Lightning & Power Surge Insurance Claims
A single strike can split a tree, ignite a roof, and send a spike of electricity through every wire in your home or business. Even when there’s no visible fire, lightning and power surges quietly ruin HVAC systems, appliances, smart-home gear, computers, point-of-sale terminals, and building wiring. Payne Law helps homeowners, HOAs, and businesses across Florida, Georgia, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas document surge-related damage, satisfy policy requirements, and challenge denied, delayed, or underpaid claims—so you recover what the policy promises.
Why Lightning & Surge Claims Get Denied
Insurers often argue there’s “no direct physical loss,” call the failure wear and tear or mechanical breakdown, or blame the utility. Some policies also include confusing exclusions for “artificially generated electrical current” while separately covering lightning. The result: claims that hinge on proof of the cause and the extent of damage, not just the fact that a device stopped working. Our job is to connect the dots—storm timing, utility records, weather data, diagnostics, and itemized losses—so the carrier must engage on the facts.
What Lightning And Surges Actually Damage
Lightning can strike the structure or a nearby object and induce a surge through power, data, or antenna lines. Spikes travel along the path of least resistance and typically take out HVAC control boards and compressors, refrigerators and ranges, garage door openers, routers and modems, TVs and set-top boxes, computers and servers, security panels and cameras, irrigation timers, pool equipment, and EV chargers. We also see arcing inside outlets, tripped or damaged breakers, burned GFCI/AFCI devices, and compromised low-voltage wiring that may not fail until days or weeks later. Commercial properties face the same issues at scale—plus network switches, audio-visual gear, walk-in coolers, production equipment, and the downstream cost of business interruption.
Coverage Essentials You Should Know
Most homeowners and commercial property policies cover lightning as a named peril and provide coverage for power surges caused by lightning. The debate is usually not whether lightning exists, but whether your damaged equipment suffered direct physical loss from that event. Key issues:
- Causation: We tie your loss to a lightning or grid event with storm reports, utility outage/surge data, and licensed electrician or technician diagnostics that show failed boards, scorched components, or surge pathways.
- Electronics & RCV vs. ACV: Personal property is sometimes paid at actual cash value unless you have replacement cost coverage for contents. We protect your right to the holdback once you replace items and submit receipts.
- Building Systems: When surge damages wiring or panels, repairs can require code upgrades (e.g., AFCI/GFCI devices, whole-house surge protection), which may trigger Ordinance or Law coverage where available.
- Third-Party Fault: Even if a utility spike contributed, your first route is usually your own policy. We can help your carrier pursue subrogation later; that shouldn’t delay your payout.
- Data & Software: Some policies limit or exclude data recovery. Where coverage exists (or where equipment replacement includes software), we document the costs.
How To Prove A Lightning Or Surge Loss
Surge claims live or die on documentation. Replace guesswork with objective proof. We gather:
- Time-stamped weather data showing lightning strikes and storm intensity near your property.
- Utility and smart-meter records noting outages, brownouts, re-energizing events, or voltage anomalies.
- Diagnostics from licensed electricians or factory-authorized techs identifying surge-damaged boards, windings, and components (with model/serial numbers).
- Photos of failed parts—char, blown capacitors, melted traces—plus panel/breaker conditions and tripped devices.
- Purchase info (invoices, screenshots, bank statements) to price replacement.
- Contents inventory for electronics, including age, model, and typical replacement source/price.
- Business documentation if operations were disrupted: sales history, downtime periods, mitigation steps, and extra expenses.
- Deep experience with Lightning & Power Surge disputes
- Clear updates and a straightforward game plan
- We negotiate hard; then litigate when needed
- Serving homeowners, businesses, and HOAs across Florida
These testimonials and case results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Every case is unique and depends on the specific facts and circumstances involved.
What To Do Right After A Suspected Surge
Stay safe and avoid energized equipment that smells burnt or shows visible damage. Photograph the area before anything is unplugged or moved. If refrigeration or medical equipment is involved, record temperatures and steps taken to protect contents. Call a licensed electrician to evaluate panels and wiring; keep all failed parts for inspection. Notify your insurer promptly, start a simple claim log (dates, who said what), and save all diagnostic and replacement receipts. Then send us your policy and photos; we’ll map the evidence to your coverages and deadlines.
Homeowners, HOAs, And Businesses
Homeowners need help distinguishing appliance failure from surge damage and getting paid replacement cost where endorsements allow. HOAs and condo associations must coordinate between the master policy (building systems, common elements) and unit owners’ HO-6 policies for interior electronics and fixtures. Businesses face the added layers of POS/network failures, walk-in cooler/freezer losses, and Business Interruption (BI). We assemble a clear timeline—what failed, when operations stopped, how emergency workarounds were handled—and present a claim that accounts for equipment, contents, labor, and lost revenue.
