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 keeping with new knowledge from the Insurance coverage Data Institute and State Farm, the most important author of householders’ insurance coverage in the USA. 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,” mentioned Sean Kevelighan, CEO, Triple-I. “Nonetheless, lightning stays a big risk 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
Prime 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 expensive and unpredictable risk, with floor surges inflicting practically half of all claims,” mentioned Michal Brower of State Farm. “These occasions may cause intensive injury to electrical methods, home equipment, and even structural points. The injury underscores the essential want for owners to concentrate on 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. Widespread impacts embody:
- Fires in attics, roofs, or partitions
- Energy surges that destroy electronics and home equipment
- Structural injury
- Damage and even demise
Find out how to Keep Protected
Owners can defend their households and property by following just a few tips:
- Set up whole-home surge safety and unplug units throughout storms;
- Contemplate a licensed lightning safety system;
- Test 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, comparable to hearth, is roofed by customary owners’ insurance coverage insurance policies. Some insurance policies present protection for energy surges which can be the direct results of a lightning strike.
The Lightning Safety Institute (LPI) notes that lightning strikes can happen at an astonishing fee of 100 occasions per second.
“Whether or not it’s a household dwelling or a mission-critical facility, no property is resistant to lightning,” mentioned Tim Harger, Government Director at LPI, whose group gives sources for the design, set up, and inspection of lightning safety methods. “The best time to stop lightning injury is earlier than a storm. A lightning threat evaluation paired with a professionally put in safety system could make all of the distinction in protecting folks protected and operations uninterrupted.”
Whereas lightning-related claims could also be down, the danger remains to be very actual, particularly in high-strike areas like Florida, Texas, and California. Taking preventive steps now can cut back publicity to expensive injury later.
Study Extra:
Lightning Safety Institute
The Significance of Defending Essential Services From Lightning Strikes
Lightning: Quantifying a Complicated, Pricey Peril to Assist Resilience
Past Hearth: Triple-I Interview Unravels Lightning-Danger Complexity
