Lightning may not seem like an occurrence that should take priority where your homeowners’ insurance is concerned.  But it is actually something that warrants serious consideration. This is because the damage caused by lightning strikes can be significant. Not only can lightning knock out your home’s electrical system and damage your major appliances, but the heat from a lighting strike – which can reach temperatures of up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit – can mean that fire damage to your home is also very likely.

Lightning Coverage

Thankfully, lightning is something that is covered on the majority of policies in Florida. Specifically, electrical damage and fire damage are each listed in most policies. However, many homeowners find it difficult to determine just how significant the damage is. The problem is the unpredictability of lighting. It can cause significant damage to one item in your home, but not another. This can cause much time to be invested in trying to assess the damage.

It’s important to be aware that your policy may not cover an electrical surge that occurred as the result of a lightning strike that hit off-property. A lightning affidavit can protect you if this is the case, but must be signed by the person who repaired your lightning damage.

Inspections Are Key

In order to properly ensure that your home is safe to live in following a lightning event, it may be a good idea to call in inspector, who can take a walk through and carefully check all appliances for damage. Once your home has been deemed safe, you may want to take further precautions and bring in a professional to test your switches, outlets and appliances.

Claiming Lightning Damage

As soon as you’ve had experts assess the damage in your home and you know exactly what the extent of that damage is, then it’s time to file your claim. You will want to ensure that the value of your losses, as well as an inventory of the items in your home is clearly communicated. The more information you provide your insurance company with, the better your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve. Your Florida public adjuster can assist you with the initial damage assessment. This step will help you to choose whether or not to pursue a damage claim with your insurance company.

Preventing Further Damage

The important thing to note is that no ‘power bar’ advertised as a surge protector will completely prevent lightning damage. The truth is that no surge protector can stop a lightning strike. That being said, it’s always a good idea to unplug any electrical appliances that you don’t want damaged if you know that a storm is approaching or you are going to be away from your home for a certain amount of time.

The expert help you need to properly assess your lightning damage claim is only a phone call away. Call us at 877-869-8989, and we will assist you with all of your homeowners’ insurance claim needs.