The Takeaways
- Texas ranks the 6th state for the highest number of lightning strikes in the US.
- Most residential and commercial policies in Texas cover damage caused by Lightening
- Fire, smoke, and water damage can all be covered ensuing damage created by a lightning strike
- Trees, shrubs, and plants are covered but possess individual and aggregate limits
- A Public Adjuster can review your policy and assist you in obtaining an accurate and maximized financial recovery
Will My Insurance Cover A Fire Caused By Lightning?
Just as you sit down to relax after a long day at the office or from shuffling the kids from their after-school practice, a thunderstorm rolls into your neighborhood, seemingly out of nowhere. This is just another day of living in Texas; a state that the World Meteorological Organization ranks as number 6 on the list of states with the highest number of thunderstorms.
Suddenly, lightning flashes, cracking thunder instantly follows, and your home shakes to its core. Your precious asset has been struck by lightning. The smell of smoke and smoldering material begins to spread through the air. The fire rapidly engulfs your home from the attic down, destroying the structure and causing irreversible damage to your personal property.
You Are Likely Covered!
Thankfully, you have insurance… but will it cover this type of loss? Short answer; Yes! Insurance coverage against lightning strikes is covered by most commercial and residential insurance policies in Texas. In fact, in 2021, State Farm reported that it had issued approximately $7.7 million in claims checks to Texas insureds for lighting-related insurance losses. If you are unsure what coverage your insurance policy affords you, a licensed public adjuster can review your insurance policy and let you know exactly what coverage you have available.
True View Commercial represents insureds as a public insurance adjuster on numerous lightning strike claims per year in the Dallas, Ft. Worth Metroplex alone. As such, it should be no shock (pun intended) to learn that Texas Parks and Wildlife reports that severe storms that produce hail, have about twice as much lightning activity, likely due to additional friction. In Texas, fall weather brings severe thunderstorms similar to those we see in the Spring. Cooler temperatures in the Spring and Fall produce severe thunderstorms, often accompanied by conditions conducive to producing damaging hailstones.
So What Will Insurance Pay For if Lightning Strikes Your Home?
Fire and Smoke Damage
When lightning strikes a structure, it often leads to a fire. Your insurance company will most likely pay for any fire-caused damage and ensuing smoke/soot damage to your home and personal property. Most lightning strikes result in a fire that begins in the attic or an outside wall, usually at the peak of the home or the chimney. As the structure burns, smoke and soot are forced throughout the structure due to heat and rapidly expanding gas.
If lightning is a named peril in your policy, then most structural components and personal property directly consumed by fire will be covered. The Public Insurance Adjusters at True View Commercial can assist in determining what can be salvaged if anything at all.
Water Damage
In most cases, your home will be saturated inside and out as a result of the fire department extinguishing the fire. As the water pours over the burning structure, it takes the path of least resistance as gravity pulls it throughout your home. This water becomes contaminated with dirt, debris, soot, ash, combusted materials, and other dangerous compounds as flows freely through your home. The contaminated water, considered Category 3 water, will cause irreversible damage to building materials such as drywall, carpet, floors, electrical systems, and more.
It is industry standard to remove or dry and seal any porous material that has come into contact with Category 3 water.
Electronics
In some cases, the lightning strike will cause minimal damage to the structure but will wreak havoc on the electrical system or electrical components within the home. It is not uncommon for lightning strikes to produce power surges that can destroy appliances, TVs, computers, and items of the like.
Trees and Landscaping
If lightning is a covered peril on your policy, it will afford you some limited coverage for damage to trees or landscaping that may have been struck by lightning. Although you may have coverage, most homeowner or commercial policies will put a specific limit per tree or bush with an aggregate limit which generally consists of a percentage of the Coverage A (dwelling) limits. There may also be funds for debris removal in this case.
Schedule A Claim Consultation
If you have suffered from a fire loss due to a lightning strike, it may be prudent to contact a Public Insurance Adjuster immediately. A Public Adjuster can assist you with inspecting your damaged property, reviewing your policy, and creating a recovery plan specifically designed to address your needs.
At True View Commercial, our Public Adjusters are experts in understanding your insurance policy language and how it pertains to reconstruction cost estimating. Moreover, they will act as your advocate to ensure that you receive every claim benefit afforded to you by your policy. If you have suffered from a lightning strike, contact a Public Adjuster at True View Commercial to schedule an inspection of your property. Once onsite, your Public Adjuster will provide you with the insight and expertise to develop a stress-free and transparent approach to settling your insurance claim quickly and for the maximum financial recovery available.
Schedule a no-cost consultation today!
