How Home Insurance Covers Lightning Strikes

Last year in the United States, 12 people in 7 states were fatally struck by lightning. Each year, thousands of homes are damaged – often significantly – by lightning strikes.

Fortunately, homeowners insurance covers lightning strikes.

Today, we’re explaining how lightning strike insurance claims work and how insurance covers a lightning strike.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Lightning Strikes?

Yes, a standard homeowners insurance policy covers lightning strikes.

In fact, most homeowners insurance policies list “lightning” as a covered peril.

If your home is struck by lightning and damaged, then your insurance should cover the cost of restoring your property to pre-loss condition.

How Homeowners Insurance Covers Lightning Strikes

Each year, thousands of homes in the United States are struck by lightning.

Although it’s rare compared to other covered perils, lightning strikes cause millions of dollars’ worth of damage each year to the exterior and interior of your home and to your possessions.

Homeowners insurance should cover lightning strikes by:

• Compensating you for the cost of repairing your structure to pre-loss condition (via dwelling coverage), including repairs of any siding, roofing, or other components.
• Compensating you for the actual cash value (ACV) or replacement cost value of any possessions damaged by the lightning strike – like electronics damaged by an electrical surge (via personal property coverage).
• Covering liability linked to bodily injury or property damage. If lightning starts a fire on your property that spreads to neighboring homes, for example, then your liability insurance should cover it. Or, if a contractor is struck by lightning while working on your roof, then your liability insurance could cover medical bills for which you are liable.

You buy homeowners insurance to cover unexpected and sudden events. A lightning strike certainly qualifies. If lightning strikes your home and causes damage, then insurance should cover it.

How Lightning Damages Homes

According to the CDC, 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground each year in the United States.

Most of those strikes cause zero damage. Some, however, strike trees and cause a wildfire. Others strike buildings and cause physical damage. Some even strike humans and cause injuries and death (although 90% of lightning strikes are non-fatal).

Some of the ways lightning damages homes include:

• Damaged Roofing: Lightning takes the fastest route to the ground, which is why it typically hits the highest part of your home – the roof – first. Lightning can cause visible damage at the point of impact. Some lightning strikes even create a hole in your roof. Others simply damage shingles.
• Fire Damage: Lightning can lead to a fire. If lightning strikes a dry, wooden part of your home, it can easily create a fire that burns down your property. Of course, a significant number of wildfires are also started by lightning strikes each year. Lightning strikes temporarily create temperatures hotter than the sun, often leading to fire.
• Damaged Siding, Doors, Decks, Windows, & Other Exterior Components: When lightning races to the ground, it can strike other exterior components along the way.
• Damaged Electronics: When lightning strikes your home, it can create a power surge, leading to electrical damage. Lightning overloads your home’s electrical capacity as it searches for the fastest route to the ground, sending millions of volts surging through your home. This surge can destroy the wiring and interior components of electronic devices in your house. If you smell smoke or burning plastic after a lightning strike, or if the power goes out, you could have electrical damage.
• Shockwave Damage: A lightning strike can cause immediate physical damage around the area that was struck. However, it can also create powerful shockwave damage. After lightning strikes your home, it creates a local shockwave, and that shockwave is powerful enough to split concrete, destroy your chimney, and wreck other exterior components. Some homes and outbuildings can also be completely destroyed by this shockwave.

Some states have more lightning strikes than others.

Southern states with high heat and lengthy summer thunderstorm seasons, understandably, are more susceptible to lightning.

Per the CDC, Florida, Texas, Colorado, North Carolina, Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania have more lightning deaths and injuries than anywhere else, with Florida leading the pack with 2,000+ lightning-related injuries over the last half-century.

What to Expect from a Lightning Strike Insurance Claim

Lightning strikes are a covered peril on a standard homeowners insurance policy.

Here’s how a typical lightning strike claim works:

1. Secure the Scene: Secure your property if safe to do so. Cover any holes with a tarp. Contact emergency services for injuries or fires.
2. Contact Your Insurer: Start by contacting your insurer. Your insurer can advise on the next steps. They may assign a claim number even if you don’t file a claim. Your insurer may also send an adjuster to your property to check the damage.
3. Receive Repair Estimates: Your insurer could recommend a contractor. However, you’re under no obligation to use that contractor. You can contact your own contractors to get two or three quotes.
4. Repair Property to Pre-Loss Condition: If the claim goes smoothly, the contractor repairs your property to pre-loss condition, and your insurer covers the cost, minus your deductible.

How to Deal with Lightning Strike Claim Disputes

Lightning strike insurance claims may seem straightforward.

Unfortunately, lightning strikes can be difficult to prove – and some insurers push back.

Insurers could argue your home wasn’t actually struck by lightning. Insurers could claim the siding and shingle damage was from a pre-existing cause, lack of maintenance, or wear and tear, for example.

Fortunately, you have options:

• Provide your insurer with photos, videos, and other evidence as proof that your home was struck by lightning.
• Contact a public adjuster or insurance attorney for additional help.
• A public adjuster or insurance attorney may work with an engineer, electrician, or other expert to justify your claim.

Lightning strike claims could get messy. Many homeowners don’t have pictures of their roof or siding before a lightning strike, for example, which could make it difficult to separate pre-existing damage from lightning strike damage.

Fortunately, experts – like public adjusters – can help navigate your lightning strike claim and ensure you receive a fair payout.

Final Word

According to the Insurance Industry Institute, there are roughly 100 lightning strikes each second worldwide.

In fact, lightning is the second-most damaging natural hazard after floods, according to the III. It can start fires, damage buildings, and even kill.

Although rare, lightning strike damage can occur – and insurance should cover it.

For help navigating a tricky lightning strike insurance claim, contact ClaimsMate today for a free consultation.

Stephanie Corona

Stephanie is a property insurance claim expert with over 20 years of experience working as an insurance adjuster, expert witness, appraiser and umpire. She is passionate about sharing her expertise, knowledge, tips and training to help both property owners and Public Adjusters in their pursuit of effectively managing claims and recovering the claim settlement they deserve after a loss.