More than twenty million lighting strikes happen each year throughout the U.S., and each has sufficient energy to make sand become glass. They hit homes, factories, utility systems, trees and occasionally people, costing billions in property damage.
Understanding Lighting Damage
Most insurance claims involving lighting consist of three types of damage, which are electrical, indirect effects and fire:
- Electrical: Appliances such as computers, phones and electronics do not respond well to lightning, and may be permanently damaged by it. This is because the power surges can send strong electric currents through them which destroy their circuit boards. However, this might not happen immediately, as it could take weeks for the electronics to fail and their warranties might be voided as a consequence.
- Indirect Effects: Lighting bolts can cause serious problems even in cases where it doesn’t make physical contact with your property. For instance, it might strike a nearby tree, which causes its limbs to fall onto the roof or windows. Or it might strike an electrical fence, and the current will destroy it along with livestock while disrupting wireless communications and business operations.
- Fire: If a lightning bolt comes into physical contact with a flammable substance, there is a good chance you’ll have a fire on your hands. And although commercialized fire insurance might cover an inferno which is caused by lighting, coverage for the smoke damage which is sustained by flooring and walls is a different matter entirely, not to mention the water damage which will come from firefighters trying to put out the flames.
How Our Lightning Claims Adjusters Can Help
Some businesses and properties have a greater susceptibility to sustaining lightning damage than others. For instance, taller structures are more likely to get hit, along with older structures and businesses that depend heavily on electronics which are interconnected.
This is why it is so important to read your insurance policy carefully to know exactly what will be covered. For instance, some policies contain clauses which will deny payment in the event of concurrent causation and deductions involving property depreciation, which may leave you in a position where you’re forced to pay out large sums of money during the time when you need capital the most. Our adjusters are experts in reading and interpreting policies and will help you get the best settlement possible.
Why Choose Stone Claims Group, Inc. for Lightning Damage Claims?
Did you know that you can boost the protection of the policy you have by selecting specific options? For instance, many insurers won’t cover electrical surge damage that transpired off premises. Despite this, interruption insurance for utilities can cover these types of losses, particularly when used with data loss coverage.
Unfair delays, underpayments and denials are some of the common techniques insurance companies use to get out of paying you what is owed. They take advantage of those that don’t know how to fight back, but by working with Stone Claims Group, you will.
To find out more, reach out to one of our professional adjusters by contacting us or calling us at 1-800-892-1116 today.