More than $950 million in lightning-caused U.S. homeowners insurance claims were paid out in 2022 to 62,000-plus policyholders, with $125 million of the total attributable to California alone, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I.).
Based on national insurance claims data compiled to coincide with Lightning Safety Awareness Week (June 18-24), the Triple-I found:
- The total value of lightning-caused U.S. homeowners insurance claims was down more than 27 percent in 2022 ($952 million) from 2021 ($1.3 billion)
- The number of lightning-caused U.S. homeowners insurance claims slightly increased by 2.2 percent between 2021 and 2022 from 60,851 to 62,189, with numbers from the top ten claims states contributing to about half of the total.
- The average cost per lightning-caused claim decreased 29 percent from $21,578 in 2021 to $15,280 in 2022.
Severe convective storms are among the most common, most damaging natural catastrophes in the United States. The result of warm, moist air rising from the earth, they manifest in various ways, depending on atmospheric conditions – from drenching thunderstorms with lightning, to tornadoes, hail, or destructive straight-line winds.
“Insurers are moving toward predicting and preventing losses by advocating for resilience in coordination with the real-time application of technology,” stated Sean Kevelighan, CEO, Triple-I. “Lightning Safety Awareness Week highlights the dangers lightning poses to life and property and how insurers and policyholders are reducing these risks.”
State Rankings
Florida—the state with the most thunderstorms—saw the greatest number of lightning claims in the U.S. in 2022, with 5,504. California, however, had the highest average cost per claim at $36,319, followed by Texas with $25,286.
Damage caused by lightning, such as fire, is covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. Some homeowners policies provide coverage for power surges that are the direct result of a lightning strike.
The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) notes the key to personal safety and risk mitigation is to take the necessary steps to protect property before a storm. “When it comes to protecting homes, businesses or critical facilities in communities, we know that a properly installed lighting protection system is scientifically proven to mitigate the damage from a lightning strike,” said Tim Harger, executive director, LPI.