Lightning Can Be a Serious Danger to Homes

6/23/2010

Homeowners who are serious about holding down their insurance costs and protecting themselves from potentially dangerous situations would do well to remember that lightning causes millions of dollars in property damage each year.

The Insurance Information Institute is one of several organizations highlighting Lightning Safety Awareness Week between June 20 and 26.

According to the III, there were more than 185,000 homeowner insurance claims filed in 2009 involving lightning damage, representing a total cost of $798 million. The group added that the average cost per claim was up 39 percent over the past five years, even in light of a 2009 that saw fewer storms than usual.

A separate announcement from the Lightning Protection Institute quoted Donna Franklin of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as saying that lightning accounts for about 58 deaths each year in the United States, as well as hundreds of injuries.

According to the National Lightning Safety Institute, it can be wise to unplug electronic devices and appliances during lightning storms because it can strike exterior power lines and induce shocks to equipment inside the house.

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