When The Insurer Calls It Wear And Tear
“Old compressor,” “pre-existing board failure,” “mechanical breakdown”—we hear these daily. The fix is evidence. We compare pre-loss performance, storm timing, and technical diagnostics to show how a high-energy transient damaged components. Where the carrier labels damage as cosmetic or “no physical loss,” we emphasize char, arc marks, and test results, or we obtain a forensic report. If payment stalls, we push reinspection and supplements; where policies permit, we demand appraisal or mediation and file suit when necessary, including bad-faith claims for unreasonable delay or lowball tactics.
Multi-State Experience, One Strategy
Across your footprint, lightning frequency and grid behavior differ: Florida and the Southeast experience some of the nation’s highest strike densities and summer storm surges; Colorado’s elevation, dry air, and fast-moving cells produce intense lightning and re-energizing spikes; Texas and the Carolinas combine severe convection with hurricane-related outages. Regardless of zip code, we use the same playbook: verify the event, document the failure, price the full scope (equipment, wiring, code upgrades, contents, BI), and escalate until the claim is paid correctly.
Before You Sign or Settle, Talk to Payne Law
Insurers and opposing parties move fast after a loss or injury; your best leverage is getting a lawyer involved early. Payne Law builds strong, evidence-driven files, protects critical deadlines, and negotiates from a position of proof, not pressure. A quick consult can uncover coverage you didn’t know you had, fix scope or valuation issues, and help you avoid low offers.
- Local-focused strategy across insurance and injury claims, local carriers, courts, and building/code requirements.
- Evidence-first case building (experts, reports, photos, records) to connect damages to covered events or liability.
- Relentless negotiation & escalation (supplements, appraisal/mediation, litigation when needed).
- Maximized recovery modeling for all categories of loss (property, ALE/LOU, medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering).
- Responsive communication for fast intake, text/email updates.
Start your free case review today. Tell us what happened, upload a few photos or documents, and a Payne Law attorney will follow up promptly.
Lightning & Power Surge Insurance Claim Frequently Asked Questions
Every case is different; the best answers come from looking at your facts, documents, and deadlines. Contact Payne Law for a free, no-obligation review and clear next steps.
How Do I Prove Lightning Or A Surge Caused The Damage?
Pair timing with diagnostics. We align strike maps and utility logs to your reported time of loss and add licensed technician reports showing surge-damaged boards, windings, or arc marks. Photos of tripped breakers, scorched components, and failed surge protectors reinforce causation. Keep all failed parts for the adjuster’s inspection.
Is A Power Surge From The Utility Covered, Or Only A Direct Lightning Strike?
Policies vary, but many cover lightning-caused surges and some cover sudden power surges generally. Exclusions for “artificially generated electrical current” are often limited by exceptions that restore coverage when lightning is involved. We read your endorsements, compare them to the facts, and, if needed, pursue your carrier first while they subrogate against the utility later.
Will Insurance Pay Replacement Cost For Electronics And Appliances?
Only if your policy includes replacement cost (RCV) for contents. Otherwise, personal property may be paid at ACV minus depreciation. Even on RCV policies, insurers often hold back part of the payment until you replace items and submit receipts. We protect your right to the holdback and help you document pricing from common retailers and vendors.
The Adjuster Says There’s “No Physical Damage.” What Now?
Surge damage can be invisible from the outside, but burned traces, blown capacitors, and failed control boards are physical. We obtain diagnostic reports and photos from qualified technicians and electricians and supplement the claim with manufacturer guidance. If the carrier won’t engage, we invoke reinspection, then appraisal or mediation, and litigate when necessary.
Does A Surge Mean I Have To Upgrade My Electrical System To Code?
If the panel, branch circuits, or protective devices are damaged, the repair may require code-compliant replacements (e.g., GFCI/AFCI devices, whole-home surge protection). When your policy includes Ordinance or Law coverage, the incremental cost of those upgrades can be covered. We build that into your estimate so you’re not left paying for required work.
Can I Claim Business Interruption For Surge-Related Downtime?
Yes, if your commercial policy includes Business Interruption (BI) or Extra Expense. We prove downtime with sales records, staffing logs, vendor invoices, and tech diagnostics showing when equipment failed and when it returned to service. We also document temporary workarounds (rentals, data recovery, expedited shipping) so those costs are reimbursed.
