A lightning strike can affect much more than the place where it makes contact.
Electrical energy can travel through wiring and connected systems, affecting HVAC equipment, appliances, electronics, electrical panels, pool equipment, well pumps, security systems, and other components throughout the property.
Some equipment may stop working immediately. Other problems may not become apparent until later.
That can create a dispute with the insurance company over whether the storm caused the failure or whether the equipment stopped working because of age, wear, or an unrelated electrical problem.
We review the timing of the loss, storm information, inspection findings, equipment evaluations, photographs, and the policy to determine whether the insurance company properly evaluated the full extent of the lightning or surge damage.
Common Issues in Lightning Damage Claims
Direct strike versus electrical surge. A property does not necessarily need to show an obvious burn or impact point for electrical equipment to be affected. The insurance company may dispute whether a surge was related to lightning or came from another electrical source, making evidence about the storm and the equipment failure important.
Damage discovered after the storm. Not every electrical problem is identified immediately. When equipment fails days or weeks later, the insurance company may question whether the loss is connected to the lightning event.
Multiple systems affected. A lightning or surge event may involve more than one appliance or piece of equipment. Looking at each failure separately can miss a larger pattern involving several connected systems.
Age and wear. The insurance company may attribute a failed compressor, appliance, pump, control board, or other component to age or ordinary wear rather than the storm. Technical findings about how the equipment failed can become important.
Repair versus replacement. Even when lightning damage is accepted, there may be disagreements over whether damaged equipment can be repaired, whether individual components should be replaced, or whether replacement of the entire system is necessary.
How We Review a Lightning Damage Claim
We begin by identifying what changed at the property during and after the storm.
That may include reviewing electrician reports, HVAC findings, equipment diagnostics, repair estimates, photographs, storm information, invoices, and the insurance company’s inspection documents.
When causation is disputed, we look closely at the explanation for how the equipment failed. A technician’s findings about damaged electrical components, control boards, motors, compressors, wiring, or other systems may help determine whether the failure is consistent with an electrical event.
We also look at the claim as a whole. If several systems or devices failed at or around the same time, that pattern may be relevant when evaluating the insurance company’s conclusion.
The goal is to determine which damage can reasonably be connected to the reported event and whether the insurance company accounted for the full scope of the loss.