Understanding an Insurance Claim for Lightning Damage: What Homeowners Need to Know

Posted on July 12, 2024

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Bobby Childs | author

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ICHQ | Site Author

Lightning strikes are an ever-present danger and one of the least predictable losses that a homeowner can suffer. The true extent of lightning strike damage is sometimes underestimated, but all it takes is one bolt to unleash destruction. Knowing the various types of insurance claims for lightning damage can help you understand what steps to take to seek compensation from your insurance company.

Nevertheless, you are likely to encounter resistance from your insurer in the form of unreasonable delays, low-ball settlement offers, and perhaps an outright denial of your claim. Retaining seasoned legal counsel will make a difference. Find out how Insurance Claim HQ can assist with your lightning damage claim.

An Overview of Lightning Damage and Its Impact on Properties

As lightning travels through the air, its path becomes extremely hot. The high temperature of a lightning strike can cause flammable materials, such as the wood in your home, to explode and catch fire. Wires and pipes can instantly burn as the bolt travels through them, causing further damage. Any appliances that are plugged in will experience a severe surge and likely be destroyed. Meanwhile, the shock wave produced by the lightning strike can break up the concrete, brick, and stone used to construct the house. Glass windows and plaster walls are no match for this force, either.

With so many parts of the house affected by lightning, there is a good chance that substantial tear-down and reconstruction work will be necessary. For instance, the electrical wiring that runs through your house will undoubtedly be compromised. Your foundation could be damaged, and that affects the entire structural integrity of your home. The house may be uninhabitable for some time and result in major inconvenience and displacement for you and your family.

Common Types of Lightning Damage

Considering the above, you can expect these various kinds of lightning strike damage:

  • Fire: The strike itself can instantly spark a fire, and even more so if it hits something flammable like a gas line. The fire can spread quickly to the house and lead to significant destruction or total loss of the dwelling and personal property.
  • Roof damage: When lightning hits a roof, it can punch a hole in the surface or cause less obvious but still damaging cracks. Either way, your house is vulnerable to rain and other elements.
  • Structural damage: The walls, floors, foundation, and other structural elements of the house can be damaged. This effectively compromises the safety of the house and can make it uninhabitable.
  • Electrical damage: As mentioned above, this one is particularly insidious because there is such a large amount of wiring in any given home. It will probably all need to be redone to ensure safety after the surge of lightning damages it.
  • Water damage: Water can burst from pipes or appliances in some cases of lightning strikes. It’s a good idea to shut off the water in your home if it has been struck by lightning.
  • Tree damage: Trees can split down the middle and cause large branches to break off. Either the tree or the branch could then crash into the house and cause damage.

Why Timely Filing Is Crucial

Taking quick action after a lightning storm is critical to protecting your rights under your homeowners’ insurance policy. If you don’t timely file an insurance claim for lightning damage, the delay could cost you. There are usually requirements to promptly notify your insurance company so they can assign and send out an adjuster to determine the nature and extent of the damage. If you wait, the insurer is more likely to question the legitimacy of your claim. It also becomes more difficult to remember critical details which are needed to verify your claim, like the date and time of the lightning strike.

This is not to mention the serious disruption that a lightning strike damage can inflict upon your life. Your home will not be safe to occupy, which means you will need to find temporary housing somewhere else. Personal property that is damaged or destroyed won’t be fixed or replaced until your claim is processed. Meanwhile, you will still be responsible for any mortgage payments on the house and for keeping it secure from burglars and the elements. The best way to get your life back on track is not to delay filing your lightning damage claim.

Steps to Take After Lightning Damage

Because lightning strike damage can cause so many financial and personal inconveniences, you need to act fast to preserve your insurance claim. Our team recommends the following steps:

  • Contact your homeowners insurance company: Call your insurer immediately to report the damage and open a claim. Ask them where to send all the information to document the lightning damage.
  • Take pictures and record video: This is the main evidence you will need, so take as many pictures and record as many videos as possible to capture the extent of the damage. Include images of personal property that was damaged or lost.
  • Mitigate the damage: It is important that you take reasonable steps to prevent further loss to the property affected by the lightning. For example, you may need to board up windows that were smashed.
  • Obtain a repair estimate: Call a repair person or contractor to come examine all of the affected property and provide a written estimate. This estimate should be thorough and account for all types of damage your property experienced.
  • Gather documentation to prove ownership: This may include a deed to your home or proof of purchase for major items damaged by lightning. When you are taking photos and recording video, make sure to capture your street address to prove it is your home.

Understanding Your Insurance Policy

Homeowners’ insurance will usually cover most losses caused by lightning strikes, such as fires, roof damage, and anything caused by downed trees. However, depending on your policy, there may be exclusions. You need to understand two major aspects of your homeowners’ insurance policy:

  • Which parts of the physical dwelling are covered (e.g. the roof, foundation, etc.)
  • Whether the insurance covers personal items, like electronics, that were damaged by the lightning

You should review your policy to determine what is covered, in what amounts, and if there are any exclusions. Also, be sure you have an idea of how much coverage is provided and how the insurer will likely value the claim. For instance, does the insurance pay fair market value or replacement cost if your house is destroyed by lightning? Remember to also mitigate damage because the failure to do so could jeopardize your claim.

Seek Legal Advice When Filing a Claim

It’s important to speak with a homeowners insurance attorney if you encounter such issues as delayed responses from the insurer, unreasonably low settlement amounts, or a denied claim. Insurers have a legal obligation to respond to claims in good faith, but many of them attempt to take advantage of the distress and uncertainty that policyholders often experience in the wake of lightning damage. Don’t let this happen to you. If you have questions or concerns about your insurance, or you need help with your claim, speak with Insurance Claim HQ. Call us today to get started.