won't get rich, and people complain that it is tax dollars(my money) paying for them........when it is even more of your money paying for them thru the current system
Instead of removing 1/3 of the panels, could you just make them off grid stand alone?. 6 panels for a DC pool pump. Maybe a separate mini split a/c for the garage etc.
Or add batteries, the 10K and 1 million policy is just to scare folks into staying at a lower tier 1. Changing laws would be great but unless the solar community has deeper pockets than the power company the politician aint changing nothing. It was a God send that the governor vetoed the net metering bill that would have completely killed solar. Insurance is just in bed with the rest. We the people are screwed once again.
@@shaynegadsden my guess is lower thermal risks. usually when insurance moans about how much power is going into your home via the main line, its how much load the lines are carrying. So if you split it up into 2 separate lines, it divides up the load. It didnt involve solar, but I had a similar situation where I wanted a higher class breaker box put in to power my garage and home, cause I had a ton of huge workshop tools in my garage that constantly tripped my panel box inside the house, to have a bigger meter and panel put in, the insurance wanted to raise my rate big time, so instead I had the utility company put a meter on my garage and ran lines to it, so instead I get two small bills from the power company, and the insurance company didnt get a say in if my rate changed. same thing with my solar panels, putting panels on the roof they claimed put the roof at risk of damage, so I put my panels on the roof of my gazebo.
Don't put the panels on your house roof. Make a carport out of them so the panels are not on the house. Less roof issues and the solar gets changed from high volt DC to common household AC before it gets to the house. The carport can be set up with essentially nothing that can burn. Now you have your car parked in the shade too.
I had our Insurance Company tell us we needed Flood Insurance, too continue coverage. Premium was almost triple. I checked, and my location is 1/10 for Flood Risk. Also under the new policy my Basement wasn’t insured anymore, from any storm damage or flooding, including pipe breaks. Shopped around and went with a different company. I still think this scam, is looming in the future, though.
I'd hit that insurance for the Freedom of Information Act on those documents that they use for criteria and that means it's going to be more expensive and less energy efficient by dropping down to a lower tier one when I thought we're trying to be energy-efficient and go green wrong with that picture!
I pay $800.00 a year on my townhouse insurance on my 1800sq ft place in MN worth about $300k. I left FL 12 years ago because insurance was going up even then. I heard some place that insurance companies will not take you either if your roof is over 10 years old. Well a few more hurricanes and no one will be able to afford staying in FL.
I pay exactly the same as you do for my condo here in FL with similar size and value. Townhomes and condos are a whole different animal when getting insurance compared to a home. The difference is insuring the building which is done through the condo association and is paid for through the HOA fees. Condos and townhomes are insured from the drywall in.
Depending on the utility, having a higher tier requires additional insurance, my Utility requires $1M insurance policy for tier 2 as an example. That is part of the agreement with the utility, in addition to the home owner's insurance which would cover the panels and system. That is for damage to the electrical grid. Don't need that for Tier 1 (at or under 10KW) Also it is not higher Voltage, it's the total power output of the system, that is measured in Watts. This is exactly what the insurance company said. Now is that 10KW of grid tied solar or can you have more on your roof if part of it is off-grid? That criteria for home owner insurance wasn't discussed. That is completely separate from the grid-tie insurance for over 10KW.
If you disconnect completely from the power company, they shouldn't have any say in your insurance rates because your solar system won't affect them in any way, other than not getting money from you every month.
@@greggv8 That is correct, tiering only applies to grid-tie which the utility has specific requirements to allow. The FL utility I have requires additional insurance if over 10KW or they won't connect your home to grid. It is to protect the utility if your system damages the grid. If your system is not connected to the grid nothing is required.
@PrecisionClays that's why grid tied solar, wind, or other power generation systems must have a clearly labeled manual disconnect for utility workers and automatic disconnect if power from the grid is out.
Cut the array down to tier one by using several panels, wired DC-direct, to power the bottom element of the electric water heater. The electric co. has no jurisdiction over solar not connected to the grid. The insurance company might claim that 9,990 watts grid-tied + 2,500 watts (via DC) for DHW = a tier 2 system.
of course! Hundreds of screws used to install them. Each screw is a potential source of water intrusion. Also the panels are extremely costly to manipulate if roof repair needs to be performed.
They install Solar panels on rails mounted to mounts that are installed on your roof, each mount has flashing around it just like your vent pipes for plumbing , heaters etc, ( They don't screw the panels into your roof) get real Iv'e had solar for 25 years on my roof, Iv'e never had a leak
Where I live, for metal roofs the installers attach the rails (i.e., the panel mounting system) by removing an existing screw and then reusing this hole. From experience, installing a solar system has not resulted in water leaks.
