Last verified: 12 November 2026.
The short answer
Yes — but a portable generator and a standby generator are covered in very different ways. A portable generator is personal property (Coverage C): it is covered only for the specific risks named in your policy, and it is paid at depreciated value. A permanently installed standby generator is part of the house (Coverage A): it is covered for almost any cause unless excluded, and paid at full replacement cost. Flood damage is excluded for both. And if you plug a generator into a wall outlet (backfeeding), damage from that can be denied because the connection itself was illegal.
Portable generator: Coverage C (personal property)
A portable generator is treated like any other piece of property you own — a TV, a lawn mower, a bicycle. It falls under Coverage C, personal property.
- Named-perils only. Your policy lists the risks it covers — fire, lightning, windstorm, hail, explosion, theft, vandalism, and so on. If the damage comes from a cause that is not on that list, there is no coverage.
- Coverage C is usually 50–70% of your dwelling limit. If your house is insured for $500,000, Coverage C is typically $250,000–$350,000 — and that has to cover everything you own, not just the generator.
- Off-premises cap: 10% of Coverage C. If the generator is stolen or damaged away from home — at a job site, in a storage unit, at a friend’s house — the most you can recover is 10% of your Coverage C limit. Example: Coverage C of $150,000 means a $15,000 cap for anything lost off-site.
- Paid at actual cash value (ACV). That means replacement cost minus depreciation. A 3-year-old generator that cost $1,200 might pay out about $700. The insurer subtracts wear and age.
- A replacement-cost endorsement fixes the depreciation cut. It costs a little extra, and it means the insurer pays what a new one costs. If your portable generator cost $1,000 or more, ask your agent whether this endorsement is worth it.
Standby generator: Coverage A (dwelling)
A permanently installed standby generator is bolted to a concrete pad, wired into the house, and plumbed for fuel. Insurers treat it as part of the house structure — Coverage A (dwelling).
- Open-perils coverage. Everything is covered unless the policy specifically excludes it. That is the broadest coverage a homeowners policy offers.
- Paid at replacement cost. No depreciation. If a covered storm destroys a $12,000 standby system, the policy pays to replace it (minus your deductible).
- If it sits on its own pad away from the house, some insurers classify it as Coverage B (other structures) instead. The practical effect is nearly the same — it is still covered at replacement cost.
- Whole-home standby systems cost $8,000–$23,000 installed. A standby can also raise the home’s resale value by about 3–5% — so tell your insurer after the install. Your Coverage A limit should go up by the $10,000–$15,000 the system added. Inflation guard adjusts your limit every year, but it does not pick up a mid-term improvement on its own.
What is covered
| Cause | Portable (Coverage C) | Standby (Coverage A) |
|---|---|---|
| Fire, lightning | Yes, if named in the policy | Yes |
| Windstorm / hurricane wind | Yes, if named; hurricane damage goes through your hurricane policy and hurricane deductible | Yes, through your hurricane policy and hurricane deductible |
| Theft / vandalism | Yes, if named | Yes |
| Falling tree or debris | Yes, if named | Yes |
| Power surge from a direct lightning strike | Usually yes | Usually yes |
Liability (Coverage E) is the part people forget. If your generator injures someone else or damages a neighbor’s property, your liability coverage pays their medical costs and your legal defense. The big risk is carbon monoxide: if exhaust from your generator drifts into a neighbor’s home or harms a guest, that is a liability claim. Most policies start at $100,000 of liability; $300,000–$500,000 is common and is what most agents recommend.
What is NOT covered
- Flood damage — excluded for both types. A standby unit flooded by storm surge, or a portable generator sitting in a flooded garage, is not covered by homeowners insurance. Flood needs a separate flood insurance policy (NFIP). In Hawaii, where heavy rain and storm surge are the real risks, this is the most important gap to understand.
- Wear and tear, rust, and corrosion. A generator that slowly rusts in Hawaii’s salt air is not an insurance claim. That is maintenance.
- Mechanical breakdown. If the engine seizes, the voltage regulator fails, or the unit just stops working because it was not maintained, homeowners insurance does not pay. That is a warranty matter — or, see the equipment breakdown endorsement below.
- Power surge from the grid or the generator itself. A surge from a direct lightning strike is usually covered. A surge from the power grid, or from your own generator failing, is often excluded or limited. A surge caused by the generator’s own failure counts as a mechanical breakdown.
- Backfeeding. Plugging a generator into a household outlet (usually a 240V dryer outlet) to power the house is illegal in the U.S. — the National Electrical Code requires a transfer switch. It sends power back into the grid and can kill utility workers. If a fire or electrical damage is caused by backfeeding, the claim can be denied because the cause was an improper, illegal connection — not a covered peril.
- Unpermitted or improper installation. A standby installed without a permit, or by an unlicensed person, can be denied as a code violation or an undisclosed change to the home.
