ADJUSTER'S GUIDE TO LIGHTNING CLAIMS

After a thunderstorm, if a policyholder’s electrically powered items fail, they may suspect that lightning damage is the cause of loss. However, direct lightning is rarely the cause of property loss, and a few other perils may be the true source of the damage. Explore this interactive guide to learn about different types of lightning and what a Lightning Verification Report can tell you about what happened at a loss location during a storm.

HOW CAN LIGHTNING IMPACT CLAIMS?

Why do lightning claims matter?

Electronics claims with lightning as the reported cause of loss are among the most common. However, direct lightning is one of the perils least likely to impact electronic equipment.

Hover over the boxes to learn key lightning statistics from StrikeCheck.

When do most lightning strikes occur?

Lightning can occur at any time during the year, but it’s most prominent during these three months.

Hover over the calendars for the answer.

What property does lightning frequently affect?

WASHERS, DRYERS,
& DISHWASHERS

LANDSCAPE
LIGHTING

CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS

KITCHEN
APPLIANCES

WATER
HEATERS

POOL
EQUIPMENT

SECURITY AND
SURVEILLANCE

HOME THEATER
EQUIPMENT

ELECTRICAL
EQUIPMENT

Types of Lightning Flashes

Hover over each type of lightning to see how it behaves.

Intracloud

This most common type of lightning happens inside the cloud, jumping between different charge regions without discharging outside of the cloud.

Cloud-to-Air

This type of lightning occurs when the air around a positively charged cloud top reaches out to the negatively charged air around it.

Cloud-to-Cloud

Lightning goes from one cloud to another to help balance the electrical charges between the two clouds.

Cloud-to-Ground

In the least common type of lightning, an electrical discharge in the atmosphere involves one or more electrically charged regions where at least one discharge channel (stroke) reaches the ground.

Definitions

Here are some key words in the vocabulary of electrical storms.

Hover over the boxes to reveal their definitions.

Lightning

An electrostatic discharge formed by a charge imbalance

Lightning Stroke

An individual current impulse in a completed ground flash

Coulomb

The standard unit of electric charge in the International System of Units

Ampere

Generally measured in kA, the intensity of a lightning strike at its strongest – a typical lightning flash is about 30,000 amps (30 kA), compared to a typical household current of 15 amps

Absolute Peak Current

The amount of electric charge in motion per unit of time, also known as electric current.

1 ampere is the current in which 1 coulomb of charge travels across a given point in 1 second.

1 Kiloamp equals 1,000 amperes

How to Read StrikeCheck’s Lightning Flash Map

StrikeCheck delivers Lightning Verification Reports that show where all lightning flashes occur within a certain timeframe and loss location.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHTNING REPORTS

Time

Gain insight into a 7-day period.

Distance

Learn about lightning flashes within 0.5-, 1-, 3-, and 5-mile radiuses of the loss location.

Intensity

See positively and negatively charged lightning flashes ranging from 4-126 kiloamps (kA) within each radius circle.

Hover over each lightning flash shown in the map to find out how intense it was.

What’s the Difference Between Negative and Positive Lightning?

Negative lightning occurs when negative charges at the base of the storm cloud travel toward the ground in a “stepped leader” and the positive charges in taller ground objects travel toward the negative charge in a “streamer.” When these channels connect, there is an electrical transfer. Negative lightning usually has two or more discharges, or strokes.

Positive lightning, which typically only has one stroke, originates in the more positive upper portion of the thunderstorm. In this case, the stepped leaders are positively charged, and the streamers are negatively charged when they collide. This leads to a net transfer of positive charge from cloud to ground. While positive lightning occurs less than 5% of the time, it is more dangerous than negative lightning because its electric fields are stronger, its flash duration is longer, and the peak charge is up to 10 times greater than negative cloud-to-ground strikes.

Learn More From NWS

Frequency of Lightning Flashes by Distance to Property

Hover over the graphic to find out how often lightning flashes struck the ground within a 5-mile radius of loss locations, according to StrikeCheck’s Lightning Verification Report results.

How Can Adjusters Accurately Resolve Lightning Claims?

Direct lightning strike to electrically powered equipment is rare, and many claims originally reported as lightning losses may have been caused by high voltage surge or wear and tear. Furthermore, some claimed equipment may be non-damaged. StrikeCheck’s Lightning Verification Reports and onsite assessments can confirm or exclude lightning as a cause of loss for weather-related claims, including fires that occurred at the same time as a thunderstorm.

StrikeCheck's expert property evaluations can help adjusters quickly and accurately determine cause of loss and scope of damage.

Submit an assignment to StrikeCheck.

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Electronics are susceptible to damages from lightning and surges and are often included in property claims. Be able to better differentiate between the two perils with StrikeCheck’s eBook, “An Evaluation of Surge and Lightning Damage to Electronics and Specialty Claims.”

Get Your Copy

Lightning and high voltage surge can impact a variety of items – though it may not be noticed right away. This can result in policyholders needing to add more property to a claim after it’s already been filed. The adjuster had already sought StrikeCheck’s assistance to examine the electronics included in the claim. Luckily, the team was equipped to take on any changes in scope requested by the carrier.

Read the Case Study