From Thunderbolts to Payouts: The Ins and Outs of Lightning Strike Insurance Claims

It happens in the blink of an eye– lightning strikes are that quick. They can be perceived as not really a big deal and you probably don’t even think twice about them but they pose a big threat to your home and your safety if not taken seriously right away. Read on to learn all about lightning strikes and how to best be prepared before, during, and after a strike.

What To Do In Case of A Lightning Strike

One minute everything is fine in your house, the next all your appliances short out, and it’s dark. Though it can seem like a temporary nuisance, lightning strikes are a serious matter. If you are sure you’ve experienced a lightning strike to your home or if you even just have a suspicion, don’t wait instead, make sure to reach out to a public adjuster to come do a free inspection.

Everything may seem fine but then in one month, three months, or six months down the road all of a sudden you’re experiencing failures from your appliances or other costly systems like your HVAC. These are all things that are rather expensive to replace quickly in your home.

What Will Your Insurance Company Do After A Lightning Strike?

Let’s just say once you file a claim for a lightning strike it is extremely difficult to get paid. When you have lightning damage you have what’s called the burden of proof and that means you have to prove that the damage resulted because of the lightning strike and not because of something else.

99% of the time these claims will be denied by insurance carriers and that is why you want to have a team of experts on your side who can link the damage directly to the lightning strike and make sure that you get paid. These are the experts that we recommend having to make sure your claim goes through:

• Engineer
• Mechanical Engineer
• Electrician
• Public Adjuster

How Can You Prevent Lightning Strike Damage? 

The first and most important thing is to make sure that you stay safe. If you are inside make sure to unplug appliances and anything electrical from outlets and if you have a landline make sure that is unplugged as well. If you are outside seek shelter under a tree or try to find another shelter.

Make sure to stay away from conductors of electricity. Stay away from water during a storm and make sure not to go swimming or to go out and look at the storm from the hot tub. It is hard to predict lightning strikes but if you live in an area that has lots of tropical storms it is better to be safe than sorry.

To protect your home from lightning damage you can actually install a complete lightning protection system to your home. This consists of a series of mounts on top and next to the house that will absorb a strike and route it to the ground so it doesn’t damage your home.

How Can You Prove Lightning Strike Damage?

Unlike a home that has suffered a fire or has been flooded, it is much more difficult to prove that the damage in your home was caused by a lightning strike. The way you need to prove that damage was caused by lightning is to use forensic investigation.

For example with our firm we use experts like engineers, electricians, and more to help us determine the cause of the damage and create a report to show to the Insurance Company to get the homeowner paid. They have seen all kinds of cases and their expertise is exactly what you need to prove your case.

The Insurance Company Is Not Your Friend

Yes you have a policy with them and yes they have great advertising but at the end of the day Insurance Companies are for-profit and are trying to maintain profit. Anytime they send out an expert an insurance adjuster, an engineer, or other types of expert it is to try and make the case that you do not have a claim. While an adjuster is in your home do not elaborate– if they ask you a question answer it and then move on.

The Unseen Damage

What you have to look for with lightning strikes is what is often referred to as latent damage. This basically means your house gets hit by lightning and nothing happens. After a month or two you start to see appliances stop working. You can see major electrical systems all start to short out. This can happen anywhere from one to 6 months after a strike.

Another thing to consider with this unseen damage is inside your policy you are required to report a claim to your insurance company within a timely manner. This is often 2 years after but it can be sooner so check your policy and/or make sure to file your claim soon after the damage occurs. 

Conclusion

To avoid that 99% denial rate that is so common with this type of claim choose a public adjuster who has been there, has a team of experts, and can get the job done. With Florida Public Adjusting you’ll get all those things plus the ability to get every penny you deserve for your claim.

If you have recently experienced or you are currently experiencing any troubles with your Insurance claim don’t wait for your Insurance Company to change their mind instead hire an expert who has done this for more than two decades and has seen it all. You wouldn’t go to court without a lawyer, or buying a house with using a title company or you wouldn’t work on your teeth without a dentist, don’t file an insurance claim without a Public Adjuster.

For all your Insurance Claim needs give us a call and have someone in your corner during one of the most difficult times of your life. Trust Florida Public Adjusting for all your Insurance Claims needs.