State Farm - Top 5 States of 2021 - Lightning Claims

Last year, State Farm paid $107M to nearly 9,000 customers repair or rebuild their homes following damages from lightning strikes.

Although lightning is an amazing act of nature, it can cause damage far beyond a storm you watch through your windows. Take for instance, lightning can strike up to 15 miles away from a developed storm. That’s why the adage “When thunder roars, go indoors” makes so much sense and why we get so nervous when that one family member (we all have one) rushes outside when they hear thunder.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, ground surges account for 50% of lightning-related claims. This means that if lightning strikes near a home, it can cause a spike in electricity and short out its electrical systems. Think the cost to replace shorted out electronics won’t hit your pocketbook too hard? Considering that in 2021, the average cost of a lightning claim from State Farm was $12,000, you may think again.

“Look at everything in your home that is plugged into a wall. Now, take into account how much it would cost to replace even half of those items,” said Gina Wilken, State Farm Public Affairs Specialist. “Preparation is key for any kind of weather, and lightning is no exception.”

To prepare your home for lightning:

• Consider investing in lightning protection system and surge protectors
• Consider only a UL-listed surge protection device
• Talk with a trusted manufacturer to get the right system for your needs

Reference Standards for Lightning Protection and Surge Protective Devices (SPD) : NFPA780, NFPA 70, UL96A, UL1449, UL497A, UL497B, UL497E

Selecting the appropriate SPD

Surge Protective Devices (SPDs) shall be UL1449 Type 4CA or better including Type 1, Type 2, Type 1CA and Type 2CA.
Per ANSI C136.2-2017, it should be tested to the appropriate exposure level based on the application or installed location.

The UL1449 Type 4CA Surge Protective Devices (SPD) have undergone more stringent safety testing than UL1449 Type 5 Components including the critical abnormal overvoltage - limited current testing.

Recommended Surge Protectors for
LED Lightning Protection Systems (LPS)

120/240Vac

Recommended Surge Protectors for 120/240Vac Lighting Protection Systems (LPS)

Exposure Level	Equipment	System	Surge Protector Model#	Link
Extreme	Main Panel	120/240Vac	MDS750E-120T
Extreme	Lighting Control Panel	120Vac Power Input	DS73US-120T/G
	Power Supply	120Vac Power Input	DS72US-120S/G
		24Vdc Power Output	DS220S-24DC
	Controller	Ethernet Cat 6A	MJ8-C6A
		POE Camera	MJ8-POE-A
		4-20Ma	DLA-24D3
		Wireless	P8AX09-6G-N/FF
Extreme	Light Pole Hand Hole	120-240Vac Power Input	MLPXUVG-277S
Extreme	Luminaire	120-277Vac Power Input	MLPXUVG-277S

References