Lightning Claims Hit $1.65B in 2025 as Average Payout Jumps 43%

Triple-I released the data during National Lightning Safety Awareness Week, June 21-27. Since 2017, the average lightning claim has climbed 146.9%, from $10,781 to $26,616. Total losses hit their highest level since 2020. More than half of all claims came from the ten most-affected states.

State Farm, the largest U.S. homeowners insurer with more than $39 billion in direct written premiums last year, also weighed in. "Lightning can cause extensive damage beyond a direct strike," said Dave Phillips of State Farm. "Power surges generated by lightning can damage electrical systems, appliances, computers and smart-home technologies."

Standard homeowners, renters, condo and commercial policies typically cover lightning damage, including fire-related losses. Some policies also cover power surge damage if it can be tied directly to a strike. Claims can include rebuilding, temporary housing, debris removal and replacement of damaged property.

Triple-I cautioned that the economic toll may be understated. When a lightning strike starts a fire, the claim is often recorded as a fire loss, not a lightning loss. The organization also noted lightning as a known cause of wildfire ignition in the western U.S., citing California's 2020 lightning event that sparked hundreds of fires and destroyed thousands of buildings.

The Lightning Protection Institute, which promotes lightning safety standards, said strikes occur at an estimated rate of up to 100 times every second worldwide. "The sharp rise in lightning-related losses serves as a reminder that lightning protection is an investment in resilience," said LPI Executive Director Tim Harger. "Properly installed lightning protection and surge protection systems can significantly reduce risk."