Edison Insurance - Edison Power?!?!?! any connection? Also this may be a place where the Holding companies behind insurance have conflicts of interest between their insurance investments and power investments!!! That is where the Federal government needs to step in and begin to tear down these holding companies!! Remember the Palestine Ohio train wreck tragedy? That was all because of the destructive holding company controlling of the rail companies!
(from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy") Alien: "I heard they arrested another insurance agent." Arthur Dent: "On what charge?" Alien: "I don't understand the question."
Lower the voltage??? I'm assuming they meant lowing the WATTAGE. I'm in the process of installing solar myself. I'm going to install close to a 20kW system with batteries and just go off grid as I don't feel like dealing with all the BS of getting the inter-connect agreement. I never really thought about the insurance ramifications of installing solar.
FYI; Less than 100th of one percent of private residences suffer a total loss. Unless they have a mortgage, I would recommend doing without and instead banking that insurance premium. They could also get a high deductible insurance coverage, in case of a total loss.
If we are going to go green, then we need some education and regulations on this so people can protect themselves. Insurance isn't just for your home, it's to cover if someone gets injured on your property too.
Same with Texas. They pride themselves on NO STATE INCOME TAX but boy howdy, they get it right back in property taxes. And that filters on down to home insurance going through the roof (no pun intended).
There i no reason that solar can not be done very safely but there are some differences in that many solar systems involve DC up to 200 volts or so. DC is more likely to creep than AC. In addition battery banks can involve very high fault currents in case of insulation failure. One item overlook in roof mounted solar is the costs involved if roofs need repair or replacement. Another big risk is when net metering is not allowed. I am a strong solar advocate but you got to know what you are doing!
When I had my panels installed the installer and my insurance were very clear that if I went with more panels I would be stepping into tier 2 and would be required to have a 1mill. Balloon policy. Either they were misled or didn't care to do the research.
As an insurance agent I can say they probably didn't care, I love explaining everything about a policy to ppl and most ppl don't care enough to listen. I've actually started recording my conversations with clients bc of this.
Glad I put in a tier 1. Not sure the power company is up north where this is located. Down south we have FPL. Our minimum bill is $25+tax. I do have an acquaintance nearby that has a tier 2. He has a $1 million umbrella policy, but I think that is in case it produces energy during an outage, and energizes lines that line,an are working on. Not sure what this customer’s energy usage is, but it looks like a lot of power for the size of house. Mine is less than 1/2 that size for a 2100 square foot home, and it is more than enough.
How do you get that $25. a month? I played around with it and on their website I was sitting at $27. and they billed me $38. I have knocked it down to $11. and they billed me $38. Is the $13. Taxes on the $25. Minimum?
Sorry but that wildly inaccurate, yes 5kw is the norm but for many places that is upper limit some areas do allow 10kw systems but most consider 10kw and above to be a commercial energy producer. You also need to factor in that nearly all solar installers lie about the system size they advertise a 10kw system a common one is 40 x 250w panels but only an 8 or 9 kw inverter which is what actually counts, this is common across all system sizes 6kw and 6.6kw are also great examples these are actually 5kw systems
@@shaynegadsden That's driven by the energy distribution businesses, such as Energex, it's got nothing to do with insurance. The distributors want to manage the power being fed into the network, and having large supplies on a single phase causes all sorts of problems. A 3-phase inverter (with a 3-phase power drop to the house) makes those problems magically go away. One good reason for having excessive panels for the size of inverter is that it helps to minimise periods when there is less than the capacity of the inverter being produced. So a 5kW inverter with 6kW of panels will produce 5kW for longer each day, and will be less affected by intermittent shading. It's not necessarily a scam, although the reasons should be made clear. I can't think of any reason for insurers to be concerned about the size of the array, unless they have some kind of concern that large arrays on homes may indicate that the premises is being used for business, but if that's the case, they should make the situation clear.
@@SafeTrucking well yes and no the 5 to 10kw connection thing is set by the people that own the lines but more than 10kw being a commercial producer is a government thing because simply they just want their cut, as for insurance if your system is large enough to be in the commercial producer category that makes your home now a business and all the liabilities that go with that.
The voltage issue does not make sense. The voltage can be reduced by breaking the panels into more strings. It is possible the invertor would have to be changed to accommodate this or additional invertors may be required.
I was paying $71 a month for home insurance through my mortgage. I paid off the mortgage in 2.5 years and didn't think about the insurance. Now I call every company out there and they want between $475-$900 a month. Easier to go without it.
