Striking Statistics about Lightning Claims

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightning is the second leading cause of storm-related deaths in the U.S., exceeded only by floods. In 2013, State Farm paid $137 million in claims as a result of damage from lightning strikes.

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Top Ten States for Number of Lightning Claims in 2013 (State Farm claims)

Spring and summer are the times of year when lightning is most frequent. In 2013 alone, insurance companies paid more than $673.5 million in insured losses, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). Even though lightning is weather-related and not a preventable event, there are ways to reduce your chance of damage from a power surge or fire. In recognition of Lightning Safety Awareness Week, June 22-28, consider the following tips to protect yourself home or business:

Protect yourself

Last year 23 people were killed by lightning according to the National Weather Service. In fact, 85% of lightning victims are children and young men ages 10-35 engaged in recreation or work. To prevent death or injury, the Lightning Protection Institute advises the following:

• Treat lightning with proper caution. If you are outside and a thunderstorm approaches, immediately seek shelter inside a fully enclosed building.
• If a building is not available, take shelter in a car with a metal top and keep doors and windows closed.
• Certain locations are extremely hazardous during thunderstorms. Avoid lakes, beaches or open water; fishing from a boat or dock; and riding on golf carts, farm equipment, motorcycles or bicycles. Never seek shelter under a tree!
• If caught outdoors, try to minimize your risk by going to a place of lower elevation.
• Stay off the telephone. In your home, do not stand near open windows, doorways or metal piping. Stay away from the TV, plumbing, sinks, tubs, radiators and stoves. Avoid contact with small electric appliances such as radios, toasters and hairdryers.

Protect Your Home or Business

• For protection from lightning strikes in the general area of your home or an externally produced surge, a whole-house surge protector is the best starting point for reducing the risk of damage or a fire.
• Install additional protection for important or expensive electronic equipment. This should include localized surge protection for power cords to the electronic equipment and any telephone and cable/satellite TV lines connecting to the equipment.
• Make sure all equipment is UL-listed and properly labeled.
• Lightning protection systems are designed to protect a structure and provide a specified path to harness and safely ground the super-charged current of the lightning bolt. The system neither attracts nor repels a strike, but receives the stroke and routes it harmlessly into the earth, thus discharging the dangerous electrical event. Be sure the lightning protection system is designed and installed in accordance with accepted industry standards.

About State Farm
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 18,000 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 41 on the 2014 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.

To view multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/65822-state-farm-severe-weather-disaster-preparedness/

SOURCE State Farm