Public Adjusting Firm Discusses Winter Lightning Damage and Thundersnow

Did you know that most people associate lightning damage with warm weather? What they fail to realize is that such activity is not restricted to certain times of the year. Just ask the independent insurance claims adjusters that work at our public adjusting firm. They all know that thunder and lightning storms can, and do, occur in the winter months. The scientific community even has a name for such weather occurrences. They refer to them as thundersnow events.

Thundersnow events have a history of taking place in various states, including New York. When they do take place, the lightning bolts’ ampage levels are said to be significantly higher than those that occur during warm weather events. Depending on the situation, the currents generated from a single bolt may range from 2,000 amps to 200 million volts.

For those property owners whose assets are hit with wintry bolts from the blue, extensive damage is the likely result. As an example of how much damage may result, take a look at the Insurance Information Institute’s latest lightning claims report. It indicated that close to $1 billion dollars in lightning damage was reported in 2012. However, the report did not divide the $1 billion dollars in damages up into seasons. Therefore, there is no definitive way of knowing just how much of it was caused by winter lightning events.

As a public adjusting firm, what we do know is that regardless of the season, it pays to be mindful of lightning’s damage potential. With that said, we’d like to encourage property owners to review their insurance policies now. That way, they’ll know if they have winter lightning related coverage. We’d also like to remind everyone that we can assist residents in NY and FL with filing lightning damage claims year round. To learn more about the claims’ filing process in those areas, please contact us. Our public adjusting firm’s phone number is (877) 869-8989.

Public Adjusting Firm Discusses Winter Lightning Damage and Thundersnow

Florida Insurance Adjusters Talk about Lightning Damage Claims

Did you know that according to NOAA’s latest figures, 468 people have been killed in lightning strikes that have occurred throughout the State of Florida since 1959? That’s the most of any U.S. state. Nationwide, the average number of annual fatalities is said to be 100. It’s also interesting to note that collectively, the entire nation’s lightning strikes result in approximately $5 billion dollars in damage each year. Here’s a closer look:

Because of its inherent nature, lightning damage is said to be caused by several things. The estimated 25,000 to 45,000 amps of electrical current and 50,000 degree Fahrenheit heat generated by each strike are two of them. Together, they can literally destroy a structure and its contents in no time at all. The good news is that Floridians can take steps to protect their homes from lightning damage.

One of them is to secure a homeowner’s policy that includes adequate lightning coverage. Based on historical data, we’d suggest looking for policies that offer at least $6,000 in coverage. That’s because according to the Insurance Information Institute’s latest figures, the average lightning related insurance claim tends to fall in the $5,000 to $7,000 range.

We should also mention that some insurance companies offer modest to substantial discounts to those that adopt certain security measures. Those measures include, but are not restricted to installing lightning protection systems and using surge protectors. Understandably, the discount’s availability and cost savings will vary based on a person’s unique circumstances.

For those Floridians whose properties sustain lightning damage anyway, there is another action that they should take. That action is contacting us. Our Florida insurance adjusters are experienced in handling lightning damage claims. Therefore, we can assist Floridians in every step of the recovery process. For more information on what our independent insurance adjusters can do, call (877) 869-8989.

Florida Insurance Adjusters Talk about Lightning Damage Claims