900x12= 10,800 if you're able to save them. 10 years mean 108,000USD saved. The trick is to actually save them and not spend them for anything but the house emergency situations but usually people don't or spend them for fake emergencies.
I live in a $400,000 house in Canada, have 3 cars and a trailer and only pay $350 a month. I intend to get rid of the trailer and one of the cars this summer, so hopefully that 350 will go down quite a bit. That's $350 Canadian Dollars, not USD. If that's what insurance is costing people in the states then that is pure extortion.
@@bubba842 wow you got low rates up there. They told me my cost was so high because I had a 2 year gap without having home coverage. Several companies flat refused to sell me coverage and other are asking for some monthly payments that were higher than my mortgage was when I first bought the house. Car insurance is just about as crazy. My 2022 mercedes on my policy is $81 a month with full coverage. I added my sister in law as a driver and thats the cost for the car. If she starts her own policy for that car, the price will go from $81 to $393 a month for the same car.
@eric allen Eric, Why not Re-finance your home? Do a home equity loan? If the bank holds a mortgage, and you can get insurance cheap through them, ... Just don't BLOW the money, invest it so you can get some of the interest back. Keep the mortgage renewed and keep the cheaper insurance rates. Might be worth looking into.
In Huntington Beach, California. We have a 10KW Tesla Solar roof. That is close to the maximum we could fit on our roof. The roof is about 2000 square feet. No problem with our insurance company (Automobile Club of Southern California)
@@biscayne66 I do not know about that. But the California Insurance Commissioner is so slow to process stuff that it will be years before there are changes. California is messing with "net metering" and other things that may make solar less worth it.
This really falls back more on the sales/installation team, and who I would look at going after. Basically what the insurance company is saying is over 10 kW and you become a commercial power generation site and your risk goes up. Not surprising, since 10 kW should be more than enough to sustain that house for that area year round. They should have been told that at the beginning.
I have 7100w of panels. It's more than enough to cover our daily use, and to charge a 20.4kw battery bank that gets us through the night. People are funny about selling power back to the utility and won't buy their own batteries. If they can afford a 30kw system then they could have afforded a smaller system with battery back up. The other thing about net metering is when the grid goes down your system goes down. That defeats one of the best features of having solar. The utility company says its because back feeding risks the lives of linemen. Why would anyone invest so much money in solar to not be able to use it during a power outage? During the last hurricane we lost power for 3 days. Since I am not running a grid tied system I never lost power.
I have to wonder if they got the solar from one of the places that profits off of excess power generation by selling it back to the grid, it was supposed to be a good deal for you and the company. I could see how insurance companies in that case would see you as in the energy business and not a simple homeowner?
@@fauxque5057 Very good points, thank you! Regarding the back feeding risking the lives of linemen seems to me that a simple power transfer switch, just like the ones used when a emergency generator is used to power the house when the utility power fails, would address the concern the power company is voicing. The power transfer switch's job is to monitor the utility power. When the utility power goes off it switches from the utility power feed to the solar panel and its related battery/inverter power supply to then supply the house. The house is powered by either the utility or the solar/battery system. The solar/battery system is physically separated from the utility and therefore it is impossible to "back feed" the utility power lines thereby endangering the linemen working on the line(s).
I remember back in the (I think) the 2012 election, there was a proposal on the ballot about anyone who had solar power would have to pay a surcharge or some percentage fee to FPL because they were losing money. It didn’t pass back then but they will make up for it somehow.
If I ever did install Solar, I'd go one step further and build a solar tracker. I have the space. Plus it would just be totally cool. Solar really doesn't make sense in Upstate NY due to the low insolation (annual sunlight) numbers. And I oppose Government subsidies on principle. Plus we'd have to clear a bunch of trees, and my Lady Wife is sort of fond of our woods.
Wait - disconnecting a few panels won't lower the 'voltage' in a modern system, but instead lower the amperage if it's a modern system with micro-inverters. The older style systems with panels all in series on a DC bus would have their voltages changed, though. They could completely remove the connection to municipal power and use a powerwall or other battery bank for night operation, removing the 'interconnection' completely.
Those panels are not cheap. I had to inform a neighbor his panels was on smoking then on fire. The dude did not speak English and called the cops on me. I called the cops. I was told to use their hose and spray the roof. Dude went in and came out with a knife. Not worth helping people sometimes man.
Some years ago there was a plastic molding company that installed a few microturbine gas fired generators. It was enough capacity they could disconnect from the power grid. But they wanted to keep the connection as a standby, just in case of something like the gas needing to be shut off. The power company said nooooo, you can't do that. We're going to charge you almost as much for having a connection you're not using as what you were paying for the power you used to use. So the plastics company told the power company to remove their wires and since the factory was in an area with regular winds, they put up a pretty large wind turbine as backup for the gas turbines.
