What Does Homeowner's Insurance Cover From Lightning Damage?

Lightning is one of the most common natural disasters that can cause damage to homes, and it’s critical to know if your homeowners insurance policy covers this type of damage.
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What is covered by homeowners insurance for lightning damage?

Generally, standard homeowners insurance policies cover damage caused by lightning strikes to the structure of your home and personal property damage inside the home (from smoke, fire, direct power surges, etc.)

What may not be covered by homeowners insurance for lightning damage?

Examples include near-miss lightning strikes, ground surges, and artificially generated current from the power grid because they don't harm your home/other structures directly.

What do you need to do if your house is struck by lightning?

- Take photographs/make notes of structural and personal property damage as quickly as possible.

- Call your insurance agent to notify him of your situation and solicit his guidance on next steps, including if you need alternate housing, pet boarding, etc. (Keep receipts for everything!).

- Presuming you need to file a claim, contact your insurance company to initiate the claims process according to your policy's instructions.

- Protect your property from further damage, if possible.

- Expect an adjuster to be assigned to your case in a timely manner to survey the damage and submit an estimate for review.

- Give the adjuster an inventory/list of items that were destroyed or need repair.
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- Document all your interactions/communications/exchanges in writing.