The risk of a lightning strike to property is not at the top of the list when we discuss the protection of a policyholder’s home and valuables. But it’s an area which can be dangerous to overlook. 

The relaxed approach to the risk of lightning strikes comes from the commonly held view that being struck by lightning is about as likely as the chances of winning the lottery.  As often seems to be the case with insurance claims, everything is unlikely to happen…and then it does!

With about 280 million lightning strikes around the world each year—about nine every second—homeowners really should consider taking steps to mitigate the risk.  

Those who’ve already been struck by lightning in the past, tend to rely on the old wives' tale that "lightning never strikes twice". In fact, the opposite may well be true, because if your home has been struck previously then this may well be an indicator that there is something in its structure or, more likely, its location that makes it more likely to be struck again. 

If your home is struck by lightning there are a number of potential risks (in addition to the risk of personal injury): 

• A lightning strike can raise the immediate surrounding air temperature to around 20,000 °C, so fire is a real threat.  For obvious reasons, those with a thatched roof or a timber frame home should be especially proactive in dealing with such risks.
• Power surges following a lightning strike can also result in loss, with electrical equipment (especially that connected to a phone line or similar external source) vulnerable to being damaged.  Given the proliferation of expensive electronic devices we see in many of our clients’ homes, such losses could be considerable.
• Trees growing close to a house need to be considered as a potential risk should they fall after being struck by lightning. And of course there are the general risks (from root damage etc) of damage that are inherent in having trees close to a property. 

What can you do to minimise these threats?

Most obviously, homeowners can fit a lightning protection system to their property. There are a number of specialist firms that offer such a service.  Loss control equipment can include the installation of:

• lightning conductors (or "lightning rods") not only to the home but also to any large trees around the home with a view to controlling and redirecting the lightning strike safely;
• surge arresters to help divert power surges along utility lines away from source equipment; and
• voltage surge suppressers to limit the exposure of electronic equipment to excessive fluctuations in power.

For more advice

If you would like more information regarding protection against lightning strikes or the contact details for specialist firms in your area, then please contact our Private Client Manager – Richard McLeod This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 020 7330 8725