Just a FYI. In 20 years, your home structure value should have at least doubled. So a $250,000 structure then is now worth $500,000. Combine that with inflation in material and labor, premiums will go up. Should not have been a 5x but maybe 3-4x increase.
Utility companies and the communist party terrorists started those fires to push the global climate change narrative to limit your freedoms and other civil liberties.
Hi CROCKPOT, the issue is requirement of having to get at least $ 1million Personal Liability Insurance Policy in FL, in case you have a solar system more than Tier 1 i.e. 10KW or less. But your point of putting on the ground if possible is a valid one.
Solar panel systems normally come in 12V, 24V, 36V, ... up to 72V. Your normal household power comes in at 240V/120V. It could be the added weight of the solar panels on your roof. At 40-50 pounds each, that is a lot of weight added to the snow-load capacity of your roof. I realize that Florida does not get a lot of snow, but your roof still has a weight carrying capacity. If the panels are installed on the ground, it might make a difference. Always try to mount panels on the ground if you have the space without shading.
The Greed of corporate America is unbelievable and the insurance companies are at the top of the heap. In California where I live I pay maybe $200 more to cover my home and solar.
I welcome the collapse of money, personally. All of that power dissolves if they have no where to spend money. Fire zone insurance is the robbery that shows CA government is in need of an enema.
As panels have gone from 200watt to 380watt in a decade, it's time to change the 10KW limit to 15KW, but as energy companies are deep with state lawmakers, will probably not happen in Florida any time soon. Maybe the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE) can help push it through.
The only LEGITIMATE REASON for the rise in rates is that the home is in an area where potential damage can come from being hit by a hurricane, and that the insurance companies are noticeably reluctant to take into account the additional costs for replacing damaged solar panels while paying for repairs on a damaged house.
Volume too low. Solar Fraud? In my state Solar installers demand a 25 Year "Maintenance" Contract at 100+ per Month. The installer Takes ALL the Government and Power Company Benefits, Kickbacks, etc. Sure, No more Power company bills, but there is still the pay out for mainentance. Plus, since few want to take over the contract the House is devalued for sale.
Some power companies are talking about charging people who DON'T use their electricity at all, as well as the ones that sell more back to the power company than they use. And the state's governments are letting it happen.
I don't think that they made it clear. The insurance company dropped them because with high power solar systems there is a higher chance of fire. You're also dealing with large batteries that have some pretty volatile chemicals inside of them. It is a risk for an insurance company to cover those kinds of setups. It makes sense.
It seems like they should be able to split the system they have into two circuits to reduce the voltage of each while still harvesting the same amount of power.
If its a greater liability, can we see some statistical information about lineman being electrocuted, or whatever the liability is? Of course the insurer has no such studies to back up their greed.
The story talks about tier 2 and tier 3. My understanding is it is not the power being generated, it is the solar panels themselves. Unplugging part of the solar array will not change the fact that the panels are still tier 2 or tier 3. Tier 2 and tier 3 solar panels have a much higher failure rate than tier 1 panels. I have Tier 1 solar panels at my home. They are made by Panasonic. (Panasonic has shifted their solar panel manufacturing to another manufacturer, I believe REC Solar Panels) These are premium solar panels. They have the longest warranty in the industry and are quality made by solar panel manufacturers with a good track record. From the insurers point of view, tier 2 and tier 3 solar panels have a higher risk. Like possible fires. My take is, if the homeowners installed tier 1 panels the insurance company would continue to insure them. If the homeowners are paying double on the insurance, changing to tier 1 panels would eventually pay for the new panels by keeping their insurance at the lower rate. They should talk to the insurance company about what would happen to their insurance if they installed tier 1 panels.
"Tier 1, 2, 3" that you are talking about is the financial gimmick of a finance company that rates manufacturers by how many companies that were used to finance the manufacturer. That's some funny shit.
There are tier ratings on solar panels but as explained by Jay Warmke on his Solor Noon program, the Tiers are the ratings of the financial stability of the makers and how likely they are to be in business for the duration of the 25 year warranty. And then there are tiers for power production levels, with these being established by the electric company. Your comment is the first I have heard of tiers for quality. Either they are UL-listed or they are not.
I wonder if any of those insurance companies insure Tesla roofs - the roofing 'shingle' material is actually the solar panels. I looked into solar for my house (Southern California, so lots of sun like Florida) but the economics of it just didn't work out for what I use in electric each month. I just installed new insulation in the ceiling space, some ceiling fans in a few rooms, and I'm good.
