TRIPLE-I: LIGHTNING CAUSED $1.65 BILLION IN US HOMEOWNERS CLAIM PAYOUTS IN 2025; AVERAGE COST PER CLAIM SURGES NEARLY 43%

The following information was released by the Insurance Information Institute:

Florida, California and Texas Again Among Top States for Lightning Losses

U.S. insurers paid an estimated $1.65 billion in lightning-related homeowners insurance claims in 2025, a 59% increase from the $1.04 billion paid in 2024, according to the latest figures from the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I).

The total number of lightning-caused claims also rose in 2025, increasing 11.6 % to 61,986 claims from 55,537 the prior year. While the number of claims increased modestly, the average cost per claim surged 42.8% to $26,616, reflecting higher rebuilding and repair costs, inflation-driven increases in labor and materials expenses, and the growing value of increasingly sophisticated home electronics and connected devices.

Florida, California and Texas led the nation in the number of lightning-related homeowners insurance claims. Texas recorded the highest average cost per claim among the top states at $60,382 per claim.

"The sharp increase in average claim costs reflects broader trends affecting homeowners across the country, including rising reconstruction costs, inflation, the growing value of property and technology inside the home, as well as litigation abuse," said Triple-I CEO Sean Kevelighan. "These trends are making lightning-related losses more expensive and underscore the importance of preparedness and resilience."

In recognition of National Lightning Safety Awareness Week (June 21-27), Triple-I analyzed national insurance claims data and estimated that:

- The average cost per lightning claim has increased 146.9% since 2017, rising from $10,781 to $26,616.

- The total value of lightning-related homeowners insurance claims reached $1.65 billion in 2025, the highest level since 2020.

- More than half of all lightning claims originated from the top 10 states.

"Lightning can cause extensive damage beyond a direct strike," said State Farm's Dave Phillips. "Power surges generated by lightning can damage electrical systems, appliances, computers and smart-home technologies. Homeowners should take proactive steps to protect their property through surge protection, regular maintenance and preparedness planning."

State Farm is the largest writer of homeowners insurance in the United States, with direct premiums written of more than $39 billion in 2025.

Damage caused by lightning, such as fire, is covered by standard homeowners, condo, renters and business insurance policies. Some homeowners policies also provide coverage for power surges that are the direct result of a lightning strike.

Lightning can cause damage in a variety of ways, including fires, power surges and damage to electrical systems, appliances and other property. When a lightning event results in significant structural damage or a fire, losses can extend beyond repairs to include personal property replacement, temporary living expenses, debris removal and reconstruction costs.

The financial impact of lightning may be greater than reflected in lightning-specific claims data. When a lightning strike causes a fire, for example, the resulting insurance claim may be classified as a fire loss rather than a lightning loss, making it more difficult to fully measure lightning's contribution to insured property damage. Lightning is also a well-known source of wildfire ignition in the West. California's historic 2020 lightning siege sparked hundreds of wildfires that burned millions of acres and destroyed thousands of structures, illustrating how a single weather event can trigger losses that may extend beyond those captured in lightning-specific claims statistics.

Homeowners Insurance Claims And Payout for Lightning Losses, 2017-2025

Year Value of claims

($ millions) Number of

claims Average cost

per claim

2017 $916.6 85,020 $10,781

2018 908.9 77,898 11,668

2019 920.1 76,860 11,971

2020 2,066.7 71,551 28,885

2021 1,313.1 60,851 21,578

2022 950.2 62,189 15,280

2023 1,239.7 70,787 17,513

2024 1,035.3 55,537 18,641

2025 1,649.8 61,986 26,616

Percent change

2025 - 2024 59.4% 11.6% 42.8%

2025 - 2017 80.0% -27.1% 146.9%

Source: Insurance Information Institute, State Farm.

State Rankings

Florida was the leading state for lightning-related homeowners insurance claims in 2025, with 5,167 claims. Texas ranked third in claim frequency but generated the highest total insured losses at nearly $253 million and the highest average cost per claim at $60,382.

Top 10 States For Homeowners Insurance Lightning Losses By Number Of Claims, 2025

Rank State Value of

claims Number of

claims Average cost

per claim

1 Florida $186.0 5,167 $35,993

2 California 156.5 4,211 37,159

3 Texas 252.9 4,188 60,382

4 Georgia 87.6 4,007 21,871

5 Alabama 56.7 2,981 19,025

6 North Carolina 49.5 2,844 17,421

7 Louisiana 45.2 2,311 19,538

8 Pennsylvania 33.4 2,177 15,355

9 Virginia 39.9 2,166 18,399

10 New York 45.2 2,004 22,577

Top 10 States $952.9 32,056 $29,726

Source: Insurance Information Institute, State Farm.

The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) noted that lightning strikes can occur at an astonishing 100 times per second.

"The sharp rise in lightning-related losses serves as a reminder that lightning protection is an investment in resilience," said Tim Harger, executive director of LPI. "Whether it's a family home, a business, or critical infrastructure, the best time to protect against lightning damage is before a storm arrives. Properly installed lightning protection and surge protection systems can significantly reduce risk and help keep people, property, and operations safe."