Does Insurance Cover Damage From Lightning Strikes?

Lightning is often unexpected and can even strike your home. In 2023 alone, more than 70,000 homeowners in the U.S. filed homeowners insurance claims for lightning damage. When lightning strikes, the damage can be both devastating and expensive. Fortunately, your home insurance can cover reimbursement for lightning-related property losses.

An independent insurance agent near you can help you get set up with all the home insurance protection you need against lightning strikes. They'll help ensure your home is covered against lightning strikes and any resulting fire damage. But first, here's a closer look at how and when home insurance can cover damage caused by lightning strikes.

How You're Covered by Homeowners Insurance

A standard homeowners insurance policy covers lightning damage. It also covers damage from falling trees, fire, power surges, and damage to your home, garage, shed, pool cage, and even your trees and shrubs. Your personal property is covered, too, such as furnishings, appliances, and electronics. If your home has to be rebuilt, your policy will cover some or all of your additional living expenses while you have to stay elsewhere.

What’s not covered by home insurance?

A standard homeowners policy will only cover the cash value of your belongings. It may not be enough to replace all of your furnishings or appliances. Extra coverage may be available for the replacement value of your personal property. And remember, you’re still responsible for paying the deductible yourself.

Why Lightning Causes So Much Damage

Because lightning strikes at such an extreme temperature, it instantly turns moisture into steam. Sap in a tree struck by lightning will heat and expand, blowing the tree apart. Moisture in concrete will expand, damaging the structure. Flammable materials will ignite, causing a fire.

Each lightning bolt can contain up to a mind-bending 100 million volts of electricity or more. To put that into perspective, a household outlet carries 110 volts. Lightning currents can travel through wiring and pipes, potentially burning them. Lightning traveling through wiring can damage appliances and start fires.

Statistics show that lightning hits the earth about 40 million times each year. However, there's less than a one in one million chance of getting struck by lightning each year for every individual. Also, about 90% of lightning strike victims survive.

Can You Be Hit by Lightning in Your House?

While generally speaking, you cannot be hit by lightning inside your house, if the lightning strikes a telephone pole outside your home, it can travel through the wires. If you happen to be talking on the phone during a lightning storm, and lightning strikes the phone pole, you can receive a large shock from the electricity traveling through the phone line. If windows or doors are open, lightning can travel into your home but will hit something metal before it strikes you.

Can You Be Struck by Lightning in a Car?

While you cannot directly be struck by lightning in a car, your vehicle may be struck. Fortunately, vehicles are large metal frames, which will absorb most of the lightning’s electricity. Anecdotal evidence shows that a vehicle can absorb a direct lightning hit quite well.

The main effect of a vehicle lightning strike is a burned mark on the vehicle. There have been more severe damages reported, however, including tires blowing out. Lightning can travel through metal, so it’s important to stay away from metal objects like steering wheels or radios during a lightning storm.

Can You Be Hit by Lightning in the Shower?

Lightning can travel through metal water pipes and metal water pipe fittings. While the lightning itself can't hit you, the electrical force can. When you're in the shower, your body is much more susceptible to electrical shock. Another factor is that tap water contains impurities that can help carry the electrical current.

Can You Be Struck by Lightning through a Window?

It's nearly impossible to be struck by lightning through a closed window. Since glass cannot conduct electricity, it would take two lightning strikes to make it into the home: one to smash the glass in the window and the other to get into the home.

Can You Be Struck by Lightning through a Cell Phone?

Simply having a cell phone does not increase the chance of being hit by lightning. Electricity always follows the path of least resistance and will strike the closest object. If you're on top of a treeless mountain with a cell phone to your ear, you may be struck by lightning, but having a cell phone is not a determining factor. Many myths have warned people to avoid metal jewelry, cell phones, and belt buckles during a lightning storm, but thankfully, these are only myths.

Three Ways to Protect Your Home from Lightning Strikes

Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to protect your home immensely from potential lightning and related fire damage. Take these safety precautions before a storm warning ever gets issued.

