As odd as it may sound, you can actually take a lightning insurance coverage on your home or business. While it may not happen often, it is a possibility that lightning can strike your home and damage it and the items inside it. You need to be protected when that happens so you do not have to shoulder the entire cost of rebuilding your home or replacing the items that were damaged.
In the unfortunate event that your home is damaged by lightning and you call on your insurance company to compensate you for the damage, it may happen that your claim will be denied or be given the runaround. Your insurance company or its representatives might claim that the damage you suffered is not covered. Thus, you need to familiarize yourself with some items regarding lightning insurance claims.
Types of Lightning Damage
You may encounter any of the following types of lightning damage:
Interior Lightning Damage
While lightning will usually strike the outer part of your house, it can hit electric or other cables that can affect your belongings inside the house. Thus, lightning can damage the following:
- Television
- Computers
- Video game consoles
- Washing machines and dryers
- Electrical wiring
- Telephones
- Stereos
- Appliances like microwave ovens
Exterior Lightning Damage
Damage that may be indirectly caused by lightning may also be covered in your lightning insurance claim. For instance, lightning can cause a tree to fall on your home’s roof, windows or walls where you may sustain electrical wiring or structural damage. Lightning can also spark fires and burn your home.
Prevent Lightning Damage
In most instances, installed lightning protection systems are sufficient to allow lightning to pass without causing any damage. However, these systems do not actually prevent lightning from striking. While you may have a lightning insurance coverage for your home, it will not hurt to follow some lightning damage prevention tips listed below to minimize damage to your home:
- Lightning Protection System. Your area would most likely have its own system. However, you may want to reinforce your protection by installing your own lightning protection system at home or in your place of business. This is even more essential if you live in Texas or in other areas that are prone to lightning strikes. The lightning protection system would most likely include lightning rods and fittings that are connected to grounding equipment by heavy cables.
- Surge Arresters. You can likewise install surge arresters that are designed to prevent surges from entering your home or building that can damage your electrical wirings and appliances.
- Transient Voltage Surge Suppressors. If you have electronic equipment like computers at home that store valuable information and data and you do not want them to be damaged, you can install a transient voltage surge suppressor that is designed to limit the voltage going through your equipment.
If you feel that your insurance company is acting fraudulently in claiming that your damage is not covered by your lightning insurance policy, you should speak with an experienced insurance claims attorney who can negotiate on your behalf.
