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Patrick Ginnelly & Co. Property Claims Assessors Patrick Ginnelly & Co. Property Claims Assessors

Lightning Damage Claims

A lightning bolt over hills under a dark storm cloud
Illustrative images only.

A lightning strike can damage a roof or chimney. It can also send a power surge through your mains or phone line into your home or business. If you are looking at a lightning damage insurance claim, this page explains what it can involve.

Common causes and signs

Lightning damage happens in two main ways:

  • A direct strike on a roof, chimney, tree or outbuilding.
  • A surge of power that travels along the electrical supply, the phone line or the aerial cable.

Look out for these signs:

  • Cracked or displaced slates, chimney pots or masonry.
  • Scorch marks or a burning smell.
  • Sockets, switches or a fuse board that have failed or blackened.
  • A boiler, alarm, television, router or other appliance that stopped working at the time of the storm.
  • Lights or electrics that behave oddly after a storm.

What the claim can cover?

Depending on your policy, a lightning claim can include:

  • Repairs to the roof, chimney and other parts of the structure.
  • Repair or replacement of electrical installations and appliances.
  • Damage from a fire that starts after a strike. See fire damage claims.
  • Contents damaged by the strike or the surge.

Some policies treat a power surge differently from a direct strike. Read the wording on lightning, electrical damage and appliances. Check for any limit on the value of one item.

What to do first?

  • Make the property safe. Do not touch scorched or wet sockets and fuse boards. If you see smoke or smell burning, leave the building and call the emergency services.
  • Ask a registered electrician to check the installation before you use it again. Do not use it until the electrician has said it is safe.
  • Take photographs of the damage. Note the date and time of the storm.
  • Keep damaged appliances. Do not throw them out before your insurer has had the chance to see them.
  • Ask the electrician for a written report. Keep the receipts for any emergency work.
  • Read your policy for notice conditions. Tell your insurer as soon as you can, and within any time limit in your policy.

Where claims get difficult

Lightning claims can be hard to prove, because the cause of a failure is not always clear. Insurers may ask:

  • Whether the damage came from lightning or from wear and tear.
  • Whether an appliance failed because of a surge or because of age.
  • Which items the policy covers, and the age and value of each one.

A report from an electrician helps. Hidden damage can show up later, so keep records of any fault that follows the storm. We cannot promise the outcome of any claim.

How we help

As Loss Assessors, we act for you. We report the claim to your insurer and meet the loss adjuster at your property. We put together the detailed costs of the repairs and the replacements. We deal with your insurer until the claim is settled.

Tell us what happened. Contact us.