Install surge protectors: Surge protectors can help protect sensitive electronics like computers, televisions, cable boxes, etc. when lightning strikes your home or travels through your electrical system.
Install a lightning protection system: The purpose of these systems is to protect against fire and structural damage. They guide lightning into the ground in the event of a direct strike, but they don't attract lightning and won't provide surge protection.
Take a detailed inventory of your personal property: Take pictures and include whatever documentation you have. Keep the inventory in your safe deposit box.

Following these easy precautions against lightning damage to your home can help you save both time and money in the future.

Practice Lightning Safety to Protect Your Family and Property

The first rule is to take lightning seriously. It’s true that getting struck by lightning is rare, but when it happens, it can result in severe injury or death. And yes, lightning can and often does strike twice in the same place.

Lightning Safety Practice Tips

Outdoors
If you hear thunder, go indoors or find the nearest shelter. If your car is nearby, get in your car and wait out the storm.
If no shelter is available, crouch low with as little of your body touching the ground as possible.
Avoid open areas.
Stay away from isolated tall trees or utility poles.
If you are with a group of people, spread out.
Stay away from concrete floors or walls. Lightning can travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.

In a vehicle
Pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and shut off the engine.
Sit with your hands in your lap until the storm passes.
Never use a CB radio or other radio during a lightning storm, or handle metal components of a vehicle (e.g., the gear shifter, steering wheel, or keys in the ignition) during a thunderstorm.

Indoors
Avoid water during a thunderstorm. Don't take a shower or wash your hands.
Avoid electronic equipment of all types as well as wiring, metal objects, and appliances like washers and dryers.
Avoid corded phones. Cordless or cellular phones are safe to use during a storm.
Always close every window in the home at the first hint of a thunderstorm.

If someone is hit by lightning, they will not carry an electrical current. They are safe to touch and need medical attention as soon as possible.

Keep these tips handy in case a storm happens in your area. But also be familiar with how to respond to local lightning warnings ahead of time.

Lightning storms are dangerous, but there are ways to keep you and your loved ones safe. The newest lightning safety saying that most authorities are adopting is, “When thunder roars, go indoors.”

Preparation is the precursor to safety. Create a lightning safety plan for you and your family, which includes an easy-to-read list of reminders on what to do and what not to do during a lightning storm.

Lightning Happens

Lightning strikes approximately one in every 200 homes. While the chances of getting hit by lightning are small, consider this:

In 2023, lightning damage amounted to more than $1.2 billion in home insurance claims
The average cost per lightning claim in 2023 was $17,513
In 2023, there were 70,787 lightning claims filed through home insurance in the U.S.
In 2023, there were 14 total lightning-related fatalities in the U.S.
In 2023, over 242 million lightning strikes hit the U.S.

Average Homeowners Losses, 2017-2021

(Weighted average, 2017-2021)

Cause of loss	Claim frequency	Claim severity
Property damage	5.69	$15,570
Fire and lightning	0.24	83,991
Water damage and freezing	1.61	13,954
Wind and hail	2.82	13,511
Theft	0.14	5,024
All other	0.89	7,798
Liability	0.09	26,175
Bodily injury and property damage	0.07	31,690
Medical payments and other	0.03	13,081
Credit card and other	Less than 0.01	$34,183
Average (property damage and liability), 2017-2021	5.79	$15,747

While fire and lightning damage were not the most commonly filed property damage claims under home insurance between 2017 and 2021, these disasters did result in some of the costliest claims.

If Your Home Gets Struck By Lightning

First, call the fire department, tell them your house was struck by lightning, and ask them to check for hot spots. If you see fire or smell smoke, evacuate your house immediately and call 911. Your safety and your family's safety are the top priority.

Review Your Coverage with an Independent Insurance Agent

Your homeowners insurance protects you against lightning strikes in many ways. Review your homeowners insurance with a local independent insurance agent. They have the experience and expertise to help you make smart choices.

And remember, they’ll be there to help you when claim time comes. They'll help you get the most out of your homeowners insurance.

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