Solar panel systems in the South produce more electricity than companies like to admit..... You could actually pay your mortgage and have no electricity bill
With enough panels you could, however what is typically not talked about is what that power is worth on the open market. Not much at all, maybe 1/4 of what the charge is on the bill. The difference is: 1 wholesale cost of power vs retail, 2: delivery costs which has nothing to do with solar. In net metering solar customers get full retail credit for power supply + delivery at retail rates, however are only providing wholesale power supply, and no delivery. So yeah, that raises the cost of power for everyone else.
Florida could benefit from solar big time but the big corporations are pouring money into regulations and work arounds to make sure it doesn't happen. It being Florida, the ol'boys in Tallahassee just have to get their kickbacks.
People in Florida have to remember. First panels add weight to your roof. Your rood is designed for certain loads. Just like roofs are designed for snow loads up north. And they are rated for wind loads. That is critical for homes in areas where hurricane and tropical storms are frequent. Solar panels act as sails in high winds. And can rip your sheathing off your roof. You need to have your roof inspected before installing panels. Starting with your trusses weight load. And straps that tie your trusses to your foundation. Then you nailing schedule for you sheathing to the trusses. Or he spacing of nails to be compatible wind load regulations. A salesman will sell you panels that may not be safe. Because his job is to sell. Not inspect. And as long as you are connected to the grid. You will be billed for maintenance of the grid.
Grid tied roof top systems in Florida have structural engineers sign off before panel installed. A total of 4 engineers touch the plans for review before install starts. Design and Electrical Engineer, Structural Engineer, FSEC for review, County permitting for review and City permitting if required .
Voltage isn't the issue. Residential solar doesn't go over 600v dc or 250v ac. (345v dc 240v ac typical) A 10-11.52kw inverter is a 60amp breaker. Anything more than 7.68kw can't be connected to a 200amp service panel bus with a breaker, a line side tap is standard.
The insurance companies much only get a kickback from the utility companies and not from solar installations. That’s why they drop their customers. It’s absolutely would not surprise me if this is the case For
The insurance did NOT try to tell them what to do with their home. The insurance simply refused to insure a risk they were unwilling to take. The homeowners were free to do whatever they wanted to their home, but they can't FORCE a company to insure their home when the company perceives a risk greater than they care to insure. Freedom works both ways.
All you need to do is follow the money, find out which of your representatives have their hands in the pockets of the power co.,or the insurance co. That’s why it’s always about the money!,
I think they mean higher wattage, not voltage. Tier 1 is up to 10,000 Watts. That's quite a lot of power. I don't see how they have 13,000 Watts* on top of that house. Even if the max rating of each panel sums to 13,000, angle of the sun means that only a few of them are at max power any time of the day. E.g. if the right side is getting max power, then the left side is likely at 30-50%. Some sites I see say that a Tier 2 system with $1M PLP is only about $14 / month. There's quite a bit that needs to be looked into here.
When you try to save money someone else swoops in to take it back from you, this is American capitalism at its worst. This country is turning into a 💩 show.
Watts and voltage is two different things. Sounds like someone needs to ask the florida state insurance commision what reason an insurance company is allowed to do this? Its actually scary if this rolls out. Think of it this way, the system is spec'd, then engineered, permits pulled, inspected by county, then inspected by the power company. So insurance says, you produce too much power so we will charge you more based on what risk exactly? I have not heard of a fire caused by solar panels.
I'm just so glad I'm construction inclined 👍 I have only solar. And I don't need insurance. I can rebuild my self. It might take time because no money. But I can still make lights and power for my appliances 🤗👍 Thank GOD 👍👍
Zoned solar power systems. Basically, divide the installation into zones, each with separate inverters, storage or whatever. Thus each zone operates on a lower voltage, then the entire system ties together to provide the lower voltage but higher amperage. And the insurance worries aren't without foundation. There have been firefighters electrocuted while trying to deal with warehouse fires involving properties with significant rooftop solar installations. Basically, this is an issue of the system not being wired properly for the insurance company's worries.
Masha, did you used to be on Channel 13 here in Las Vegas ? I think, the Homeowners insurance has a equity stake with the Electric Company. Does the Solar Panels increase in House Fires ? They pay nothing in Electricity, insurance company wants a Tier 1 so they have to pay for some Electricity. SCAM ! Sue that Company, DeSantis as well. Paul
My insurance company had a 20 panel cutoff. No more than 20 panels. I thought it was pretty stupid considering you could have 100w panels, or panels producing over 400w each.
