By Loretta Worters, Vice President, Media Relations, Triple-I
Lightning-related owners’ insurance coverage claims totaled $1.04 billion in 2024, a 16.5 % lower from 2023, in response to new knowledge from the Insurance coverage Info Institute and State Farm, the biggest author of house owners’ insurance coverage in the US. The variety of lightning-caused claims additionally fell considerably, dropping 21.5 %, to 55,537, the bottom stage recorded since earlier than 2017.
Greater than half of all claims got here from the highest 10 states, with Florida, Texas, and California main the nation in lightning-related property losses.
“Fewer claims and a decline in severity point out elevated consciousness and improved mitigation,” stated Sean Kevelighan, CEO, Triple-I. “Nonetheless, lightning stays a big menace to property and security, significantly throughout storm season.”
Key lightning declare stats for 2024
- Complete variety of claims: 55,537 (down from 70,787 in 2023)
- Complete claims worth: $1.04 billion (down from $1.24 billion)
- Nationwide common price per declare: $18,641
- Highest state common: $38,558 in Texas
High three states by lightning losses
- Florida – 4,780 claims, $113M in damages
- Texas – 4,369 claims, $168M in damages
- California – 4,005 claims, $75M in damages
“Lightning stays a pricey and unpredictable menace, with floor surges inflicting almost half of all claims,” stated Michal Brower of State Farm. “These occasions may cause in depth harm to electrical methods, home equipment, and even structural points. The harm underscores the crucial want for owners to pay attention to the dangers, spend money on protecting measures, and keep ready, particularly in high-risk areas the place lightning strikes are most frequent and damaging.”
Lightning strikes may cause greater than only a energy outage. Frequent impacts embody:
- Fires in attics, roofs, or partitions
- Energy surges that destroy electronics and home equipment
- Structural harm
- Damage and even loss of life
Tips on how to Keep Protected
Householders can defend their households and property by following just a few pointers:
- Set up whole-home surge safety and unplug units throughout storms;
- Think about an authorized lightning safety system;
- Verify your owners’ insurance coverage coverage for lightning and surge-related protection; and
- Keep indoors and keep away from wired units throughout thunderstorms.
Injury attributable to lightning, equivalent to hearth, is roofed by normal owners’ insurance coverage insurance policies. Some insurance policies present protection for energy surges which can be the direct results of a lightning strike.Â
The Lightning Safety Institute (LPI) notes that lightning strikes can happen at an astonishing fee of 100 instances per second.
“Whether or not it’s a household house or a mission-critical facility, no property is proof against lightning,” stated Tim Harger, Govt Director at LPI, whose group supplies sources for the design, set up, and inspection of lightning safety methods. “The best time to stop lightning harm is earlier than a storm. A lightning danger evaluation paired with a professionally put in safety system could make all of the distinction in holding individuals secure and operations uninterrupted.”
Whereas lightning-related claims could also be down, the chance continues to be very actual, particularly in high-strike areas like Florida, Texas, and California. Taking preventive steps now can scale back publicity to pricey harm later.
Be taught Extra:
The Significance of Defending Important Amenities From Lightning Strikes
Lightning: Quantifying a Advanced, Expensive Peril to Assist Resilience
Past Fireplace: Triple-I Interview Unravels Lightning-Danger Complexity