The Hawaii deductible trap: a standby unit and the hurricane deductible
Because a standby generator counts as part of the dwelling, hurricane damage to it is usually subject to your hurricane deductible — not your regular flat deductible. In Hawaii, hurricane deductibles are a percentage of the dwelling value, commonly 1–5%. On a $750,000 home with a 2% hurricane deductible, that is $15,000 out of pocket before the policy pays anything — including for the generator.
That means a $12,000 standby unit destroyed by a hurricane may not produce a payment at all if the hurricane deductible is larger than the loss. This is not a special rule for generators; it follows from the way Coverage A and Hawaii’s separate hurricane deductible work. Check your own policy and ask your agent — the exact wording varies by carrier.
Do you need a separate rider or endorsement?
Usually no — a generator is already covered under the policy you have. But three endorsements are worth asking about:
- Replacement-cost endorsement (for a portable generator). Without it, a stolen or destroyed portable is paid at depreciated value. With it, you get the cost of a new one.
- Equipment breakdown endorsement. This fills the mechanical-breakdown gap: it covers internal failures like a voltage regulator failure or a seized engine. It does not cover wear and tear or neglect. It costs about $25–$50 a year, and a single control-board replacement can cost $1,000 or more. Not every insurer offers it — ask.
- Higher Coverage C limit or a scheduled item. If you own an expensive portable generator (or several), make sure your Coverage C limit reflects it. Very high-value items can be listed (“scheduled”) separately for full coverage.
One claim you may hear — that owning a generator earns a homeowners discount — could not be verified from a reliable source. Ask your agent whether a standby system earns any discount; do not assume it does.
How to document your generator (do this now, not after the storm)
A claim is only as good as the proof behind it. Five minutes now can save weeks later.
Portable generator:
– Keep the purchase receipt.
– Photograph the serial-number plate (near the frame, engine, or control panel).
– Record the model name and purchase date.
– Store copies off-site — in the cloud, in your email, or in a safe. If the house floods, paper in a drawer is gone.
Standby generator:
– Everything above, plus the installation invoice, the electrical permit, and the county inspection sign-off.
– Keep the maintenance log. If the insurer asks whether the unit was serviced, a log answers the question.
Both: take a 5-minute phone video walking through the house, including the generator, and store it in the cloud. Adjusters settle documented claims faster.
After you install a standby: call your agent
Three things to do the week the install is finished:
- Tell your insurer. The Coverage A limit should go up by the value the system added (roughly $10,000–$15,000).
- Send them the permit and inspection paperwork. Professional installation with a permit is what keeps a future claim from being denied.
- Ask about the equipment breakdown endorsement and whether your hurricane deductible is what you think it is.
FAQ
My portable generator was stolen from my garage. Is it covered?
Usually yes, under Coverage C, if theft is a named peril in your policy — which it almost always is. It will be paid at actual cash value (depreciated) unless you have a replacement-cost endorsement. Remember your deductible applies first.
A hurricane flooded my standby generator. Will insurance pay?
No — not under the homeowners or hurricane policy. Flood is excluded. That is a flood insurance (NFIP) claim, and only if you have a flood policy that covers the unit. This is the single biggest coverage gap for Hawaii generator owners.
My generator broke down on its own. Is that a claim?
No. Mechanical breakdown and wear and tear are excluded from homeowners insurance. That is what the warranty — or an equipment breakdown endorsement ($25–$50/year) — is for.
Sources
- LegalClarity — “Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Generators? Portable vs. Standby”: https://legalclarity.org/does-homeowners-insurance-cover-generators-portable-vs-standby/
- Openly — “Does Home Insurance Cover Generators?” (12 Feb 2026): https://openly.com/the-open-door/articles/does-home-insurance-cover-generators
- MoneyMink — “Homeowners Insurance Generators”: https://moneymink.com/homeowners-insurance-generators/
- Hawaii DCCA — Hurricane Insurance FAQ (hurricane deductible structure): https://cca.hawaii.gov/ins/files/2022/06/Hurricane-FAQ.pdf
- ICAT — Hawaii Residential Hurricane Insurance Survival Guide (hurricane deductibles 1–10% of dwelling value): https://www.icat.com/content/dam/victor/icat/documents/brochures/Hawaii-Residential-Insurance-Survival-Guide.pdf
- Hawaii DCCA — Homeowner’s insurance general information (Coverage A/B/C definitions): https://cca.hawaii.gov/ins/files/2025/12/5a.-2026-HO-Prem-Pub_Homeowners.pdf
Disclaimer: This article is general information only, not insurance advice. Policies differ by carrier and by state — read your own policy and talk to a licensed Hawaii insurance agent before making a decision. The hurricane-deductible discussion is general guidance; confirm how your policy treats a standby generator with your agent.
Keep reading: Portable Generator Buying Guide for Hawaii Homes · Standby Generators: Generac vs. Kohler for Hawaii Homes